Cajun is a very fussy cat when it comes to litter.

When she first came to my house I gave her a litter box with pelleted pine litter – the same stuff Violet and Clover were using. The carpet got peed on and her bedding got peed on and the litter box was untouched.

Figuring the texture was not right for her, I got a bag of World’s Best Cat Litter. The finer texture was better but still not right, and there was still peeing outside the box, so I got a bag of cheap clay litter, which was what she’d been using at the Humane Society, with plans to transition her off it. Litter box compliance got better again, but still wasn’t 100%, so she stayed in her own room till she was spayed, in hopes that spaying would help resolve the peeing problem. 

Spaying helped a lot of behavioural issues, and I thought the peeing was okay, but apparently not, and we had several incidents in quick succession, culminating with Cajun peeing on my husband while he was asleep in bed at 2am. Not a good night.

I was getting pretty desperate at this point. I couldn’t have a cat that was peeing on us at night, cleaning up cat pee was getting expensive and exhausting, but I also couldn’t keep her isolated in a room for the rest of her life or send her back to the Humane Society. 

Dr. Elsey’s to the rescue!

Despite my concerns about clumping clay litter (which I’ll get into in another post) and the cost ($12 for a small bag) I decided to give Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract litter a try. It guarantees 100% litter box use or your money back, so I was sceptical but I figured I had nothing to lose by giving it a try. It contains a proprietary blend of herbs to attract cats, and a particle size that is supposed to be appealing.

Well, I’m on bag number two, and since switching there has not been a single incident of peeing or pooping outside the box. In fact, the cats absolutely love it, to the point where if the bag is left open they will climb inside and dump litter all over the floor. The box with Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract in it always gets used first and used the most. 

I was pleasantly surprised at how effective this. If you’re having issues with your cat not using the litter box consistently, give it a try – if it works everyone wins and if it doesn’t, you can always get your money back. It’s a premium litter and a little more expensive, but the additional cost balances out – cleaners for cat pee are also expensive and you’ll also be saving yourself a lot of stress and headaches. It’s helped Cajun go from a problem cat to a kitty that I trust around the house. Each bag also comes with a booklet with helpful information such as fixing behavioural litter box problems and cleaning up cat pee. 

Litter box photo by aloha orangeneko.

I keep hearing about people getting their cats declawed or cat owners casually talking about their plans to have their cat declawed. While the idea of declawing a cat causes me great outrage, what upsets me even more is that these cat owners are almost invariably ignorant of what the procedure actually involves – they think declawing is okay because they don’t know any better.

While the general public may be excused for not knowing what declawing is (really, could anything sound more innocuous than “declaw”?) I consider it inexcusable that anyone who has had a cat declawed or is planning to have their cat declawed does not fully understand what the procedure is and the potential negative side effects.

Some questions for the vets

So, veterinarians, why are you declawing cats without having a serious discussion with your clients before hand?

Why are you performing an elective procedure, that is so painful and cruel that almost every country in Europe has forbidden it, without making sure the owners of these cats can make an educated decision?

Why are you not ensuring that cat owners have tried and exhausted all other options for modifying undesirable scratching behaviour before consenting to declaw surgery?

I’m sure some vets find declawing to be a lucrative business – perhaps money is a motivating factor?

I’m sure others are concerned about alientating people by questioning a client’s request for declaw surgery or trying to open up a discussion about it. I also think that that is absurd. I often hear of vets being very vocal in their disapproval of other choices made by pet owners and yet their practices aren’t going out of business for lack of clients.

And ultimately, as the veterinary professional it is your responsibility to make recommendations that are in the best interests of the animal and to help pet owners make informed decisions. It is your responsibility to act ethically.

Some questions for cat owners who have declawed/are considering declaw

And cat owners – why are you not educating yourself about a major surgical procedure?

Why would you consider a major elective procedure without knowing anything about it and without asking your vet a single question about what will be done or what might happen afterward?

Have you made a genuine attempt to address scratching behaviour before considering declawing, or did you jump to declawing as a “easy” solution?

As a cat owner it is your responsibility to make good, informed decisions for your cat. You are all they have and their life and wellbeing is in your hands. Requesting a procedure that is painful, cruel, irreversible and often results in other behavioural issues is not responsible pet ownership.

As a cat owner you also must be willing to accept and manage natural cat behaviours. This doesn’t mean letting your cat destroy everything in your home or injure your family – it means taking the time and effort to train your cat, to channel natural behaviour so that it is not destructive and to understand & work with your cat’s fundamental nature to create a situation where you can both live happily.

Mutilating your cat to save your couch is just bad pet ownership. Doing it out of ignorance is tragic.

Don’t let ignorance hurt cats

Ultimately, ignorance is inexcusable and the damage done to cats out of ignorance is permanent. Almost every single person I’ve talked to who has been educated about what declawing is has expressed their shock and revulsion at the realities of the procedure. Vets – take the time to educate your clients and help them make responsible choices. Cat owners – take the time to educate yourself and do what is right for you and your cat.

Watch for upcoming articles with more on declawing – what it is, why it’s harmful, why cats need their claws, declaw alternatives and fixing undesirable behaviour without harming your cat.

Declawing resources:

• http://www.declawing.com/
• http://www.de-clawing.com/

With the new year upon us, we find ourselves making resolutions for 2009 (I know we’re already into January, but it’s not too late!)

Here are 5 resolutions for a happier, healthier life with your cat. If you already do these then good for you. If not, add one or all of them to your list of resolutions – your cat will thank you.

1. Get active

   Cats may love to sleep and lounge around the house, but physical activity is just as important for kitty as it is for you. Even a few minutes of energetic playing each day will keep muscles strong and burn off calories. Playing is also a great way to bond with you cat.

   Don’t have a lot of time? Get a toy on a long stick or string, like a feather duster or fishing rod, and spend 15 minutes getting your cat going. With these kinds of toys you can even play with kitty while you sit on the couch and watch TV.

2. Eat better

   We all know the importance of good nutrition for ourselves, but how much thought do you give to your cat’s diet?

   Resolve to do a nutrition review this year – really look at what goes into the food you feed your cat, and if it’s not optimal, switch to something better.

   While all commercial cat foods claim to be nutritiously complete, not all cat food are created equal. You might be surprised to learn that even the most expensive premium foods, like Hills Science Diet, are not necessarily higher quality.

   Ditch the dry food – they tend to be mostly grain based and not at all appropriate for a carnivore. And, as cats tend to get their moisture from their food rather than drinking, feeding dry can leave your cat in a state of chronic dehydration. Instead, feed a food that is high in moisture – either a high quality canned food or a raw diet. If you’re feeding canned, look for ones that are free of grains and plant material, and that have some type of meat as the first ingredient (rather than a “by-product” or a “meal”.)

3. Better oral hygiene

   A clean mouth helps promote whole body health. Conversely, if your cats mouth is dirty or afflicted with disease, this can have a negative impact on their entire immune system.

   In a dirty or diseased mouth, bacteria can easily enter the bloodstream through irritated and inflamed gums. This puts a huge strain on your cats immune system and can make it more difficult to heal injuries or fight off other illnesses.

   Forget the “dental diet” dry foods out there, because they just don’t work (you don’t clean your teeth by eating a bowl of cereal do you?) Instead, provide your cat with foods that will help clean teeth (a chunk of muscle meat that is too large to swallow whole, or raw edible bones from chicken, mice, rabbit etc all do a great job.) Regular teeth brushing is also a great habit to get into.

   If your cats mouth is already full of plaque or if they’re suffering from gum disease, invest in a proper teeth cleaning at the vet. It may be pricey (because your cat will likely need to be anaesthetized for the procedure) but it’s well worth it. With a bit of regular maintenance, you’ll only have to do it once.

4. Battle the bulge

   Many people have pets that are over weight. While the image of the fat cat may be endearing, excess weight puts your cat at risk for a variety of diseases, such as diabetes, joint problems, respiratory & cardiovascular disease. Overweight cats also are often unable to properly groom themselves, leading to skin irritation, dandruff, matted coats and feces and urine collecting around the anus and genitals. All in all a bad situation for your cat.

   Is your cat overweight? Use your eyes and your hands to check them over. There should be a small amount of fat over the ribs, but you should still be able to feel the ribs with gentle pressure. There should be no excess fat hanging from the belly (loose skin is fine though) and your cat should have a visible waist. The back of the head and along the spine should be well muscled.

   If your cat is over weight, portion controlled meals of high protein, low carb food and regular exercise will help get that weight off. Dr. Pierson has a great article detailing how to put your cat on a diet.

5. Spay or Neuter

   Having your cat altered is one of the kindest things you can do for your cat, yourself and the pet overpopulation problem.

   Spaying and neutering has many great benefits including:

   1. Population control: With thousands of unwanted cats being euthanized every year this is an obvious and important benefit. Even if you are able to find homes for any kittens your cat has, it means one less available home for cats in shelters.
   2. Lowered risk for reproductive diseases: Intact female cats have a much higher risk of diseases such as mammary, uterine and ovarian cancers and pyometria (and infection of the uterus.)
   3. Less aggression: Intact cats are much more likely to fight with other cats. Cats that fight have increased risk of exposure to FIV, FeLV and other communicable diseases. Deep puncture wounds from bites are prone to infection and abscessing and often require vet treatment.
   4. Fixed cats make better pets: Feline sexual behaviour is extremely unpleasant to deal with. From loud calling at night, roaming, territory marking with urine and feces and strong odour, unaltered cats are much less suited to the life of an indoor pet.

   There are plenty of myths about spaying and neutering, but in reality the consequences are overwhelmingly positive and spaying/neutering will benefit you and your cat.