Weird & Wacky

After owning pets for the best part of 30 years, I’ve come across some interesting solutions for the weird and the wacky.

Cat Scratching

Tired of your cat pawing on your expensive leather armchair? Let me guess…you’ve purchased the state-of-the-art cat scratching post that sits intimidatingly in your lounge-room, yet Kitty still insists on using your best armchair to sharpen those mice-killing claws?
SOLUTION: tape aluminum foil to the area where your cat is scratching, or pop some double-sided sticky tape to the area. Cats hate aluminum foil and things that are sticky. Once the habit is broken (normally around 20 days) remove.

Ponky Pet Pee

Can’t get rid of the smell of cat or dog urine? Bleaches and detergents just seem to make it worst?

SOLUTION: use laundry powder. Anything that contains enzymes works a treat. Many detergents may mask the smell to humans, while amplifying it to your pet (basically announcing to your pet that this is the place to pee). Mix up a solution of powder with water and tip over the area…use a nailbrush to penetrate carpets. Make sure you colour-test the area first. For Fido’s kennel, mix up a bucket of laundry powder and hot water and clean. If you’re cat is ‘marking’ clean the area daily with the solution (keep a ready-to-use spray bottle handy).

Bench Hopping

Want to stop your cat from jumping on the bench? We all love our cats, but there is simply nothing more annoying that watching Kitty sampling your culinary masterpiece that is cooling on the bench.

SOLUTION: water spray bottle. Keep it close in hand, as soon as Kitty jumps on the bench give a squirt (if they can’t see you even better), follow with a noise, like a hiss or a clicking sound. Soon they will get the message that the bench is a ‘no go zone’. Within a few weeks you will only require to use the noise. If Kitty is bench hopping when you are not at home (I can hear the familiar moan of those who have found the nibbled steak which was defrosting in the sink…I hear your pain). Try popping a length of aluminum foil on your bench tops before you leave. Cats will not walk on aluminum foil.

Digging

Tired of Fido digging holes big enough for a pool? For years our family dog was convinced there were endless mice running under the grass (as luck would have it, he dug one up one day, reinforcing his belief that all vibrations from under the grass were mice). Within a week, my lawn was transformed into a golf course.

SOLUTION: Balloons! Blow up a few balloons (you can even add a little water). Bury them under the soil where your dog likes to dig. Dig…dig…dig….BANG!!! This was certainly enough to deter my dog from continuing his excavation of my lawn. Also remember many dogs dig because they are bored. You may remove one problem to only be faced with another (barking, chewing etc). Think boredom busters (Kongs, ice-treats). Stay tuned for a blog specifically written with boredom busting tips.

Poo Eating

Better known as coprophagia. Poo eating is very common (and embarrassing) problem particularly in young dogs.

SOLUTION: the fact is our dogs are natural scavengers, and they will ‘sniff’ out any left over nutrients in poop and gobble it up. Many times young pups need to be discouraged from doing this with a ‘leave it’ command (remember positive re-enforcement otherwise the behavior could turn onto a cry for attention). Cleaning up your dog’s area daily is also important. A check from the vet is vital as your dog may not be absorbing nutrients in his/her diet. However, if all checks out and, your dog is just a poop-eater you can try turning up the heat! Find some poop and cover it with hot-sauce. This will be uncomfortable for Fido but can sometimes be just the trick to deter the dog from eating poo.

For dogs who like to raid the kitty-litter tray (better known as kitty litter crunchies) there is only one solution…purchase a hooded little tray and turn the flap towards the wall (leaving a gap big enough for the cat to get through). Alternatively purchase a cheap baby-gate and put the little tray in the laundry. Most cats can squeeze through the bars or will jump over the gate. Out of sight, out of mind.

A BIT ABOUT THE BLOGGER:

Nadia Crighton is a well-known and accomplished Australian Journalist and pet magazine Editor. As a busy mum of four humans, two dogs, 50 sheep, three cats, a handful of chickens and a goat named Billy, she simply adores pets of all shapes and sizes.

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