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Pawbly | 8 years ago
We Have Had To Carry Her To The Litterbox Where She Does Go. And…

We have had to carry her to the litterbox where she does go. And she can stand up..but wont move! What could be going on

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Recently Adopted A Dog, She’s A Year Old Basenji/Lab Mix (two Very Contradicting Breeds…

I recently adopted a dog, she’s a year old Basenji/Lab mix (two very contradicting breeds in terms of behavior). I’m having the worst time trying to potty train her. I’ve tried so many different methods but she refuses to go potty outside. She literally has no warning signs. She already paces and sniffs like its her calling in life. She squats after she already starts going. I have no idea when she needs to go. She will not go potty outside. She acts like grass is her personal enemy and will lay on the sidewalk instead. I’ve tried taking her in and out, I’ve tried waiting her out. We walked in the park in hot weather for five hours and she peed on the floor when we came back inside. Training her to go outside is becoming a hassle that’s frustrating and depressing both of us, should I just give up and house train her to use pee pads or litter instead? We just have a hard time getting outside fast enough with her aversion to stairs and the elevator and there’s a power struggle once we’re outside. How do I react to bad behavior without making her scared of me?

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  1. Anonymous

    so, you should avoid punishing for toilet behavior in the house.  it sounds like she really just doesn’t know the rules yet.  

    these two links are pretty similar and i’d read both.  they should help.

    https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/How%20to%20housetrain%20any%20dog%20regardless%20of%20age%20comp.pdf?token=AWxdrBqVrfn4QMSlFlT8Q67NYPYkvMS7FXamkBNxSse7MPOs_AplyTN_zFvG-Eykkm-msikrbkBvTr5xwl4zav6t5XHohLF7I01ob8FeyaYYRw

    https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/How_to_Housetrain_Any_Dog%20(1).pdf?token=AWzFzr8QX0C6GNFaOKVxlOKyjHpjo4l1GKKLvup9PqoNRBewfhYcPaW8epVfl7TD-hzvF2V2XyFxKavjepjUKq75rqsQH7ckQTKV-VOq-pItBQ

    remember, be consistent.  good luck.  housebreaking is the biggest pain in the butt regardless of the age of the dog.

  2. Anonymous

    oh, one thing…make sure you’re feeding meals rather than just leaving food out for her. meals will help you to better schedule her toilet runs. try to feed a high quality food, as well.

  3. Brittany Herrera

    Thank you so much! Those help a lot!

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Have 3 Cats, 2 Dogs And A Small House With No Mud Room, Basement…

I have 3 cats, 2 dogs and a small house with no mud room, basement, hallways, separating doors, or dog or cat proof room. Yes, I know it wasn’t very good planning on my part. I am married and my husband goes to work, while I stay home.
I am a novice dog owner and even more novice at keeping cats as well. My bull breed mix is 80-100 pounds and is almost 2, and my rat terrier chihuahua mix is 9 months. Two of the cats are almost 2, and the senior one is 12.
I need help because it is icy and snowing with snow on the ground, and my dogs can no longer stay outside and wait for me to get to them. They’re unhappy inside their crates, and my eventual goal is to have them roam around the house with no issues with peeing or pooping, no issues of running around everywhere, and no issues of them bothering the cats because my husband doesn’t like it.
I can successfully keep them reasonably calm in the living room while I’m there, and I can get a glass of water or something from the kitchen if I tell them to stay. But issues of them just loose without me looking at both of them is that they will get into things and chew or eat them (stuffed pillows or other stuffed things, garbage, etc), eat cat poop, pee, or jump on the mattresses, which my husband doesn’t like.
The winter is much worse than last year, and keeping track of 5 pets is just so much. If they dogs and cats would get along somehow, I think that would help a lot. I just don’t know what to do concerning the litterbox, because my bull breed mix is very adamant about eating stuff from there unless I change it constantly. So when I let him out of his crate, I do change it, but I can’t trust him to roam around while I’m busy with something, or away. The little dog has issues with escaping her crate and peeing, and bothering the cats.

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  1. Carissa Knight

    Time, they will learn to coexist with each other.
    They may not be best friend but they will be able to be in the same room ect and tolerant each other.

  2. Chris Warnock

    We had 3 cats and then got a dog. Get a pet gate that also has a small door in the bigger gate. Approx $60 at pet smart. Use a strap or something to hold the small door open. Depending on the size of your dog if it can fit through the small door get a bungee cord and use it to make the small door smallerUse the gate to give the cats a totally separate space to “escape” from the dog. We did this and put the litter boxes in that room, and also used that room to feed them. It will take a while for the peace and harmony your hoping for. if your cat has claws I can’t help there ours do not, but I will tell you that your sweet little cat will probably make sounds that seem to be coming from the depths of hell towards the dog ours did. Our dog learned to back down from the cats so we didn’t worry about aggression towards the cats. Good luck and remember to pay equal attention to all of them to prevent jealousy.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
For Example, After Coming In From A Walk, Their Feet Are Wet And Dirty. So…

For example, after coming in from a walk, their feet are wet and dirty. So I put them in their crates a bit to dry off. And after a little while, I take them to the bathroom and wipe them with moistened towels with baby wash and also dry towels, but that isn’t perfect because I have to walk them from the living room to the kitchen to the bathroom. And the cat litterbox is by the bathroom doorway, so they feet track the litter too.
I know that washing couch blankets, dog bedding, vaccuming and sweeping a lot and general home maintenance is good, but I’m looking for ideas to make it easier, and quicker, and would allow my dogs to be happier.
(I have 3 cats, 2 dogs and a small house with no mud room, basement, hallways, seperating doors, or dog or cat proof room. Yes, I know it wasn’t very good planning on my part. I am married and my husband goes to work, while I stay home.)

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  1. Annie Yang-Shaffer

    Keeping more litterboxes is a really great idea. I think of part of they kick a lot of litter out of the litterbox may be a territorial thing, since the young female cats don’t like the old male cat and vice versa. So since they’re essentially forced to use the same litterbox, maybe that causes problems? I’m not sure… But I don’t want to confuse my cats, since the I’ve been using the same spot ever since I moved in. (My husband set up that spot back when there was just 2 cats and 1 dog.)
    Here’s the layout of my home for some context: The front door opens up into the living room, and to the right side of you when you walk in are the dogs’ crates. Bones has a wire crate and Coffee has a travel crate. There’s an armchair and 3 cushioned couch to the left, and on the wall parallel to the side where the dogs are is a window that the cats like to look through. Directly forward, a doorway leads into the dining room, and immediately there is a small dining table and chair set to the left of you. A little forward, and a doorway leads into a small kitchen. To the left hand side is the stove and cooking area, a window which allows sunlight onto the stove that the cats like, and the cat waterer, and to the right hand side is the garbage can, sink area, litterbox, and the bathroom. The bathroom does have a door, and it has a sink, a washer, dryer, and a medium sized shower, big enough to possibly bathe two of my small dog (she is 23 pounds) but not two of my big dog. Back to the dining room and past the dining table, there are some stairs that lead into a room that has the pets’ food closet, a sewing machine table and a dresser shaped record player that the cats like to be on, and a mattress. Directly past that is a room with a door that has a more expensive mattress, the computer area, and the clothes closet. The dogs aren’t allowed in this area because of pee accidents.
    My point of mentioning all of this is that I don’t really have many other places to place 2 or more litterboxes. While I could possibly do so anyway, I would like to have my dogs roam around one day, and having a litterbox in almost every area of the room could possibly be way too enticing…
    I’m in no way shutting you down or anything, a lot of people tend to think so.. Thanks again for your help!

  2. Annie Yang-Shaffer

    Keeping both moist and dry towels by the door does help! 🙂 It really saves a trip to the bathroom and prevents the dogs from tracking the cat litter if they don’t even go there in the first place.

  3. Annie Yang-Shaffer

    Both of my dogs are short coated, but I agree that it would be a good tip for having a longer haired dog.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
She Is Six Months I’ve Tried Many Things With Her Litterbox She Was Spayed Last…

She is six months I’ve tried many things with her litterbox she was spayed last Tuesday and got a rabies vaccination I just changed her food three days ago but she has puked a few times two months or more ago she also seems a tad bit friendlier

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  1. Chesse Chick

    I defiantly will but I don’t have much money how much does it normally cost just to get them examined

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
We Have 2 Male And Neutered Cats, And One Female Spayed Dog. One Of The…

We have 2 male and neutered cats, and one female spayed dog. One of the cats (we aren’t 100% certain which, but are setting up video cameras to determine which) is peeing on the dog beds. It started a year ago and would happen for a couple of weeks, then stop for a few months, start over again, repeat repeat. It happens mostly on the dog’s various beds, but has also happened on plastic shopping bags full of clothes. Comfy, soft things.

We took both cats to the vet when it first started and they didn’t find anything wrong… Just a few tiny crystals that most likely formed because they had to wait 2 days between the samples being taken and being tested, so all three of the vets said they were normal. We are taking them both to the vet again next week to do more testing (or just these guilty one, once we discover which one is doing it).

We have multiple CLEAN litter boxes, both open and closed top. One is even self cleaning after use, and my husband empties the others very frequently and cleans/washes them evey week. They have various bathroom and liter options, so I’m sure that’s not the problem.

We have tried cleaning the dog beds with all the appropriate cat urine cleaning solutions, but the second time we threw them all out and bought new ones. We did that the third time too. Now our poor dog has no beds until we solve the problem.

The dog is not a fan of the cats. She growls at them a lot, and is very protective of her food, “spaces,” toys, and bed. The cats don’t seem to mind at all, and act as though she’s not there, although I know sometimes cats don’t show when they are stressed. We know this is an issue, but she has been this way her while life. We not getting rid of the dog to solve the problem, not an option.

We of course will do all the tests at the vet (and do any surgery, take any medicine, or perform any procedure he needs), but we are worried that the poor cat is doing this due to a behavioral or dominance problem. If this is the case, does anyone have any recommendations about how to change his behavior? We will not be putting him in a shelter, we will not be re-homing him (unless we discover that he needs to be in a single pet home, in which case I will be heart broken but we will find him the perfect family), and no way in hell will we be putting him down. We will keep him even if he pees on my favorite rug or couch or carpet every 2 days. But I would obviously prefer if that weren’t the case… We have a baby coming in 6 months and I am hoping we have the issue mostly dealt with by then (although I realize long term behavior may take longer than that to change completely). Please help if you can. I feel like I am losing my very hormonal mind.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Question Is Could He Be Having Urinati G Problems Now Because Of That. I…

My question is could he be having urinati g problems now because of that. I have caught him 3times on 3 different rugs squatting looking like he wants to peepee, so i then go to pick him up to put him in the litterbox and he crys alittle like hes in pain. He use to complain the same way after when i would stop his brother from suckin on him.

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  1. Bonniejean Smith

    Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?

  2. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    I actually had a male kitten that had a sibling suckle on the end of penis and had actually caused an injury to the penis so the male cat could not pee!  It was easily fixed and required some TLC.  Today the cat is fine.

    So take him to a vet ASAP!

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Am Looking After A Cat Who Is Not Eating After Being Treated For A…

I am looking after a cat who is not eating after being treated for a bladder infection on 10/31. He returned home on 11/3 after being under vet supervision, and although he was somewhat active, he was still being lethargic and then slowly started to decline again (not eating, although drinking and using the litterbox). He was taken back to the vet on 11/7 I was told that he is depressed and misses his owner. I returned to the vet today and was told again that he is “starving himself from depression”. He has since stopped drinking and using the litter box. Any advice on what to do?

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  1. Carolyn Hedlund

    Also, the owner is out of the country until June! I am the long-term caretaker.

  2. Kate McKelvie

    Hi Carolyn,
    There are steps your vet can take if he has stopped drinking as well as eating- give fluids subcutaneously, prescribe an appetite stimulant, etc. Did they run bloodwork? You can tempt his appetite, possibly, by offering Fancy Feast, or Gerber’s turkey or chicken baby food. Sometimes they’ll try tuna, or rabbit (vet sells.) You can syringe feed him with Hill’s AD(add water.) Worst case scenario- they can hospitalize him and/or place a feeding tube. They need to do something to turn him around.
    If you can post a head shot here, I could send him Reiki long-distance.

  3. Carolyn Hedlund

    Thank you, Krista. I appreciate your advice. The vet only suggested taking him to an emergency vet and said that they would run tests that would cost 3-5K, with no mention of a feeding tube or any other suggestions for sparking his appetite. Although he did give us nutritional gel, he was not interested in that and we have had to force feed it to him to at least get him some nourishment. It seems as though he should be taken to another vet! Thanks again. Best,
    Carolyn

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Adopted My Cat Loki More Than 2 Years Ago When He Was A Little…

I adopted my cat Loki more than 2 years ago when he was a little over 1 1/2 years old. He is going to turn 4 on October 9 (in just over one week from now). He is neutered, and vet records show he was neutered as a tiny kitten. His only medical issue is a viral infection in his sinuses which requires daily Lysine doses in his food and he does very well. He is not de-clawed. He has always been very good about using the litter box for the 2+ years I have had him.

Just last week he peed in a laundry basket of clean clothes on my bedroom floor. While cleaning that up I noticed he had earlier peed on a pile of dirty clothes about 6ft from that basket. I’m embarrassed to say I left my laundry get out of control and my room was a disaster area, so I thought it was possible he peed on the items as a call to action for me to clean up my mess. Since then I have been sleeping on the couch so he doesn’t claw at the door while I’m keeping him out of my bedroom for a while. I though it was an isolated incident and we were over it. Now it’s 2:30am and I smell urine on my couch right next to where Loki and I were sleeping. It’s not wet and does not smell like ammonia- just a minimal amount of urine. He has never, EVER marked anything or demlnstrated anything similar to marking behavior before.

I live alone in a 600 square foot apartment with one immediate neighbor who makes almost no noise. I do not have any other pets. The only major change that has happen recently I went from working 60-hour workweeks (November through July) to a 4pm-1am(ish) 4day/week schedule (July-August) and started a 9-5 in the second week of October, where I leave at 8:30 and return by 6:00.

The litter box is kept clean and he does use it daily. No sign of straining and the pee clumps are the same size as usual. He is eating and drinking normally and shows no sign of irritation, pain, discomfort, disinterest or fatigue.

What could the problem be? How can I get him to stop? It is so sudden and I am worried about him!

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  1. julie brader

    Hello Erin…..you need to take him to the Vet. Urinating suddenly like this could be sign there something wrong…kidneys, crystals a bladder infection…all sorts of things. Take a urine sample with you if you possibly can, it will help the Vet pinpoint the problem. 

    Hope he recovers soon! 

  2. Erin Beese

    **I meant to say 9-5 started in September, not October (since we’re. It there hey obviously!)

  3. Robin Laybolt

    There could be a number of reason why he is peeing outside the box. 1st thing could be the change of hours you are working now,  cats do not like change, 2nd reason could be the size of the litter box it may be to small for him now, you could get a bigger litter box, 3rd reason could be the kind of litter you are using, the best ltter is small pieces and clumping, also you should always make sure the litter is clean and once a week you should wash the litter box   with soap and water. Where ever he is peeing outside the litter box you have to make sure that you clean the spot really well or he will just keep coming back to the same spot. And last you should buy a second litter box for him and put it closer to where he is going. If he is eating and drinking the same and hasn’t change at all then i don’t think he is sick but if you try these things and he is still peeing outside the box and if he stops eating and drinking then please take him to the vet, or if you feel that none of these things will help you then you should take him to the vet. Sorry but i just thought of something,  even if a male is neutered they will sometimes spray but its not a big amount like pee would be, its a small circle and has no smell, and cats are like children in some ways, i think your cat is upset about your new hours and is just acting up. I hope this will help you and your cat. Good luck and take care.

  4. Kelly Furgason

    Hello,
    So when a cat urinates outside the box, it is a sign of irritation, pain, discomfort, illness, stress,,,tons of other things as well.
    I would take him for a urinalysis. You cannot tell by how much pee or how little pee a cat is making if there is an infection. One of the main reasons cats pee outside the box without ever having done so before is a UTI. (urinary tract infection) . So it’s best to get him checked.
    Also, the stress from you having a different schedule could also cause this for him. But my bet would be on something going on with his body, so get him examined and tested.
    A few other things could be: diabetes, thyroid issues that can also cause peeing issues.
    Good luck!!!
    ~kelly

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Steve Hatchett | 10 years ago
Both Cats Used An Extra Large Sized Litter Pan Since The Time Both Were In…

Both cats used an extra large sized litter pan since the time both were in our household.

4-6 weeks ago Scout stopped using the litter pan and started going on our carpet. We found that she had a UTI. From all indications the UTI has cleared up.

We have a follow up appointment on the 31st to confirm. However, Scout continues to go on the carpet even though we purchased an additional litter pan. The litter has no fragrance. Tux uses whatever litter pan the mood hits him which irritates me. I have to think that this is a behavioral issue that perhaps was initiated by the UTI.

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