Dear Dr. Forsythe: My doggies know what they are supposed to do when I put them outside. However if and when I accidentally leave a door open to a room where they know they shouldn’t be, they dash in and leave me a message on the rug. Why are they being so mischievous?
Sincerely,
JB
Dear JB: I don’t think your dogs are being mischievous, I think they are confused. They get mixed signals when a door is “accidentally” left open and they can enter a room you don’t want them in. For instance, when you leave a door open for a pet, they think that they are supposed to go through the threshold and eliminate. Likewise, if you leave them outside and then arbitrarily leave one of the doors in your home open, they (rightfully) may think the same thing, and go “through the threshold” and eliminate.
Unlike people, dogs really don’t have spite. Thankfully, they don’t really even know what that is. I suggest you attempt to be more consistent with them and this problem will be gone. In the meantime, some good clean-up items are Natures Miracle and Anti-Icky Pooh. And please, watch your step when entering a room or immediately begin wearing closed toe shoes despite the warm weather.
Thanks for a good question.
Dr. F
Dear Dr. Forsythe: We have a dilemma with the smell of cat urine and spraying in our house. Our oldest cat stays mostly on the upper floor of the house and is strictly indoors and doesn’t spray or urinate except in his box. Our two younger cats go in and out and prefer to poop and pee “au naturel.” Our youngest cat is urinating and spraying inside. The smell is sickening and we aren’t sure what to do. Please give us some advice. We can’t take much more of it. Thanks.
Hates the smell
Dear Hates the Smell: I don’t blame you. I have a very strong nose and the smell of cat urine on walls or flooring is something I notice right away. First you should address the potential health problem that one or more of the cats (probably the one spraying) may have a urinary tract infection. Make sure that cat is spayed or neutered and have him or her checked out by your vet. This can be done with a simple urinalysis. Then it may be time to assess the behavioral aspect or “territoriality” of the cats you have. If they do not get along well, they may be “marking” or spraying because of tension and aggression between them. This can be really tough, because some cats seem to just dislike each other with a vehemence that nobody can fix, a little like Sean Hannity and Keith Olbermann. My suggestion would be to keep the sprayer outside and have the carpets cleaned and de-scented with the products I mentioned in the response above. Also, Feliway spray is a Pheromone spray that has a calming effect when sprayed onto key areas and may cause the cats to relax a bit. It also comes in a “diffuser” plug in that mists gently into the room and imparts a calming scent that can make upset cats relax a bit. As a last resort, kitty “downers” can be prescribed to decrease tension and the likelihood of spraying, but it is important not to jump over the first steps I mentioned in order to get to the bottom of this smelly problem. Maybe someone at Fox News needs to spray Sean with a little Feliway so he can stop being so amped up all the time? Just a suggestion.
Dr. F
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