Why is My Older Cat Refusing to Use the Litter Box?

DEAR JOAN: One of my cats is a 15-year-old male that was feral. We’ve had him a good long time in the house, and, finally, after 10 years, he isn’t spending most of his time under a bed because there was a noise.

He has never had a problem holding everything until he could sneak out to the litter box in the dark and do his business. Then all of a sudden about two months ago he started peeing on the bath mat in one of our bathrooms. This was usually at night.

We started keeping the door shut, but he then started using the carpet in my office as his private commode, both peeing and defecating on it sometimes. I tried using some repellent that contained methyl nonyl ketone (didn’t want coyote pee smell, too) on the carpet with little or no effect on his behavior. I ended up discarding the carpet and now keep the door closed.

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An Ohio Man Built a Backyard Squirrel Bar with Seven Varieties of Nuts on Tap

(CNN) — People are going nuts for an Ohio woodworker's latest creation: A bar that caters to neighborhood squirrels.

Michael Dutko, a 35-year-old hobbyist, has been creating art and household items from wood for most of his life, and even chronicles it on his YouTube channel Duke Harmon Woodworking. But it's his fun twist on a squirrel feeder that's made him Internet famous.

"The Nutty Bar," which is attached to his backyard fence in Hilliard, looks just like a real bar, and even has a range of nuts on tap.

To read more on this story, click here: An Ohio Man Built a Backyard Squirrel Bar with Seven Varieties of Nuts on Tap

It’s Illegal To Own Just One Guinea Pig In Switzerland Because They Get Lonely

Guinea pigs are adorable creatures who are often kept as pets. While most people immediately think of a cat or dog when contemplating a family pet, guinea pigs bring something a bit more unusual to the table (and can be a fine option for those who are allergic to cats and dogs).

Guinea pigs can be very loving and are totally lovable themselves. But, like many creatures, they can get lonely — even with an incredibly caring human owner. So it’s important that they have another guinea pig around to keep them company.

While this is just a suggestion in most countries, it’s the law in Switzerland.

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Rare Horse Cloned From Cells Taken From A Stallion In 1980

Little Kurt looks like any other baby horse as he frolics playfully in his pen. He isn't afraid to kick or head-butt an intruder who gets in his way and, when he's hungry, dashes over to his mother for milk.

But 2-month-old Kurt differs from every other baby horse of his kind in one distinct way: He's a clone.

The rare, endangered Przewalski's horse was created from cells taken from a stallion that had sat frozen at the San Diego Zoo for 40 years before they were fused with an egg from a domestic horse.

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Massachusetts Coastal Town Orders Locals To Stop Calling 911 About Giant Fish

The local government of Wareham, a town in southern Massachusetts’ Plymouth County, has asked locals to please stop calling the police about a big, blobby fish that has been spotted minding its own business in coastal waters.

The fish — a whopper of a creature that has attracted dozens of emergency calls since Monday from locals mistaking it for a shark or a seal, according to The Cape Code Times — is an ocean sunfish.

Formally known by the genus name Mola, the ocean sunfish (Mola mola) can grow to nearly 10 feet in length, weighing in at more than a stunning 4,400 pounds.

To read more on this story, click here: Massachusetts Coastal Town Orders Locals To Stop Calling 911 About Giant Fish

Hypothyroidism is a Condition That Can Affect Cats and Lead to an Array of Serious Health Issues

Detecting, Diagnosing, and Treating Underactive Thyroid Low thyroid hormone, or hypothyroidism (not to be confused with hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid), is a condition that can affect cats and lead to an array of serious health issues if it goes untreated. Though hypothyroidism is relatively rare in cats and affects many key aspects of a cat’s metabolism, it is usually manageable.

Low levels of hormones produced by the thyroid are usually the result of treatment for a far more common condition, hyperthyroidism. As such, most cases can be treated by simply adjusting the treatment regimen for the original condition so that the cat is producing thyroid hormones within the normal range.

Other causes of this condition include a reaction to radioactive iodine treatment, an iodine deficiency in the diet of the cat, a side effect of taking methimazole that results in the reduced production of thyroxine, the removal of either or both of the cat’s thyroid glands, a thyroid tumor or a tumor in the immediate area of the thyroid, and a variety of other autoimmune diseases.

Symptoms of Feline Thyroid Hormone Deficiency

Producing insufficient levels of thyroid hormones can have various effects throughout a cat’s metabolism, and many of these effects are undetectable at home. Symptoms of thyroid hormone deficiency in cats can include:

• A thinning of the coat
• General muscle weakness
• Hair loss
• Weight gain due to slowed metabolism
• Lethargy
• Sleeping more than usual
• Loss of appetite
• Pale gums
• Hypothermia
• Constipation
• Dry skin and dandruff

Diagnosis of Thyroid Hormone Deficiency in Cats

In most cases, diagnosing low thyroid hormone levels is as simple as running a few tests to determine the hormone levels in the blood. However, in some cases a veterinarian will need to perform a variety of other tests in order to arrive at a conclusive diagnosis. These tests can include:

• A urinalysis
• Blood tests, sometimes including a complete blood count
• Chest x-rays or abdominal x-rays

Treating Thyroid Hormone Deficiency in Your Cat
Treatment for this condition in cats usually depends upon what the vet determines to be the underlying cause. As mentioned above, the overwhelming majority of hypothyroidism in cats is caused by treatment for hyperthyroid, in which case a simple adjustment of medication generally clears up the issue. In cats where other underlying causes are to blame, treatment for the condition can vary from surgery to remove tumors, to supplemental thyroid hormones.

If the cat has had their thyroid glands removed, then treatment will be needed for the remainder of the cat’s life. Medication typically has a positive effect on the condition following the first six weeks of treatment, but ongoing monitoring of the condition may be required for the life of the cat.

Prognosis for Cats Dealing With Thyroid Issues
Hypothyroidism can be prevented in many cases where treatment for hyperthyroidism is the cause. If the cat is seen regularly and has its hormone levels monitored, adjustment of medication can be completed proactively. In other cases, where the thyroid glands have been removed or are no longer functioning, medication and monitoring can allow for the cat to live a normal life.

Your Dog Has Diabetes. Here Are The Next Steps:

My dog has what?! Whatever the symptoms were that made you take your pup to the vet, good for you for taking him/her in to see your veterinarian! For most people, the diagnosis is a shock… a HUGE surprise! Who even knew that dogs can get diabetes? The first thing that you do now is breathe. Deep breaths…

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Hypothyroidism In Dogs: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments

Hypothyroidism in dogs is a disorder where the thyroid gland in the neck doesn’t secrete enough thyroxine, a hormone that controls metabolism. This means that a dog’s body is no longer able to convert food into fuel at an appropriate rate.

Age, breed, lifestyle, and exposure to certain substances can all influence the onset of hypothyroidism in canines. Symptoms can range from lethargy and weight gain to seizures and heart problems.

To read more on this story, click here: Hypothyroidism In Dogs: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments