Abusing Your Pets or Other Animals Will Not Take Away Your Anxieties
When feeling stressed or anxious, some people sometimes take it
out on their pets or other animals. Both of these alternatives
are wrong. There is a better way to deal with your stresses and
anxieties besides taking it out on your pets. Here is a...
Dog House Training - How To House Train Your Dog
House Training Your Dog
The absolute first thing you must train your dog to do is is
housebreaking No, no, you don't teach your dog how to break into
your house when you forget your keys. Housebreaking means he
must learn where and when he...
Feeding Prepared Dog Food and Puppy Food
If you have decided that you will feed your dog or puppy
prepared dog food or prepared puppy food, then your next
decision is what type of food should you be feeding your puppy?
You will need to do some research on the prepared puppy...
Golden Years: Nine Ways a Dog Boosts Your Health
What if there was a simple way to reduce stress, prolong and improve the quality of your life, banish the blues, and best of all, decrease the number of doctor visits?
There is! Get a dog. Here are nine ways that having a dog can boost your...
Parvovirus And Your Dog
Parvovirus (commonly called Parvo) is a viral disease that affects dogs. It is far more common in puppies than adult dogs and can have serious ramifications for the infected animal, including death. Parvo grows best in the rapidly dividing cells of...
Cat Scratching Solutions
For a cat, scratching is a natural, necessary act. Besides keeping her claws in top shape, the stretching involved in a good scratch keeps her upper body strong and loose. Also, every time a cat scratches a surface, scent glands between her toes leave her signature smell for others to find. In this way, she marks her territory, even if that happens to be in your living room.
Just because a cat must scratch doesn't mean she must destroy your furniture. Redirecting a cat's scratching to an appropriate object simply requires patience, flexibiity and time. To keep your cat from grooming her claws on your couch, you must give her some furniture of her own.
Scratching posts come in a wide variety of sizes and textures. If your cat doesn't use the scratching post you have purchased, observe what she does scratch. Most cats have a preference as to the texture they scratch on. Experts discourage providing carpet-covered posts, especially if you have carpeting in your house. Your cat won't understand the difference between the carpet on the scratching post and that on the floor. They both feel good to her.
Some cats like to extend their entire bodies when they stretch to scratch. Others just work their shoulder muscles. If your cat is one of the former, you'll need to provide a tall, sturdy scratching surface. No matter what height your cat likes to use, be sure the scratching surface is stable. If your cat begins scratching and the post or board falls, it will frighten her and she will likely not use it again.
Another important factor to consider when providing scratching surfaces is their location. If you watch your cat, you'll notice she will tend to look for a scratching spot wherever you spend a lot of time. That is why
so many cats ruin their owner's easy chair or couch. She is marking your spot as part of her territory, claiming ownership over you just in case some other cat comes in and gets the wrong idea. Putting a scratching post beside your favorite relaxing place will let her do her job without annoying you.
Remember, too, that your entire home is her territory. For that reason, it is a good idea to place scratching surfaces throughout the house, in places where you tend to linger. Bedrooms, kitchens, home offices are all places that are important to your cat because that is where you are likely to be.
If your cat persists in scratching furniture instead of the appropriate surface, you will have to retrain her. When you catch her about to scratch inappropriately, say "no" in a loud voice. Pick her up and carry her to her scratching surface. Some experts suggest gently taking her paw and simulating scratching to give her the right idea. If your cat only attacks the furniture when you are out of sight, it might be best to confine her to one room when you can't supervise her. Be sure to put food, water, a litter box and, of course, a scratching surface in the room with her. Once she seems to have gotten the hang of only using her scratching posts, she can have free run of the house again.
