Help! My Cat is like Jekyll and Hyde!

Help! Why is my cat biting and scratching me for no reason!

As a cat owner myself, I know how frustrating it is when all you want to do is love and cuddle your cat(s), but sometimes they just want to bite you back! Don’t take it too personal; it’s probably not you! Read these reasons for why your cat might be aggressive, and some tips for dealing with it (from the Humane Society).

PLAY AGGRESSION

Cats love to play, and stalk prey. They pounce and attack! As kittens it might be cute, because their teeth and claws are still tiny, but when they are adults, it becomes a nuisance, and can be a hazard if you have young children around. My advice is to NEVER play with your cats with just your hands, meaning don’t use your hands as pretend “prey;” always use a toy so you aren’t teaching them that attacking your hands is OK. A great toy is a long fishing pole type with a toy at the end, so you can keep your distance. If your cat happens to bite or scratch you, say “UH-UH” and immediately stop playing. Never yell or hit your cat.

PETTING AGGRESSION

Sometimes when you are innocently and lovingly petting your cat, he might take a nip at you out of the blue. Experts aren’t really sure of the reasons why, but most think it’s because some cats are sensitive on certain areas of their bodies, or just have a limited tolerance for being touched. My cats only want to be pet on their own terms! I would stay away from touching their tails, ears and paws. When they start twitching, moving their tail, turning back their ears, grumbling, or even putting their teeth lightly on your skin, etc, walk away. Going forward, I would stop petting them before you notice any of these signs. Another thing you can do is reward your cat with treats. Pet him for a little while, then treat him. He will soon associate petting with food- yum!

REDIRECTED AGGRESSION

This occurs when a cat is aroused (in a bad way) by an animal or person, but has no outlet for his naturally aggressive feelings. Maybe your cat is gazing out of the window and sees another cat or animal outside, and he then gets territorial. Since he cannot get to that cat, he attacks the first thing that crosses his path. What you should do is observe your cat- is he staring intently out the window that he doesn’t notice you, is he not responding when you call, or is he growling or hissing- then don’t mess with him! Clap your hands loudly to break his fixation, or just walk away. If you ever have to break up two cats fighting, just use a squirt bottle filled with water.

TERRITORIAL AGGRESSION

Cats are naturally very territorial. Most of the time they are only territorial with other cats, but sometimes you will meet an extremely dominate cat who thinks he owns the house (like my cat LEO!)! Some very aggressive cats can prevent you from entering or leaving a room even. We had a cat client once, who has since moved, that was extremely dominant. Every sitter I introduced him too, was terrified of him, and most would refuse to watch this cat. I had to fill in on multiple occasions because I am not afraid of cats myself, but I definitely understood their fears! If you live with an alpha cat, you can use the squirt bottle to assert your dominance to let him know who is the boss. I would also redirect a territorial cat’s aggression to a plat toy, preferably one with a long pole, so you don’t have to get too close.

OTHER REASONS

If your cat’s behavior has suddenly changed, there could be a potential medical issue. Take him to the vet for a check up. If he is fine, then he might just need behavior modification. Maybe he is just stressed out at home (too much noise, too many people or other pets around). Consider confining him to one room, that is quiet and less stressful and see if this works. You can also always contact an animal behaviorist.

GOOD LUCK!

Tip for Tuesday 12/11/12: Can Holidays Be Stressful for Your Pet?

Yes!

With all your holiday preparations, like shopping, wrapping, decorating, planning  preparing meals, getting the house ready, or maybe preparing for a trip, you might be a little bit stressed out….and guess who can pick up on that?? Your furry friend! Not only can he pick up on it, but he can also get stressed out himself because of it.

Any change in your pet’s routine can cause stress.  And when your pet is stressed, he may misbehave, he could hurt himself, like biting or scratching excessively, he could start barking (or crying, or meowing, or chirping…) more, or make messes while you are gone.  There is a number of things your pet can do when he is stressed out.

All of the above behaviors is your pet’s way of telling you he is stressed out and something needs to be done about it!  So in preparation for the holidays, don’t forget to also prepare your pets!

Here are some tips for keeping your pets chill during the holiday rush…

1.  Keep your pet’s exercise and feeding routine the same throughout the holidays.  If you need an extra helping hand exercising or just hanging out with your pet, give us a call, we would be happy to help!  If you are going away, make sure your pet sitter has the times of your pets feedings, walks, etc.

2.  If you are busy with preparations or throwing a party, put your pet in a quiet room with plenty of water and possibly toys.

3.  If you have guests over, work on your dog’s greeting manners, to save him the stress of being constantly corrected.  Give your pet plenty of attention and exercise before your guests arrive.

Last but not least, stop and take a breath…….

Pets pick up on our cues, so if you relax, they will!

Happy Holidays! 🙂

2010 Most Unusual Ingested Objects by Pets (PR Newswire)

With nearly 2,000 foreign body ingestion claims received over the past year, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI) – the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance – saw plenty of pets make meals of inedible objects. Many of the usual ingestions showed up again and again; socks, hand towels, sticks, and rocks were especially popular pet “snack” choices. Other ingested items were not quite as common. Following is a list of just some of the more noteworthy items that were removed from the stomachs of VPI-insured dogs and cats in 2010.

• jellyfish
• glue
• estrogen patch/make-up brush
• tube of denture adhesive
• dead poisoned vole
• bikini
• ink pen
• plastic nose from teddy bear
• magnetic purse clasps
• baseball
• glass Christmas ornament
• hearing aid
• bed sheet
• box of pencils
• popsicle stick
• avocado pit
• dental floss
• coffee filter/coffee grounds
• fishhook
• pain relief tablet/B.B. pellet/highlighter
• tent door
• toy squeaker
• watch
• 16 steel wool pads
• pseudoephedrine/sponge/snail poison/tampon
• 20 cherry pits
• light bulb
• barbecue brush
• Frisbee
• jumper cables
• razor blades
• uncooked rice (1 pound)
• wallpaper paste
• squirrel
• balloon ribbons
• bird (whole)
• butter/sand
• deer antler (partial)
• extension cord
• leash/3 sticks of butter
• pin cushion
• portion of wool rug
• tobacco
• TV remote control
• 10 quarters/one penny/one Canadian coin/three arcade tokens
• foot-long submarine sandwich
• fire log
• wooden toy train
• pine cone
• round chew bone (whole)
• caulk
• eye glasses
• money (paper)
• oil-soaked dirt
• sand
• rosary crucifix
• 25 to 30 soiled diapers
• bath bubble mix
• bathtub cleaner/outdoor plants
• duck bone

(BREA, Calif., Dec 14, 2010, PRNewswire)

Don’t forget to keep a close eye on your pets and place any item you suspect a pet may want to chew or eat safely out of their pets’ reach.   You should never underestimate your pets’ ability or desire to eat anything they can find.

How to Control Shedding

Are you finding unwanted pet hair in your food? What about embedded in your keyboard or stuck to your glossed lips? Pet fur seems to have an ability to get everywhere.  Shedding happens year-round for most pets, because we keep them inside most of their lives.

Here are some steps to control the shedding!

1. Invest in a Very Good Brush – Many pet owners swear by the Furminator, a brush that catches not only the top fur but also the fur underneath. Used once a day, it is thought to really reduce the amount of fur in your house.  They sell them for cats and dogs.  I bought the Cat Furminator, and it is terrific.  It really gets to their under coat.  The only problem is that it is a lot of work, but it’s worth it!
2. Hit the Groomers – If you can afford it, grooming often reduces the amount of fur that is shedding.  However, with cats, I do not suggest a groomer unless your cat handles stress well.  Cats are fastidious animals who love to keep their bodies clean. Cleaning is instinctive behavior, and cats have been washing themselves with their tongues for as long as they’ve been around. So I wouldn’t suggest taking a cat to a groomer unless it is absolutely necessary.
3. Revamp Your Pet’s Diet – A healthy diet will help control shedding. Be sure your pet’s food has meat as the first ingredient and that it meets the standards for a healthy food. Consider adding a little bit of olive oil to his diet as well.
4. Eliminate Stress – Many pets will involuntarily shed when stressed out, such as on a trip to the vet. Keep yourself as calm as you can in these situations since pets pick up on our emotional signals, and be sure to praise and reward him throughout the experience.

Is Your Cat Afraid of Visitors?

One of my cats runs at the sound of a pin drop, and the other thinks he is a dog!  So my mission has been to get my shy kitty, to become more gregarious of course.  When I have visitors come over, I want to show off my pets because they are like children to me.  If you have this problem as well, here are some tips!

Begin by having someone come over and sit on the floor without making eye contact with your cat.  The visitor should engage in quiet conversation with you, and not directed at the cat. Never hold your cat or encourage or make him to go up to the visitor.  Cats always feel less threatened when they have some degree of  control (this is why your cat always goes up to your visitors that are afraid of them and ignore them at first!).  Engage the cat in their favorite activity like an interactive play session with a fishing pole toy or offer treats while in the presence of the visitor. If things go well you can have the visitor begin gently tossing treats to the cat while keeping their distance.  If your kitty isn’t ready for this step then work up to that in later sessions. The point of this is to have the cat associate something positive with the presence of the visitor.

Good luck!

Halloween Can Be Dangerous For Your Pets

Halloween is a fun time of the year, especially for kids!  But as a smart pet owner, you should be weary of the potential dangers for your pets around the Halloween season!  There are so many things that can happen in a matter of seconds that could cost your pets their health and even their life.  Here are a few safety reminders:

(1) Do not leave your pets outside unattended: You should never leave your pets outside unattended anyway, but especially on Halloween, and the days leading up to Halloween.  This goes for all pets, even your cats that like to go outside.  Do not let them outside on Halloween, and maybe even the day before.  Unfortunately there are unscrupulous people out there who will go so far as to hurt your pet on purpose.  Halloween is a night of mischief, so don’t let your pets get caught up in it!

(2) Keep the candy and the candy wrappers away from your pets: The most obvious danger of Halloween is all of the candy.  Candy is not good for pets! Many sweets have artificial sweeteners in them that are toxic and for those of you that don’t already know, chocolate is major toxic food for pets.  Another food that people don’t usually think about is raisins and grapes. They are also toxic to pets.  One last thing to think about with the candy is the wrappers. Some of those foil wrappers can be super dangerous. They are basically the same as tin foil and can cause damage in your pet’s intestinal system.

(3) Be cautious when decorating your house for Halloween: Pets are naturally very curious.  Haven’t you realized that whenever you buy something new for your hose, your pet is the first one to notice?!  Curiosity combined with unsafe Halloween decorations can be dangerous, so think before you decorate!

(4) Pick a safe costume for your pet: First, make sure you get the correct size outfit for your pet and that it fits them comfortably. You do not want the costume to be too tight. This can make your pet extremely irritable, not to mention, that it can rub sores into their skin and cut their circulation off.  You also do not want the costume too big because then they can trip over it.  In addition, try to avoid things like sequins, bows, extra buttons, etc. These are things your dog may chew off and swallow and potentially choke or cause an intestinal blockage. Lastly, You should think of your pet as a small child in their costume and never leave them unattended. If they continue to struggle in their costume, you should remove it immediately.

(5) Be careful of the front door: Do you plan on putting your pets in another room, put up a barricade or let them join in the fun? This is really important to think about ahead of time. How your pets normally reacts to visitors may not be how they’ll react to visitors in strange costumes with their faces concealed. Not to mention with kids screaming, yelling, crying and the doorbell ringing, etc.

Enjoy the Halloween season, knowing that your pet is safe and happy!!

Keeping Your Pet Healthy!

Adding a daily supplement can help jump-start your pet’s immune system and promote wellness and health.  A great supplement will help pets fight foreign invasions caused by toxins that can wreak havoc on their bodies.  When picking one, inspect the label to determine what it contains.  Vitamins A, C, E and Selenium should be contained in the supplement.  Proper supplements that meet your pet’s needs will ensure a strong immune system.  Take a look at Nuvet (www.nuvet.com) as a daily supplement for your pet.  They use all natural, human-grade vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  If you are interested, enter code 46654 at check out.