Three Important Litter Box ConsiderationsWritten by Nancy E. Wigal
There are three important litter box considerations to account for whether you're a new kitten owner, or someone who has had a cat for a while. If kitty isn't happy with any or all three of these, you may find she'll start urinating outside box. 1. Litter Box Location: Location is all-important in real estate. The litter box location is important to your kitty. As an owner, you need to be certain her box is in a quiet location, away from traffic and noise. Ideally, a room that is seldom visited, such as basement or laundry room is a good choice. Cats need to be left alone while tending to their business. A child's room, hallway by front door, or family room may be too noisy for her. 2. Litter Box Type: New cat litter boxes are marketed constantly. The final decision may rest with kitty. If you buy her a box, and she doesn't use it, think about way she does her business. For example, my boy, JJ (who is fixed), urinates standing up. He's 14 years old, and it may be too much effort for him to squat. We have tall sided, and hooded litter boxes to accommodate splash on back wall. You may consider mechanical, self-cleaning litter box. They rake results of kitty's visit into a small container. The drawbacks are that your cat may be scared of motor noise. If so, she won't use it. The rakes, or tines, need to be cleaned regularly. They're close together, and can be a real trial to clean properly. What if you lose electrical power for an extended period of time? The motor won't operate, and box won't get scooped, if you forget!
| | Heartworms alert - know the warning signs to save your pets health!Written by S.A. Smith
Has your pet recently been coughing, eating less, or being more lethargic than usual? If so, it is possible that your pet is infected with heartworms and may need immediate help and attention. Heartworms may infect a host for up to 2 years before any signs or symptoms are visible, and often when they are diagnosed it may be too late for some pets.Heartworms are an infectious parasitic transmitted by mosquitoes that invades major organs in dogs and cats like lungs, pulmonary arteries and heart. Heartworms grow and multiply within pet body and can survive for up to 5 years. Heartworms cause damage and block smaller arterial vessels in your pets key organs leading to organ damage and a multitude of health complications. The symptoms of a heartworm infestation are often difficult to recognize or may be overlooked or discounted as merely flu or cough-like symptoms. Coughing, weigh loss, lethargy, rapid heart beat, poor coat condition, diarrhea and loss of appetite are common symptoms. Treatment to rid a pet of adult heartworms is a costly vet procedure and involves exposing your pet to arsnic poisoning treatments to kill adult heatworms - a procedure that can be fatal for aged pets or ones in deteriorating physical condition.
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