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Columbia-Greene Humane Society
125 Humane-Society Road
Soft Paws By Aaron Clause Easy Fixes for Problem Pets All pet owners – raise your hands if you’ve ever experienced an undesirable behavior from your dog or cat. My, my – just about everyone has their hand up! For those of you that are on your final few hairs and very last nerve, I’ve got suggestions for solving some common “challenges” (not “bad” behaviors) faced when owning pets. And no, “bad” is not a word in either cat language or dog language. All behaviors that you see are a response following a simple thought process to a particular stimulus. In fact, many of what have been called “bad” behaviors are actually cries for help; it is nature’s way of helping an animal tell you “something’s not right here!” The cardinal rule when dealing with these challenges: DO NOT REPRIMAND your pet for what you think is a “bad” behavior. They don’t understand hitting or yelling or no dinner or being tied outside. Instead, you must learn how your pet thinks and how to persuade him or her to perform what we call “good” behaviors. These are just a few suggestions for some selected challenges (some for dogs, some for cats); if you have any questions or comments about other behaviors, or would like more details on the solutions shown here, please call our behavior counselors at the shelter. On with cats: 1) Defecating outside the litterbox: #1 rule here – when a pet, cat or dog, tends to do odd things when relieving themselves, you must check them out for something physically wrong. Make an appointment with your veterinarian – there may well be a problem your pet’s doctor will be able to resolve. If your vet says that everything’s OK, try the Triple Litterbox test – put out three boxes, one with a fine clay or clumping litter, one with average granular litter, and one with dirt (yes, “soil”). See which the cat uses. Some people will be surprised when your once-stray cat prefers just plain old dirt! Some litters can cause allergies that will make a cat refuse to use them, so find out what your cat appreciates! 2) Urinating outside the litterbox: Aside from all of the above, make sure you have your cat checked for a urinary tract infection (UTI). If urinating is painful for your cat, he or she may associate the pain with the litterbox and refuse to use it. Is your cat neutered? Many un-neutered male cats can spray the whole house for you; a telltale sign of this is urinating horizontally against objects. Maybe a neuter could help you! 3) Clawing furniture: Trim nails on a regular basis to avoid damage. Very important: give the cat an alternate scratch site, such as a scratching post or ramp, and make it appealing by sprinkling it with catnip. Don’t declaw – it is an unnecessary and traumatic experience where, in essence, all of the cat’s top knuckles are cut off. There are better alternatives. Always re-direct your cat from your furniture to his or her scratching site. 4) Spats with other pets: Get your handy squirt bottle at any department store’s cosmetics counter (very cheap!) and fill it with water. Next time you see an imminent argument between your cat and another pet, squirt away. Hide the bottle beneath your arm so the cat can’t view it as a weapon. It’s amazing how the fights get postponed due to bad weather! (This can work for scratching furniture, too) 5) Hairballs: No, hairballs are NOT natural, and they are NOT intentional. A hairball is not placed on your pillow because you are hated. It is because your cat needs some gastric assistance solving a problem that they are trying to do themselves. There are several brands of hairball medication (usually a flavored gel in a tube that your cat will enjoy eating) you can try, along with frequent grooming with a comb (especially for long-haired cats). Now for some common dog challenges: 1) Growling over supper dish: You must, must MUST realize that your pet is not “mean” because of this nasty sound – your dog is, in fact, insecure that someone may take it. She is worried that she may go hungry and she is letting you know that she would really like to keep eating. Leave her dish down until she’s finished, and work on hand-feeding her to get her to trust you and the rest of the family as the pack-leader providers. If her energy is usually directed at another dog in your house, make sure that you are feeding at the same time in separate locations. 2) Pulling too hard on walks: The Gentle Leader is a fitted headgear that allows a dog complete use of its mouth, but restricts its forward motion so it can’t pull. It has turned some of the biggest beasts in the shelter into little pussycats, and still very much in the comfort zone for the dog. We have them available for a donation at the shelter. 3) Table begging: Don’t ever, ever give in! Once you give in, your pup will spend as much time as it takes to get his little morsel of table scrap. The squirt bottle from the above cat section (#4) can work here, too, same principle. 4) Defecating/Urinating in neighbor’s yards: For pet’s sake – use a leash! That’s what walking is all about! No excuses here. If your pet relieves himself on another person’s yard while you are walking him on the leash, make sure you have your little baggie ready to clean up. Your pet is your companion, and not your neighbor’s responsibility! 5) Carpet Scooting: Yes, the dreadful one – seeing your pup planting her rear on your favorite rug or carpet and scooting, most innocently, across the room. This is, again, NOT a normal behavior, and not an attempt to punish you or make your best friend laugh (it DOES look kinda silly!). No, carpet scooting is normally due to tapeworms (itchy itchy, itchy!), which can be easily treated by your veterinarian. The source of the itching can also be an impacted anal gland, which can need a little more attention than worms. The principle here is simple – if it itches, scratch it. So do your pet a favor, help her out by getting her the veterinary attention she’s asking you for! Like I said, if you have any questions, feel free to call or stop down at the shelter. The phone number is (518) 828-6044, or you can see us on Humane Society Road, off Route 66 a mile and a quarter south of the intersection with Route 9H. We’re open Monday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with extended hours on Thursday until 7 p.m. You can also visit our website at www.cghs.org. Look forward to seeing you!
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