Pets Care

Baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) . Some commercial cat litters have this as an igredient, but generally in amounts too tiny to make much difference.

Put enough soda in to cover the bottom of the box before you add cat litter. Re-use the soda that has been in the refrigerator/ freezer to absorb odors for the litterbox; it’s economical that way.

* Create emergency traction for automobiles. Keep a bag of Tidy Cats in your car trunk in case you get stuck in the ice or snow. When poured under the tire, it provides excellent traction.
* Soak up car oil and transmission fluid. Tidy Cats works as an absorbent to pick up transmission leaks from garage floors. Pour a thick layer of unused Tidy Cats over the puddle, wait 24 hours, and sweep up with a broom. Scrub clean with a solution of detergent and hot water.
* Deodorize a garbage can. Cover bottom of garbage can with one inch of unused Tidy Cats to absorb grease and moisture.
* Prevent mildew in bathtub. Pour unused Tidy Cats in a flat box and place in your bathtub when you leave your house for a long time to prevent mildew. (Keep the bathroom door closed if you have cats so they don’t use it.)
* Deodorize a stale refrigerator. Pour unused Tidy Cats in a flat box, place it on the middle shelf, and shut the door for five days.
* Provide traction on snow-covered driveways and sidewalks. Sprinkle unused Tidy Cats on the snow-covered walk.
* Prevent musty, damp odors in a closed summer house. Fill shallow boxes with unused Tidy Cats. Place one in each room before closing up the house to soak up musty, lingering odors.
* Deodorize sneakers. Fill the feet of knee high hose with unused Tidy Cats, tie the ends, and place inside sneakers overnight.
* Prevent grease fires in barbecue grills. Cover bottom of grill with a three-quarter inch layer of unused Tidy Cats to reduce fires.

Almost everyone, adults and kids alike have a natural fondness for cats. They are loving, quiet, and very playful pets that can provide you with years of entertainment. Although most of us have a fondness for cats, that fondness can rapidly diminish when it comes to the litter box. Even the most hardened cat lover may get tired of litter box duty, especially when it comes down to scooping “you know what” from the litter box.

Cats are very intelligent, instinctively knowing how they should use the litter box. After the cat has finished using the litter box, someone in the family will need to scoop the waste from the litter box. This can be a very dirty and somewhat smelly job, one that is often overlooked during the day when the workload gets heavy.

Cleaning up the litter box doesn’t take but a few minutes, although most would prefer not to do it at all. Although the litter box will need to be scooped out daily, it will also need to be changed once a week as well, by throwing the current bag out and replacing the box with a new bag and fresh litter.

Those who don’t like to scoop out the litter box should invest in one of the best inventions ever – the self cleaning litter box. These litter boxes are easy to use, and will keep the area clean. After the cat has used it, the self cleaning litter box will automatically clean the litter either by sifting or using a device that resembles a rake.

Self cleaning boxes that use shifting will often times have a round design. Once the cat leaves the covered box, the dome on top will revolve for the box to clean. The litter in the box will be shifted with the waste being put below the litter where it is discarded. Once the waste is properly disposed of, the litter will be returned to its normal position in the box for the cat to use again.

Boxes that have raking systems will often times sport a rectangular design. Once the cat leaves the box, the rake will automatically come out and clean the litter. The rake will clean all of the litter in the box, including the clumps of waste as well. Rakes are popular, although the shifting litter boxes are by far more popular and more common.

For those of us who don’t have the extra money to spend on litter bags, raking systems and self-cleaning litter boxes, try spraying cooking oil (such as pam or another spray) on the inside of the litter box before putting the litter in. This will keep the soiled litter from sticking to the litter box when you empty and clean it.

Those who are often times away from home could greatly benefit from a self cleaning litter box. They are great to have for cats that spend a lot of time by themselves, as they virtually eliminate any scooping of litter on your part. You can find them at your local pet or department store, even online as well. They are very affordable – and ideal for anyone who doesn’t like scooping waste from their litter box.

Cat litter box problems stem from a variety of sources. One of the most common causes is a feline Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

Cats tolerate pain pretty well. As a matter of fact, we can be fooled that kitty is feeling fine because she’s eating, purring, and snuggling up to us for human love and attention. But at the same time, if she’s demonstrating out-of-cat-litter-box experiences, she could be suffering from from a feline UTI. It’s up to us to figure it out.

When you know the symptons, it becomes clear that kitty has a problem. She may cry in pain while urinating. She may try to urinate, but little or nothing comes out.

Your cat may groom her privates excessively, and cries while she does it. But the biggest indicator that your cat may be suffering from a feline UTI is blood in her urine.

If your cat has stopped using her cat litter box, and she’s urinating on a surface that’s white or very light colored, the blood will clearly stand out in the cat urine puddle.

Many cats who suffer from a feline UTI associate the litter box with the pain that comes from this infection. Their kitty logic says if they stop using the cat litter box, maybe the pain won’t come around again. This is when you start discovering cat urine puddles all around your home.

If you’re one of the lucky ones whose cat is still using her cat litter box while suffering from a feline UTI, the cat litter color and composition may hide the blood. It’s always a good idea to closely check your kitty’s deposits on a regular basis to make sure she’s healthy.

Feline UTIs are quite treatable with antibiotics from your vet. If you suspect a feline UTI, call your vet immediately and follow her instructions for bringing in your kitty for further evaluation.

Once the feline UTI is diagnosed and treated, your cat should regain her good litter box habits again. If not, a short period of confinement for cat litter box re-training is very effective.

Feline UTIs are preventable with a permanent change in your cat’s diet. Consult with your vet on how to safely proceed with this.

About the author

Nancy has successfully eliminated cat urine odor from her home, and kept the kitty who caused it. Learn how you can save money and time by applying any one, or a combination of 18 proven solutions to get rid of cat urine odor in your home.

http://www.stopcaturineodor.com

Cats experience anxiety and get stressed out just like us human staffers. Unlike people, cats don’t have a lot of creative ways to express their feelings. Unfortunately, when cats suffer from stress and anxiety, they generally communicate it in a very clear way that can really turn humans upside down. They usually tell us by not using the cat litter box.

And since we can’t speak meow, and cats don’t talk, the challenge is to figure why our cats aren’t feeling right. Usually when a cat stops using her litter box, it’s a medical problem. But if it isn’t, one of causes high on my list is stress and anxiety.

What do cats get anxious about? Here’s a partial list:

*Moving to a new home
*Gaining a new household member, animal or human
*You change jobs and start a new schedule
*You bring new furniture into your home
*Kitty’s favorite person moves out, and she misses that individual
*Construction and/or remodeling of your home
*Relocation of her cat litter box(es)
*Change in type of cat litter

This list is not complete. Felines are complicated creatures, and almost anything can set them off.

If your cat suddenly stops using the litter box out of the blue, eliminate any medical causes first. If kitty gets a clean bill of health, examine the list above, and think about any recent changes you’ve made to your home. If it appears to be a coincidence, it probably isn’t.

This can be a tough problem to solve, but once you figure out the cause, you can start developing solutions. If the stress-inducing situation is temporary (such as the last three items on my list), they can be dealt with.

On the other hand, if the problem appears to be one of the first five, you’ll need plenty of patience and a strategy to get kitty right again.

Often, once kitty gets used to the change, she’ll calm down and start to use her litter box again. During her adjustment period, it may work to confine her to one room with her food, water, litter box, bedding, and toys. This limits the amount of damage done to your home, and as kitty realizes the changes mean her no harm, she’ll get back to her good cat litter box habits.

You can also help kitty calm down by purchasing synthetic feline hormones. These will reassure her that life is still OK. You can also administer homeopathic remedies that are completely natural and cause no side effects.

Many feline owners get an anti-anxiety prescription for kitty, but if your cat freaks out over being pilled, this will increase her stress. If this is the case, rely on the synthetic hormones and homeopathic remedies to solve this problem.

Consult with your vet on the best course of action to help your kitty quickly get over her stress and anxiety. Reassure your cat with lots of extra attention and love, and this too shall pass!

About the Author

Nancy stopped the cat urine odor problem at her home, and kept the kitty that caused it. “18 Ways to Stop Cat Urine Odor Problems” saves you money, time and frustration by solving your cat urine odor problem – permanently.

http://www.stopcaturineodor.com

Just like in real estate where location is crucial, so it is for your cat’s litter boxes.

Here’s some ideas and tips on how to effectively locate them for good cat litter box habits.

When you think about cat litter box placement, imagine if it’s a place where you’d like to do your business. We humans generally cherish a quiet and private location. Your cat isn’t much different. She’d like her cat litter boxes placed where she can feel safe while voiding.

When animals eliminate, this is a vulnerable time for them, and if your cat doesn’t feel safe and comfortable, she’ll find her own location to fulfill this need.

Depending upon the cat’s age and mobility, an ideal litter box location is someplace where humans don’t tread constantly. Take a look around your house and think about this as you ponder locations. Some ideal places are your basement, rarely-used bathrooms, and larger closets.

If you have a room that doesn’t get much traffic and won’t let the odors waft all through the house, then set up a litter box in that location.

If a family member’s bedroom will work (assuming that person won’t be jarred awake at 3 AM when kitty is busy digging a hole to China to bury her output!), use that as well.

Many cats prefer to have a cat litter box near their favorite “hang outs.” This way, they don’t have to go far when nature calls.

The most desirable location will be quiet, somewhat secluded, and afford kitty the luxury of time and the feeling of safety to properly eliminate in her cat litter box.

Sometimes your cat will decide a location for you. In my home, my kitty Scout prefers the cat litter box in the exercise room in lieu of the one in the basement (which would be my first choice) and another in a nook off the kitchen.

But she doesn’t like those locations as well, so it’s critical that I keep that cat litter box up to her standards – clean, no deposits left over from her brother JJ, and leaving the door open – even when I’m using the exercise bike or the cross trainer! If I forget any of these things, she lets me in the most direct way possible – by not using a litter box when she needs to eliminate.

If there was ever a case where cats have staffers and hired help, I’m living proof! So take a hint from your cat…try to accomodate her preferred location for successful, consistent cat litter box usage.

About the author

Nancy solved the cat urine odor problem in her home, and kept the cat that caused it. Read “18 Ways to Stop Cat Urine Odor Problems” to discover your solution.