The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Litter The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Litter
Showing posts with label Litter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Litter. Show all posts

Saturday, February 15, 2020

A Driver in the Western Province of Manitoba Recently Captured on Video A family of the Wild Cats Crossing the Road


It is one of Canada’s stealthiest predators, so spotting a single lynx is rare enough for travelers in the country’s hinterland.

But a driver in the western province of Manitoba recently managed to capture on video an entire family of the wild cats as they crossed the road.

Shaun Kirchmann was travelling along Highway 6 from Grand Rapids to Winnipeg, when a silhouette close to the tree line caught his eye.

The Manitoba Hydro employee pulled over to the side of the road, hopeful the shape he had spotted would move closer into view. Moose and deer are common sights along much of the country’s highway systems, and wolves and coyotes can occasionally be seen too.

But Kirchmann was shocked as a mother lynx and her five kittens emerged from the trees, cautiously padding through the snow towards the highway.

“It was one, two, three … I just kept seeing heads poke out of the bushes and I was just stunned. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s a family of lynx.’ But I’d never heard of this many lynx being together,” Kirchmann told CBC News.

The wild cats, known for their distinctive black-tipped ears, spend much of their life hidden in thick forest, and are rarely seen in groups, making Kirchmann’s sighting all the more special.

Manitoba Hydro shared Kirchmann’s video on Facebook, racking up more than 5,600 views.

“Caution: cat crossing. Our employee Shaun Kirchmann filmed this lynx litter on the highway to Grand Rapids after he saw a bunch of little heads peeking from the trees,” said the company.

Canadian lynx, which are larger than bobcats, have a large range throughout the country. Their diet consists mainly of snowshoe hare, which has white fur in the winter and brown during the spring and summer.

Population numbers remain healthy for the lynx in Canada, but it is considered a threatened species much of the United States, the result of excessive trapping and timber harvest.

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Saturday, December 22, 2018

Japanese Artisans Launch Line Of Miniature Furniture For Cats


In the past, cat accessories and beds proved to be difficult to place in a room because they didn’t fit well with the overall ambience and aesthetic. A litter box just ruins the pristine cleanliness of a bathroom while a bulky cat bed ruins the inviting atmosphere of a bedroom. However, Japan could change just that.

A Japanese group of artists makes downsized furniture for cats

In their craftsman MADE collection, a group of artisans called Okawa Kagu decided to take advantage of the growing population of cat lovers by taking modern-day furniture and downsize it to a cat’s scale.

Fukuoka is home to over 150 furniture factories

To read more on this story, click here: Japanese Artisans Launch Line Of Miniature Furniture For Cats

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Friday, November 16, 2018

Why Does My Cat Pee on My Bed?


Inappropriate Urination
Cats typically want to urinate in their litter boxes! Naturally, a cat wants to bury its excrement so that predators cannot find it (or them!). It's instinctual and it makes the cat feel safe.

If a cat urinates inappropriately, especially in its owner's bed, there has to be a problem. The main culprits usually involve:

Medical conditions such as Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) or kidney infection
Stress or anxiety
Problems with the litter box itself

Medical Concerns: Consider These First!
The first issue to consider if a cat has begun to urinate inappropriately and/or on the bed, is the possibility of illness or injury. Cats usually want to use their litter boxes and feel most comfortable using them, so it is not a good sign if a cat stops using theirs.

A complete check-up with a veterinarian is the best first step. Oftentimes a cat with a urinary tract infection (UTI) or kidney infection will urinate while sleeping, and our beds are a common place for cats to sleep.

Elderly cats may have difficulty getting in and out of the litter box, and may need some adjustments to help with this.

Medical issues can be complicated, so it is best to check for these first in order to be sure that the problem is not a physical one.

To read more on this story, click here: Why Does My Cat Pee on My Bed?

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Saturday, September 10, 2016

September is Happy Cat Month: Tips on Keeping Your Cat Happy


The month of September has been designated as Happy Cat Month. That’s right, a whole month dedicated to keeping your cat happy and, of course, healthy.

Here are few tips for keeping your cat happy throughout the year:

  • Provide entertainment for your cat. Make sure your cat has lots of toys to play with and also make sure you set aside some personal time for interacting and playing with your cat. It will help you bond with your cat and also promote exercise, an important part of your cat’s routine to prevent weight gain and to keep your cat’s mind stimulated.
  •  Make sure all your cat’s needs are met by providing a clean litter box, perches, hiding places, and scratching surfaces. A clean food and water dish is essential as well. In multiple cat households, you’ll need additional sets of resources. Without these things, your cat is likely to become stressed and may start exhibiting unwanted behaviors. Stress can also be a contributing factor in illnesses for your cat. 
  • Keep your cat lean and fit. An overweight cat is more susceptible to a variety of diseases, including diabetes. Lots of toys and interactive play will be a big factor in increasing exercise for your cat, helping to burn calories and keep your cat at a proper weight. Diet, of course, plays a role as well. 
  • Feed your cat a high quality diet appropriate to your cat’s lifestage. Make sure the diet is complete and balanced. Feed in a proportion that keeps your cat from gaining excess weight. 
  • This next tip may not make your cat particularly happy but regular veterinary visits are essential for maintaining your cat’s health. Of course, a healthy cat is a happy one. 
  • Don’t forget about your cat’s teeth. Regular oral care will help keep your cat’s mouth healthy and help prevent dental disease, a common malady in cats. 
  • If your cat enjoys spending time outdoors, consider providing a catio. A catio is an outdoor enclosure that will confine your cat to a given space and provide protection from the threats faced by cats that spend time outdoors unsupervised. A catio can provide hours of entertainment for your cat. Another option is taking your cat outdoors on a collar or harness and leash. Your cat will enjoy investigating the outdoor environment and you will be there to keep him safe and secure.


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Sunday, May 3, 2015

Could Your Kitten Not Covering Her Poop Be a Behavioral Issue, or Medical Problem?


Most felines have a knack for depositing their pee and poop in one spot, which they then cover up from prying eyes. So why is it that some cats dislike the idea of concealing their feces? Two experts weigh in to give us the scoop on kitties who refuse to hide their poop.

Dr. Melissa Bain, assistant professor and service chief of the Companion Animal Behavior Service at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, says the exact reason why felines cover their feces isn't fully understood, but one theory speculates that the behavior developed to prevent parasites from becoming more prevalent.

Could Not Covering Poop Be a Medical Problem?
Although Dr. Bain says that there's no specific medical reason why a cat would not cover her waste, she stresses that “any medical condition that could cause pain or pain associated with the litterbox, such as a urinary tract condition, could cause a cat to not want to spend time in the litterbox.”

Dr. Katherine Houpt, a certified applied animal behaviorist at Animal Behavior Consultants of Northern Michigan, agrees with Dr. Bain, adding that cats who have recently been declawed or who have a painful paw infection could be averse to scratching and covering their waste.

Could Not Covering Poop Be a Behavioral Issue?
“Primarily, it is behavioral,” says Dr. Houpt, who has specialized in animal behavior for more than 30 years. But there could be several reasons behind it.

Lax cat parenting may be one culprit. Dr. Bain says that some cats never learn as kittens to cover their waste.

Another reason: Certain cats will not cover their waste because they prefer to eliminate in their own territory, Dr. Houpt explains, noting that even an indoor cat who's lived in the same place for a long period of time still may not feel as though the home is truly her territory. “Some experts feel that a dominant cat will not cover," Dr. Houpt says. "The smell lets other cats know ‘I’m here.’ ”

For some felines, the litterbox itself can be an issue. “It could be the 'wrong' kind of litter for that cat, or it may be too dirty,” says Dr. Bain. "It may even be that the litterbox is too small for the cat to adequately turn around inside.”

Dr. Houpt adds that a dislike for a certain type of litter can often lead to avoiding the box entirely. “A cat who doesn’t like the litter will often not dig before it eliminates, and she's more likely to be a house-soiling cat,” Dr. Houpt says. “She doesn’t like the feel of litter and prefers the feel of the rug.”

What You Can Do to Get Your Cat to Cover Her Poop
Dr. Houpt admits that this isn't the worst problem a cat owner can have, but there may be ways to combat it. Once you and your vet have ruled out any medical issues, such as tender paws or painful elimination, you can start by trying out different types of cat litter.

In the case of multiple-cat households, adding more litterboxes throughout your home might also help because it increases the number of territories. In fact, having more than one cat can actually be a benefit. “Sometimes one cat will cover for another cat,” says Dr. Houpt.
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Sunday, April 12, 2015

Quick Tips for Training Your Feline, from Kitten to Mature Adult, to Eliminate in the Litterbox


The need to train a cat to eliminate in the right area arises in many situations, including when adopting a new cat, bringing an outdoor cat inside and getting a new kitten. Training a cat to eliminate in a litterbox sounds easy, and for many cat owners litterbox training is hassle free. But for those who face the challenge of their cats going in places such as carpeting and bedding, teaching them to use the proper area can seem like a monumental feat. Here are some quick tips for training your feline, from kitten to mature adult, to eliminate in the litterbox.

1. The first thing to do if you cat isn't using the litterbox is visit your veterinarian. There are numerous reasons cats may resist going to the litterbox, which are medically related. Your veterinarian can be a valuable resource in helping ensure that your cat eliminates in the right areas.


2. Keep the litterbox in an area separate from your cat's food and water, since cat's are naturally clean and unlikely to use the bathroom where they eat and drink. Ensure litterboxes are in  easily accessible locations, such as rooms the cat freguents. The more out of the way litterboxes are such as in the basement, laundry room or garage, the less likely they will be used. Keep boxes on the ground for easy access, rather than high up and hidden.


3. Try different litterboxes. In general, most cats prefer uncovered boxes. The optimal size for a litterbox is at least as long as the cat from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. Most cats prefer unscented, clumping litter as opposed to highly scented versions.


4.  If your cat has an accident, use a pet-safe cleaner with enzyme-eating properties on the area to destroy the scent, which can prompt your cat to eliminate in the same place in the future. If your feline leaves only small amounts of urine, lower in volume than his normal elimination, or if he marks on vertical surfaces, the behavior may be linked to spraying. Spraying is different from inappropriate elimination outside the litterbox, and specific techniques, including reducing stress for the feline, need to be used to end the behavior.


5. Feline pheromones spritzed around your cat's living area can help calm your cat when you are adopting a new cat or during the transition from outdoors to indoors, further e encouraging  proper litterbox use. Feliway is a synthetic pheromones that simulates  the cheek pheromones in a cat that provide the feline with a sense of well-being and safety. The less stress a cat feels, the less likely he is to express stress through inappropriate elimination.

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Sunday, November 23, 2014

Santa Will Be Visiting Coolridge Animal Hospital To Take Donations of Any Unopened Pet food, Pet Accessories and Even Money to Be Donated to a Local Rescue or Shelter


Picture of Santa and pets
Camp Springs, Maryland - We are very excited to announce that Santa will be visiting Coolridge Animal Hospital this year! He will be taking donations of any unopened dog or cat food, litter, toys, beds and even money. All proceeds will be donated to a local rescue or shelter! In return for this donation you will receive a picture of you and Santa!!

Stayed tuned for date/times TBA next week.

Santa has asked that all the fur babies write to Santa via Facebook or by email coolridgeah@gmail.com, and let Santa know if you have been naughty or nice this year, and what your little heart desires from Santa.

The best Dear Santa Letter will receive a special gift from Santa!

The Pet Tree House will post the date and time next week!


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