Subscriber Archive
Last in a series PJ’s aggression started at about the same time he began rubbing his ears. Jenny and Phil also reported that some evenings he would suddenly bolt from the room and burrow into blankets in the closet. An ear exam revealed mites, outdoor video showed coyotes and bobcats near the yard, and, worst of all, there were no indoor rats for sport hunting. Ear pain is commonly overlooked in kitties. Prescription Bravecto quickly decimated PJ’s ear mite population. To reduce his fear of the much bigger predators lurking outside, I advised his people to install a motion activated sprinkler to disperse the unwelcome vagrants. Despite those nagging stressors Jenny and Phil still had a cat who needed to perch high, ready to strike and maim. We all knew that if they allowed him outside to hunt he just wouldn’t survive long. Indoor simulations of the wild life made…
Some kitties live under the bed; others may run for the hills when you sneeze. Dogs, noises, or just daily life can trigger a bunker mentality.
Third in a series Behavior medicine is all about improved quality of life for everybody but there can be limits; our genetics are the cards we are dealt. PJ was an inveterate predator despite the steady flow of healthy food into his dish. Civilization at Jenny’s and Phil’s house just didn’t satisfy his innate programming. Even more than most pussy cats, he had the skills and motivation to thrive in the wild. Sadly, he was rarely allowed outside to function like a real cat. It was Aristotle who observed that, “Nature abhors a vacuum.” Unmet needs get met. All PJ wanted for his birthday was a colony of gerbils. With a natural outlet for his primal need to stalk and kill he would have never targeted Jenny or the family dog Micky as his surrogate prey. Feral cats are survivors; they’ll hunt any time of day or night but the…
Does your dog need to stop a bad behavior? She doesn’t do what you want either, does she?
Second in a series Quiz: Why would PJ attack his person Jenny? a) He didn’t like the way she smelled b) She was dressed like a sparrow c) PJ is a natural predator who was already agitated d) He blames his mother for his problems Cats are not dogs with short ears nor do their motivations resemble other species, including ours. They follow their own rules, regarded by some as wild animals we keep as pets. Those who fit best in a loving home were genetically programmed to adapt. Exposure to gentle interactions with people and other domestic creatures, since early kittenhood, is another plus. Strictly indoor kitties can struggle in their confinement; they need more. Jenny and Phil adopted PJ when he was a baby. He was treated with kindness by them and by their Chihuahua “Mickey.” PJ was a good cat most of the time but a deeper…
Helping dogs who freak-out when home alone is complicated. Improvement requires lots of changes but do you have to completely ignore as you leave and return?
First in a series It had been a rough day, topped-off by stop and don’t go traffic on I-25. Jenny was frazzled when she pulled into the garage and came inside through the laundry room. Her husband Phil was already camped-out on the couch, wine glass in hand, watching the 6 o’clock news. Their orange tabby cat, PJ, rested next to Phil, gently rubbing his head on his daddy’s thigh. Chihuahua “Micky” was curled up on Phil’s other side. A placid scene. Jenny kicked off her shoes, poured herself a glass, and headed for her spot on the other side of PJ. Jenny badly needed to decompress with her good husband but when crossing the room, she caught movement on her right. A fuzzy orange missile had launched for the back of her head and met its target before she could bob or weave. PJ’s claws sunk into her scalp…
A normally placid pussy cat can turn terrifying when facing unfamiliar visitors of the human or canine kind. They can even be dangerous.
Question: How do we stop “Olive” from counter surfing? Besides keeping things off of the counter. Sometimes that’s not possible. If I am making dinner or the phone rings, etc. Dr. Nichol: Naughty Olive. Eating your lunch and believing she’s above the law. And you’ve tried everything, like yelling bad words and swatting. At the end of your rope, you could give her a dose of her own medicine by stealing her kibbles. That won’t work either. Lots of dogs, like Olive, live by Willie Sutton’s law. He robbed banks because, “That’s where the money is.” Your kitchen counter is the ATM, unguarded and ripe for pillaging. Why, oh why would a nice girl like Olive, raised with a steady flow of nutritious dog food, need to steal? Besides being domestic pets who belong with us in our homes our dogs are genetically programmed for survival in the wild. Making…