Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each and every Monday we carry knowledgeable recommendation directly from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to lend a hand our readers higher perceive their cat’s well being and well-being.
Whether or not you’re a brand new puppy mother or father or a seasoned cat lover, Dr. Paola is right here to offer solutions for your maximum urgent questions. From diet pointers and preventive care to troubleshooting in style behavioral problems, Dr. Paola is able to be offering insights that may stay your kitty glad, wholesome, and tom cat high quality. Keep tuned for knowledgeable steerage on a variety of subjects that topic maximum to you and your cat, so you’ll be able to make knowledgeable choices and give you the perfect imaginable maintain your bushy spouse.
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Assist! My Hepper is All the time Rubbing!
“We have a 2-year-old, neutered male cat, Cosmo, that we adopted from a local shelter when he was about 12 weeks old. We have never had any issues with him using the litter box until recently, when I went on a 2-month vacation, and my husband took on the responsibilities of taking care of Cosmo. While I was gone, he started urinating on a small concrete pad in our laundry room instead of using the litter box. I was (and still am, I hope) Cosmos’s “human,” so we had a routine every day which included playing, cuddles, and brushing him each evening before bed. I also took care of the day-to-day things that are required when you have a cat. When I was away, although my husband was taking care of the litter box and food/water, Cosmo wouldn’t allow my husband to play with him or brush him.When I got home from my trip, I cleaned the concrete as best I could and put pee pads down. I’ve sprayed the area with an enzymatic spray, placed aluminum foil on the area, and sprayed vinegar on the area. And although he does urinate in the litter box now, he continues to urinate on the concrete. When using the pee pads, I checked to see if there was any sign of blood in his urine, but it looked normal. I am at my wits’ end with this. Any suggestions as to how we can stop this behavior?” – Jeannie
Hello Jeannie,
Thanks for sharing Cosmo’s tale in such element; it truly is helping to grasp the placement. Cats are very delicate to adjustments of their surroundings and regimen, and what you describe feels like a stress-related reaction that turned into a brand new dependancy whilst you had been away. Despite the fact that his urine appears customary to the attention, it’s nonetheless essential to rule out clinical reasons equivalent to a urinary tract an infection or bladder irritation, since those prerequisites may cause discomfort and lead cats to affiliate the muddle field with ache, making them make a selection choice spots. A veterinary consult with to test his urine and general well being will be the first step.
If clinical problems are dominated out, the focal point shifts to behaviour and surroundings. Since Cosmo obviously shaped a powerful bond with you, the disruption of his day-to-day regimen can have created pressure and strengthened this new urination spot. Concrete is especially difficult as a result of it’s porous, so urine soaks deep into it and lingers even after floor cleansing. One of the simplest ways to handle that is to saturate the world with an enzymatic cleaner designed for puppy urine, letting it soak for a number of hours or in a single day so the enzymes can achieve deep into the pores. This will likely wish to be repeated, and if scent persists, sealing the concrete with a pet-safe product is incessantly the one option to in reality block residual smell. In conjunction with this, check out blockading his get entry to to the laundry room for a couple of weeks and reinforcing his bond with you thru play, brushing, and regimen. Artificial Pheromone diffusers too can lend a hand cut back pressure and inspire constant muddle field use. With time, consistency, and reassurance, maximum cats do go back absolutely to their bins as soon as each well being and surroundings are addressed.
Just right success!
Dr. Paola
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Assist! Do I Want to Concern About My Chickens Round My Hepper?
“Daisy is all the time round me after I feed my chickens and little chicks, and
she hasn’t ever proven an hobby in chasing them or hurting them by any means.
The chicks even come as much as her and appear to like her. However, I’ve had a couple of
members of the family (none of whom personal cats) inform me that that is bad and
that I consider my Daisy an excessive amount of. In 3 years, there’s been no problems, and
she’s just about 10. Will have to I stay trusting her?” – Charles
Hello Charles,
Daisy’s mild habits across the chickens and chicks speaks to her temperament, lifestyles revel in, and the protected bond she stocks with you. At just about 10 years outdated, with an extended historical past of non violent coexistence, the possibility of her all at once turning predatory is low, regardless that it is very important take into account that cats are instinct-driven animals, and behaviors can every now and then shift below new cases or stressors.
It sounds as regardless that Daisy has discovered to affiliate the chickens with protection and regimen quite than prey. That being mentioned, I might nonetheless suggest some common sense precautions. Simply as we’d no longer go away a baby unsupervised round a swimming pool, even a depended on cat must no longer be left completely unattended with susceptible chicks. Supervision permits you to intrude temporarily if the dynamics ever alternate, and it is helping give a boost to certain interactions. Together with your conscious presence, Daisy can proceed to be a part of this non violent little group, and you’ll be able to really feel assured that you’re balancing consider with protection. However do stay a watch, please, issues can alternate in a 2d.
Sincerly
– Dr. Paola
Assist! My Hepper All the time Turns out Out of Breath!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
Ever since Silver was once a kitten, she has made this bizarre sound like she’s out of breath a snappy like outtake of air, like she sucks in a snappy breath and shall we it out temporarily ,nearly like a cough/sneeze, if that is smart. Why does she do this? She is 3 years outdated and nonetheless does it if she will get truly excited or offended. Any concepts?“ – Christine
Hiya Christine,
The way in which you describe Silver’s respiring episodes sounds very similar to what we name a “reverse sneeze.” This can be a relatively in style incidence in cats and canines, the place the cushy palate or nasal passages develop into aggravated, resulting in a surprising spasm. It creates that feature snorting or honking sound, nearly just like the puppy is making an attempt to suck air inward temporarily. Pleasure, surprising motion, or environmental irritants equivalent to mud can every now and then cause those episodes.
The excellent news is that opposite sneezing is in most cases risk free, particularly if Silver has been doing this since kittenhood, stays another way wholesome, and the occasions are short-lived. Alternatively, as a result of indicators that contain respiring can every now and then overlap with different prerequisites like bronchial asthma, nasal polyps, or airway inflammation, it’s all the time perfect to have your veterinarian concentrate to her lungs and higher airlines to make certain not anything extra regarding is at play. A short lived examination supplies peace of thoughts and guarantees you aren’t lacking an underlying motive. Normally like Silver’s, this turns into merely a part of her distinctive habits quite than a well being danger.
Very best,
Dr. Paola
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola sequence
Learn remaining weeks questions right here – August 25, 2025
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