Lets face up to it, you like toys. And so does your pet. That’s because toys are a amusing source of entertainment for your pets when you’re busy living the part of your life that does not demand leashes and plastic bowls with the name “Killer” across the face of it. Plus appropriate use of toys can keep your pet healthy (and you believed they were merely beneficial for making fun of Bower whilst he spins around chasing it across the lino). Playthings put your pets in the habit of daily physical exercise in addition to as establishing a good sense of enjoyment that will keep them puppyish. After all, a frolicky pet equals a flourishing pet.
As a matter of fact, playthings act as a stellar and significant function in emotional and psychological development of your pet (they might not have the aforementioned outcome for you, sorry). They provide a groovy answer for boredom, inappropriate chewing and anxiety (and you imagined you had got problems).
Forthwith bear in mind that precisely like the masses of mood swings your furry friend can experience, there are a large number of toys to choose from, put simply, variety really is the spice of life, and don’t worry, once it comes to picking the toy that’s satisfactory for your deary you simply require the proper information from your pet. To begin with, let’s say your cat is feisty and requires a mixed bag of play things, the subject matter in those creepy green cat eyes is uncomplicated, buy a cat toy. Dog owners do not worry as dog’s forever have got the equivalent idea about this as the cats and it’s precisely every bit uncomplicated; buy a dog toy.
And so just wherever do you do that? You’ll discover that assortment of pet playthings at any pet store, and they come in inexpensive prices. But before you waltz like a cat-eye spellbound zombie chanting “buy cat toy” or “buy dog toy”, put some intellection into what to look for in a cat or dog toy (after all, let’s be truthful, you are going to play with it just as often as they are). Besides, don’t forget to purchase dog toys whilst you are there.
In order, to get you started here is a few angles to keep in mind whilst buying;
1. Try to purchase a plaything that fits your pet’s size, not your size.
2. Make certain that there is no hazardous little pieces, since your pet may attempt to swallow it resulting in choking, whereas if you attempted to swallow it you just may feel truly strange for the following three days.
3. Bones and sticks could splinter and cause choking and vomiting. In reality, they may even perforate your pet’s mouth and throat (for those of you not in the know, perforating your throat equals bad) and so use non-splintering chewing toys such as Nylabone Edible Bones, to allow your pet to gnaw without any dread.
4. Bells can be problematical for birds, besides just being really annoying. Employ a treat dispensing roll toy as an alternative, after all, food equals fun. On that note don’t provide some leather plaything (if not specially tanned), paint or any wood preservatives to your feathered friend since they can be poisonous. Therefore to recap, food equals fun, toxic equals not fun.
5. Cats frequently delight hiding in plastic bags, and although you’re unlikely to go to the pet store for the exclusive intention of purchasing a plastic bag it’s all important to know as doing so can get their head stuck in it’s handle, resulting in choking and asphyxiation, therefore you are better off with a treat dispensing roll toy which will not choke or suffocate them.
6. When buying toys online, make a point to do a price comparison prior to ordering since many online stores will offer seasonal discounts that you will be able to cash in on.
And finally, be sure to supervise your pet when they play with their toy, this will minimize any accidents and then perhaps later on, if you ask nicely, they may even oversee you when you child’s play with it too. Enjoy the toy.
Do you walk through the pet store, see the many toys available for your cat, and wonder if the expense will be worth it? Cats can be fickle creatures, but a good time can be found with almost any toy. Cats are like children they go through stages and sometimes need age appropriate toys and can get bored very easily. Some suggestions for toys include the cat towers, stuffed mice, small amounts of catnip, stuffed animals, ribbons, and plastic balls.
From an early age, kittens learn to pick up things in their mouths. It is an instinct, just like using their claws. When a cat plays, they like to grab and bit their toys. Let us look at the toys listed above. A cat tower is a great way to teach you cat where it is appropriate to climb. It will keep them off the blinds or curtains while giving them hours of fun. There are many styles of cat towers from the two story towers to the ones rising to the ceiling. The answer to your question is, the more levels they have the more fun and enjoyment they will receive out of a cat tower. A cat will use the tower for play as well as sleep. They like to bat at ropes and other items dangling off the tower as well as going through little tunnels up to the next level. If you have two cats you will have fun watching them give chase to the top often trying to knock the other off. A cat tower can be practical because they will scratch at it rather than your couch.
Stuffed mice are also important to any kitty’s playtime. Not all mice are the same; most cats prefer the small leather mice with the multi colored fur and long tails. These mice come in twelve packs or three packs, and believe me if they are anything like my kitty they will tear them apart. Cloth mice are typically second during playtime. If you find your kitty to be uninterested in mice you might want to check the type of mouse you have bought them.
Catnip toys are very popular. Catnip will cause your cat to be more rowdy, which can be a plus because they wear down faster. Catnip before bedtime is a great way to get your cat to sleep for quite a while and leave you to slumber. Catnip should be given out sparingly. You do not want to give your cat catnip everyday because it can have adverse affects to their behavior. They can start to depend on it and have mood swings.
I have found the best toy may just be your old stuffed animal lying around the house. My kitty, Spooky, will bring me a stuffed animal when she is ready to play and she has stuffed animals in her toy basket. There is nothing more amusing than watching my kitty brings me a stuffed animal bigger than she is and proceeds to toss it in the air and pounce. Cats like the feel of certain things in their mouths that is why they chew on paper, plastic and even your blankets. The feel of the material in their mouths allows them to clean their teeth or when they are teething help reduce the pain. The stuffed animal can work in much the same way and keep them away from harmful products.
To answer my above question you do not have to go to great expense to entertain your cat, however when you spend a little on toys you keep your kitty from getting bored. You may even decide to hide a few toys and reintroduce them after a few months to keep from purchasing new ones all the time. Just make sure it is not the favorite toy of your pet or they may find other ways to entertain themselves that you do not find amusing.
Has this ever happened to you? Your cat’s peeing outside the litter box, and you’re desperately trying to clean up after your cat, wondering if you’re actually doing anything to stop it from happening in the first place!
Well, if you’re like me, you probably want some quick solutions to the problem, or at least a list of checkpoints that you know you must, like a detective on a trail, work through, to get the litter box behavior problem under control.
By the time you finish this article, you will have learnt the 7 most important steps you must know, when it comes to this problem of the cat peeing outside the litter box.
Firstly, let’s have a look at the reasons why this happens. The reasons for peeing outside the litter box are:
1. A medical problem.
2. The cat that has never been properly house trained to use the litter box in the first place.
3. Problems with the litter tray itself.
4. An unpleasant event that occurred while the cat was at the litter box.
5. A temporary physical or emotional stress, or change in the household causing the cat to urinate in an area outside the box, which is perpetuated by the urine smell reminding the cat to return to the same area over and over again.
6. Old age causing a cat to not be easily able to get to the litter box.
Now, keep these causes in mind, when checking out the 7 action steps:
1. If there’s a change in toilet behavior with no obvious cause, it may be caused by illnesses such as urinary tract infections, blocked anal glands, worms and parasites, diabetes and tumors. These illnesses may have no other obvious signs, apart from this urination problem. So you must consider a visit to the vet. In other cases you may see symptoms such as lethargy, blood in the urine, diarrhea, or constant licking in the anal area. If you see this, then your first stop is the vet!
2. Look at the litter box itself. Ensure you’re cleaning out the waste once or twice a day, and changing the litter every 3-4 days for non-clumping litter (2-3 weeks for clumping litter). Clean the tray with hot water and mild detergent, without any strong odors such as citrus or ammonia, which will repel the cat from the box. If you have multiple cats, remember – the number of trays should equal number of cats, plus one or two. If you’ve changed brands of litter, this may have caused the problem as many cats dislike this change, especially to scented litter. Return to the older litter. If you want to change, introduce unscented litter gradually by mixing the old with the new over 2 weeks. And ensure that the location of the box is acceptable: no loud noises, has some privacy, and is not in view of other cats.
3. Consider adding in 1 more litter box to another suitable private location of the house. This is because sometimes it’s not the litter box that’s the problem, but a negative experience there. For example, if your kids played with the cat while she was on the litter box, or if the cat had pain when urinating, such as during a urine infection, after having kittens, or had a procedure done on the bladder or urethra at the vet, then the cat would associate pain with that litter box. Even if the pain is gone, the association and is still there.
4. Thoroughly clean the area that has been peed on. This is important because no matter what the cause, the fact that the urine remains on the bed, carpet, or sofa is a reminder for the cat to return to pee there. The cat’s sense of smell is more acute than ours, so ensure you clean with a solution such as Brampton’s Simple Solution. If you have remaining urine smell together with a bad association at the box, then you have 2 forces causing the problem to continue. So get rid of both!
5. Next, if possible, deny the cat access to the area that is peed on, especially if it’s an area that is repeatedly used. Many people forget to do this, and their problem is prolonged. By stopping access, the cycle of repeated urination is stopped. Will the cat pee somewhere else? Possible, though less likely if you provide a second litter box, show him where it is a few times, and also do the step 7 below.
6. If you can’t stop the cat from accessing the area, make the area less attractive for peeing instead. You can do this by either placing a scent, or, by placing a bowl of dried cat food there. If using a scent, try citrus or eucalyptus. If using dried food, which often works better, ensure that you top up the food bowl during the day. Either way, once you have success, continue for another 1-2 weeks to ensure it stays that way.
7. If you’re at home when the cat is, then you have this step up your sleeve as well: the startle technique. Only do this method if you actually catch the cat about to urinate because if you do it at any other time, that cat will not be able to associate that urinating in the area with the unpleasant startle. Startle the cat with a loud “No!” or clap of the hands. Wait 5 minutes, then bring the cat to the litter tray, and if she toilets at the tray, reward her with praise and a food treat. As long as the length and enjoyment of the reward if far greater than the startle, this will be unlikely to cause stress. Use this method carefully as some cats may experience stress with it. Make sure that the cat seems relaxed after the food treat, and that it’s actually improving the situation.
If you follow the above steps, most problems of peeing outside the litter box will be solved within days or gradually improve over 1-2 weeks.
Remember in all cases, you’ll be even more effective if you reduce stress at the same time. This means more play time and attention.
In conclusion, it does take some effort and detective work to see what has caused the litter box behavior problem in the first place. And you now know how to apply 7 essential steps to help you solve this issue, as quickly and effectively as possible.
If you’d like to learn more advanced tips on solving your cat’s litter box behavior problem, go to the website described in the resource box below.
Lets face up to it, you like toys. And so does your pet. That’s because toys are a amusing source of entertainment for your pets when you’re busy living the part of your life that does not demand leashes and plastic bowls with the name “Killer” across the face of it. Plus appropriate use of toys can keep your pet healthy (and you believed they were merely beneficial for making fun of Bower whilst he spins around chasing it across the lino). Playthings put your pets in the habit of daily physical exercise in addition to as establishing a good sense of enjoyment that will keep them puppyish. After all, a frolicky pet equals a flourishing pet.