Did you know that your cat’s litter box should be 1-1/2 times his length?  Think about it……..have you ever seen one that big?  Commercial litter boxes of that size are hard to come by.  So most cat guardians unknowingly ask their cats to use one that is WAY too small and, worse, often with a cover.  CLAUSTROPHOBIA!  I really have to hand it to most of the cats, though.  In the wild the world is their liter box.  In the home, most accommodate to what is provided and many of us are not doing right by them!

Now, here’s the problem I often see as a behavior consultant: a cat, who formerly used his/her litter box faithfully for some time  inexplicably begins going elsewhere in the house.  In my mind I have a visual of the cat looking disgustedly at the too-small or dirty litter box with his hands on his hips and yelling,”OK, I’VE HAD IT WITH THIS THING!  I’M GOING TO DO MY BUSINESS SOMEWHERE ELSE!”

Sometimes the solution is as easy as providing a much roomier box and more of them.  I recommend clear, 66 qt. Sterlite storage containers as litter boxes with the lid discarded and a piece cut out of one end for easy entry.  The bottoms of these containers are fairly flat so litter doesn’t get stuck on them and being clear is really important so the cat can see all around him while he’s in a vulnerable position.  And, by the way, these containers only cost about $8-$10, which is much less than smaller, commercial litter boxes cost.

Make sure you also have enough litter boxes for the cats in your home (one per cat plus one), at least one on each floor, and preferably,  never in a basement or garage.  A lot of cats will reject their boxes if placed there.  The boxes shouldn’t be hidden in a faraway place where it’s too much trouble to go to or that you’ll not see and forget to scoop every day.  Be sure to use clumping, unscented, clay litter that is soft under foot to a depth of 3-4″.  Studies have been done with cats’  litter preferences and this kind was overwhelmingly used by the cats in those studies.

There are many other reasons cats reject their litter boxes, but a small box shouldn’t be one of them.  If your kitty is having litter box lapses,  take your cat to her veterinarian to rule out any physical cause.  If it is deemed a behavior problem by the vet,  you might try changing to a larger box.  If the problem still persists, consult me or another feline behaviorist for help.

Laura Speirs, Feline Behavior Consultant

This topic comes to mind with the loss of my precious Emily a few days ago and the imminent death of  Tristan.  I’ve had to say goodbye to 13 of my babies since 1995.  All but two of these 13 were euthanized when I realized it was time.  Making the decision to let them go is never easy.  However, I thought I’d share my thoughts on the subject since I’ve had to do it so many times.

The first thing I remember is that such a decision is NOT about me or my dread of living without my cat.  My cat’s welfare must be foremost in my mind.  I love my kitties way too much to ask them to stay around suffering so I can keep them.  I know I’d suffer much more later on with the guilt I’d have if I did this.  I’ve always called letting my cat go “the ultimate act of love.”  I really believe this.

So how do I know when it’s time?  Being so emotionally attached makes it hard for all of us to be objective.  In most cases our cats will let us know when they’re done.  I look at quality of life first and foremost.  Can my kitty still do the things he used to love to do?  Is he just lying around listless?  Is he hiding or has he withdrawn emotionally from  me? Can he eat on his own?  Go to the litter box?  Basically, I ask myself, “Is my kitty enjoying his life?”  Someone, who has had many cats, once said something that has really helped me in making this awful decision.   “Let the cat go while he still has some dignity.”

I don’t believe, in most cases, that it is the most compassionate thing to let a cat linger and die on his own.  The euthanization process has been very quick and easy for all my cats.  I call it “a sweet death.”

So, if you are facing the end of life of one of your cats, maybe my experience will be of help to you.  Even though I’ve been through it 13 times and facing another one, it never, ever gets easier.  Still, in the end I choose to do what’s most humane and loving for the sweet being I’ve loved for years.

Laura Speirs,  Feline Behavior Consultant

I recently read an article in a veterinary newsletter that shocked and scared me.  Paper shredders left on automatic can entrap paws and tails of cats and particularly kittens.  The article cited a horrific accident where a dog’s tongue was caught in a paper shredder.  The poor dog was so freaked out, he bit off his own tongue!  Luckily, the dog survived and was able to learn to eat again.

I began to imagine how easily little tails and curious paws could be caught in the sharp blades of a paper shredder.  I am happy I leave mine in my garage where my cats never go.

So, if your paper shredder is left on automatic, TURN IT OFF!  Your cat may have ignored it for years, but one day tragedy could happen.  I always say, we can never be too careful protecting our precious cats.

Laura Speirs, Feline Behavior Consultant

With spring fully upon us, it’s important to begin treating your indoor-outdoor pets for fleas.  In Oregon we didn’t have a hard freeze this year, so those nasty pests are hardy and just waiting for a host such as your pets.  Flea saliva causes severe, itchy allergies in some cats.  Fleas also carry tape worms that can infect your kitty. 

REMEMBER ONLY TO USE THE BRANDS OF FLEA DROPS RECOMMENDED BY YOUR VETERINARIAN! Some over the counter flea treatments are unsafe and/or ineffective.  You can get great deals on Advantage and Frontline Plus on Amazon.com for much less than sold at your vet’s office.

Mark your calendar NOW to remind yourself to put the drops on your kitty monthly.

Laura Speirs, Feline Behavior Consultant

We all get so caught up in all the holiday shopping, baking, socializing, etc., while also trying to work at our  jobs.  Our precious cats will often get neglected during this busy time.  It’s important to make it a priority to keep kitty’s schedule of feedings, playtime, and interaction as normal as possible.  They don’t understand what’s different about December.  Their lives are always the same and that’s just the way they like it!

If you’re going to have guests coming to stay or visit, be sure to make arrangements for your cat’s happiness based on his/her temperament.  Some cats love being in the middle of things while others spend the time cowering under a bed.  If yours is one of the latter, set him/her up in their favorite room before guests arrive with all the necessities and play the radio softly with soothing music.  Close the door but don’t forget to spend 5 minutes visiting your kitty several times during the sequestering for cuddles and a little interactive play.

Some cats will react to the stress of all these changes in the home, their schedule, and strange people in their environment in several ways.  Some will become aggressive, hissy, or stop using their litter box.  Some cats will also spray urine on luggage or other strange smelling things (gifts or boxes) that enter the house, so be sure to keep these inaccessible to your cat.  This is totally normal behavior for a cat, so PLEASE DON’T PUNISH YOUR KITTY.  Keeping things as normal as possible will lessen the stress that causes unwanted behaviors.

Remember the dangers to cats associated with the holidays:  holly, poinsettias, tinsel, electric cords, candles, human food, tree ornament hooks, the water in the tree reservoir, mistletoe, ribbons, etc.  If your cat tends to be an escape artist, before you open the door to guests, KNOW WHERE YOUR CAT IS!

Have a wonderful holiday season this year.

Laura Speirs, Feline Behavior Consultant

With more cats living safely indoors and advances in veterinary medicine and feline nutrition, it’s commonplace for them to live 17-20 years or more! Just like ours, their little bodies begin to wear out and may need more help from us than before.

The three main medical conditions seen in older cats are kidney failure, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism.  All of these can make a cat lose weight and that would be your first clue that something’s going on.  With kidney disease and diabetes, you’ll see a marked increase in urination and water intake.  It’s important to watch what’s going on in the litter box and monitor your kitty’s weight and appetite.  Since we see our cats day after day, it’s sometimes hard  to notice weight loss until it becomes quite pronounced.  It’s recommended that cats over age of 8-10 have a vet visit twice a year to monitor for such changes.  Your vet will likely do a blood test to check for these three conditions and, if present, recommend a course of treatment.

Older cats may also develop arthritis and be unable to jump on the couch or bed or even get into a high-sided litter box. There are stairs you can get from catalogs to help them reach too-high furniture.  Arthritic cats will also seek out warm, soft areas to rest.  Offering a heating pad set on “low” wrapped in towels will help keep kitty more comfortable.

**Cats do not tolerate anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or adult aspirin. Never, ever medicate your cat without asking advice from your veterinarian.**

Your cat may also not be as comfortable eating from dishes on the floor because of the strain it puts on the back and neck.  There are commercially available food dishes in a holder that will raise the level up about 4″ and be more comfortable for kitty or you can improvise something similar.

A cat’s ability to groom themselves often becomes a problem later on and may need your help and even a bath.  Be sure to brush your cat and clip the nails diligently.  Cats  may stop scratching their posts so that their nails’ outer sheathes are not shed. Further, a more horrific consequence of not maintaining your cat’s nails is that they can grow so long in a circular pattern that they’ll eventually pierce their foot pads and continue growing!

Laura Speirs, Feline Behavior Consultant

I’ll bet you’ve never heard of it, right?  Well, sadly, heartworm disease, that has heretofore been found mostly in the mid west and east,  has made it into Oregon.  This often-fatal disease, spread by mosquitoes, is even more deadly in cats than in dogs.  First, there is no treatment for it in cats, although some cats’ immune systems will kill it.  Second, as with so many feline diseases, symptoms do not show themselves until the disease is quite advanced.

INDOOR CATS ARE AT RISK AS WELL!  Mosquitoes enter our houses and can bite and infect your cat.  Monthly heartworm preventatives are available from your veterinarian.  The most common name is Revolution®, a topical treatment for fleas, ear mites, and other parasites.

Ask your veterinarian if heartworm preventative is prudent for you cat.  He/she may recommend a test to determine if your cat is heartworm positive before recommending treatment.  Once the cat is determined to be negative,  the preventative agent can be begun and you can rest easy!

Laura Speirs, Feline Behavior Consultant

Cats, as we know, are NOBODY’S FOOL!  They know that the carrier means something bad is going to happen - like going to the vet.  Just when we are in a hurry to get them somewhere, they hide and/or wedge themselves in the most inaccessible place they can find, right?  The antidote to this is to put the carrier in the middle of the floor a couple of days before you need to put kitty inside and go.   Then, put some catnip around and inside the carrier and feed the kitty about a foot away from its door.  Conduct interactive play a few times a day around the carrier and offer treats if your cat likes them.  For each feeding, move the cat’s dish closer to the carrier’s door until you put the food right inside it.  This way the cat will begin to associate pleasant things (food/play) with the carrier and make him/her less likely to run when it’s time to go.

This ritual will need to be performed any time you need to prepare for an outing.  If you can leave it full time in the area where your cat hangs out as a resting place, so much the better!  The cat will then view this as a cozy, safe place.

Laura Speirs, Feline Behavior Consultant

At least it is in the Northwest and South and that means that fleas are active and multiplying.  For those of you whose cats go outside, it’s time to begin monthly flea treatment (mark your calendar  now to remind yourself!), and, in most areas of the country, heartworm preventative.  Those nasty fleas not only make  cats miserable and infest your house, carpet, and furniture, they also carry tape worm to infect them.   Mature, untreated tape worms will rob your cats of needed nutrients from their food.

Please be sure to buy your flea treatment that’s recommended by your vet from him/her or online.  Don’t try to cut corners with treatments sold at pet stores.  They are notoriously ineffective and one brand has killed a number of cats in the past.  Heartworms are easily prevented with a monthly pill or with Revolution®, which also kills external parasites, including ear mites.

YOU MAY NOT KNOW that indoor cats are very much at risk for acquiring heartworms.  This deadly disease, carried by mosquitoes,  is easily transmitted by them to your cat in your house.  Be sure to protect your kitty.

Laura Speirs, Feline Behavior Consultant

From February 14-March 17, 2010, very low cost cat spays ($25) and neuters ($10) will be offered and underwritten by several area animal rescue groups.  These fees are unprecedented for their low amount.  Targeted will be low-income apartments and housing areas, but anyone can take advantage of this program. If you know someone whose cat is unaltered, please tell them of this opportunity.

Contact 503-286-2411, e-mail: spayday@spayoregon.org, or www.spayoregon.org.

I just returned from the island of Kauai where I visited the Kauai Humane Society twice.  The shelter is a very nice facility and the only one on the island.   They house around 50 cats.  I was impressed by the 3 cat rooms I visited where all the cats free roam and have  outdoor enclosures with plenty of fresh air and backs up to a lovely courtyard.  The cats I met seemed happy and were mostly friendly wanting to get on my lap and spend time with me.  If  you happen to visit Kauai, I would recommend you stop by the shelter and check it out.  I’m sure the cats would appreciate a visit from you as well!

Laura Speirs, Feline Behavior Consultant