Animals Unfolded

One thing that I've learned over the years with my cat Silver, is that the way to make a cat upset is to either move their litter box, or replace it with another that's unfamiliar to them. And, oh, will you pay if they've become unhappy with something you've done. Litter boxes are touchy subjects to cats. Our feline friends have definite preferences with regard to taking care of business, from the type of litter box, the size, where it's placed and even the kind of litter that's used. Inappropriate elimination is a common issue that I'm approached about often, and the root causes can be complex. Whittling down the list of what could be causing discontent can be troubling and painstaking on the part of the human -- especially if one has a multiple cat household -- but the findings of recent research supports what those in the know have been suggesting for years: pay attention to your cats preferences, but most of all, give them privacy and space. 43 ho...

Over the years, I have had many queries with regard to feline behavior. Having multiple cats can be challenging, for sure. Cats can be quite mercurial, and knowing what is influencing any negative behaviors is key. Felines are very primal creatures. They normally have territories in the wild, and defend them ferociously. At times, spraying/marking/peeing could be a territory marking strategy. I think that the idea of keeping only specific areas available to them indoors is an excellent tool, especially if your cats are allowed to go outdoors as well. This will do two things - allow them to have shelter when they need it, but at the same time the cats will learn that this space is theirs, and that they need to respect the space to keep it comfortable and peaceful. My vet gave me the idea of only giving my cat, Silver one room to have as his, after a bout of urinating on furniture and my clothes. Silver caught on after only a few short days and 'knock on wood', years later he mi...