Universal Press Syndicate
Cats like places more than they like people, right?
Wrong. Your cat would rather be with you, no matter where you move to. But if you handle the days before and after moving day improperly, you're at a real risk of losing your cat. That's why it's important to take some time to do it right.
Cats are highly territorial and will seek out familiar places when stressed, which is why they attempt to return to their old homes. While you'll never manage a stress-free move for either you or your cat, you can make the best of the situation by keeping your pet secure before, during and after the move, and then by allowing your pet to gradually adapt to his new surroundings.
The best way to move your cat is to confine him to a "safe room" before and after the move, and to transport him from one house to another in a secure carrier. The ideal safe room is a spare bedroom or bathroom where your cat isn't going to be disturbed, and where he can be outfitted with food and water, a litter box, a scratching post and toys.
Don't feel bad about confining your pet. He'll be more relaxed in a small space where he won't be subjected to the stress of seeing people tromping around his house with the family belongings. Confining your cat also prevents him from slipping outside, which is a danger at both the old and new home. A frightened cat may be hard to locate on the day of the move if you don't make sure he's somewhere you can put your hands on him.
When you get to your new home, leave the carrier, with its door removed, in the safe room. Close the door to the room and leave him be while you unpack. Coaxing him out of the carrier with treats and praise is fine, but let him choose when and how much of the safe room he wants to explore. Never drag him out -- you'll upset your cat, and you might get scratched or bitten.
A couple of days after you've unpacked and things have settled down, open the door to the safe room so your cat can explore the rest of the house. Even if you plan to let him outside, keep him in for a couple of weeks. He needs to stay inside to start forming a bond with his new surroundings. Better still, make the most of the opportunity offered by a move and convert your pet to indoor-only status. Your new neighbors will appreciate it, and your cat will live a longer, safer life.
It's relatively easy to manage a conversion to indoor cat in a new home. He'd carry on like crazy in your old home if locked in, but in new surroundings he'll accept the change with little fuss. Part of the reason cats don't like to convert to indoor-only is because they've marked the outside as part of their territory and have a natural desire to revisit and re-mark it. A newly moved cat will learn to accept the territory he has been offered, and if the outdoors isn't part of it, he won't miss it as much.
Above all, don't rush your cat through a move. Confinement during the transition is also good for avoiding behavior problems that might pop up with the stress of moving. By limiting your cat's options to the litter box and scratching post in his small safe room, he will quickly redevelop the good habits he had in your old home.
THE SCOOP
Free help, great facts on pets and pesticides
Say you want to hire a lawn-care service, but you're just not sure about the information they're providing regarding your pets and their lawn treatments. Check out the information from the National Pesticide Information Center.
Centered at Oregon State University, the NPIC (npic.orst.edu) offers fact sheets on its Web site on active ingredients found in all manner of products. The site also features articles on such topics as snail bait and a section on "current hot topics," which in July included "non-CCA wood preservatives" and "permethrin-treated clothes."
"We handle the gamut. Slug and snail bait. Rodenticides. Sprays. Spot-on products. Where you have the public using pesticides, the potential is good for not reading the label properly and some kind of misuse occurring," says NPIC Director Dave Stone, who's also an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at OSU.
In 2008 the NPIC handled 26,440 calls, with 90 percent of those contacts originating from the general public rather than professionals. The service can help you use pesticides safely or find less-toxic alternatives, understand product label information and recognize symptoms of pesticide poisoning.
This year the NPIC expanded its function to take reports of adverse pesticide reactions directly from veterinarians. The EPA was searching for some sort of central reporting for adverse pesticide events in veterinary medicine.
At regular intervals, the NPIC will generate all the incident reports and a summary to pass along to the EPA. It hopes the information will help the EPA make changes to the label or to product use, and help to mitigate risks.
If you have any questions or doubts about pesticides of any kind, be sure to check with the NPIC. Prevention is always the best route to choose. -- Cheryl S. Smith
PET BUZZ
Gross-out ads get pet pickup done
-- A British ad campaign urging people to pick up after their dogs features a young child in a park eating, playing with and face covered in what appears to be dog poop, with a tag line noting that "Children will put anything in their mouths." The ad has gotten no complaints in the tourist town of Torbay, reports the BBC, and is said to be a hit with the permanent residents. And it may be having an effect: Dog doo-doo incidents went from 400 in April to 185 in June. The fine also probably helped get the attention of people who weren't picking up after their dogs.
-- Whether or not a bass will be hooked depends largely on genetics. A 20-year study by the University of Illinois found that fish that were more likely to bite on the bait had offspring who were also highly susceptible to a poorly considered meal. Fish who were less likely to find food on the end of a fishing line produced offspring who were less likely to be hooked, according to Smithsonian magazine.
-- Toronto drew 180,000 dog lovers and their furry companions in June for the seventh annual and largest ever Woofstock. The two-day event featured 200 pet vendors and entertainment for dogs and their owners, including a Mr. and Mrs. Canine Canada Contest, a doggie fashion show, canine weddings, dog parties and a memorial service to remember pets who have passed away.
-- The tiniest dinosaur to have walked the land of North America has been discovered outside of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. The dinosaur, Albertonykus borealis, is a type of tyrannosaur and is similar in size to a chicken, ran on two legs, and scoured for termites as a meal, according to ScienceDaily.com. The remains showed the dinosaur had tweezers-like teeth, long and thin legs, and forearms that were short like a Tyrannosaurus rex and most likely used to rip open logs in search of insects. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon
ABOUT PET CONNECTION
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.
On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars." Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.
PET Rx
Rabbit fix ends more than multiplying
Unwanted offspring aren't the only reason why it's important to neuter pet rabbits. Just as with altering dogs and cats, altering rabbits eliminates many health and behavior problems.
Female rabbits, for example, are at a high risk for uterine cancer, a leading killer of these pets over the age of 2. Spaying also removes the potential for common and potentially lethal reproductive-system infections.
Besides extending your pet's life span, neutering eliminates sex-related behavior problems. Sexually mature rabbits can be territorial or even aggressive, and may spray urine.
Neutering is riskier for rabbits than it is for dogs and cats because the anesthesia is a little trickier. In recent years, however, advances in anesthesia have tipped the scales in favor of neutering as a preventive health measure.
Work with a veterinarian who is experienced with rabbits -- not all are. The final safety precaution is yours: Follow your veterinarian's pre- and post-operative directions precisely.
Neutered and spayed rabbits make for better pets -- and fewer rabbits. With rabbits now adding to the strain on shelters and neutering being safer than ever, there's no reason not to have your bun fixed. -- Dr. Marty Becker
BY THE NUMBERS
Making 'cattiness' a plus
The company that makes Tidy Cat litter wants to end the perception that "cattiness" is a bad thing. Turns out there's a wide gap in perception in how people with more than one cat are seen by others and how they see them selves. From the Tidy Cat survey:
How people who don't own a cat think of people with more than one cat:
Homebody: 75 percent
Lonely: 60 percent
Crazy cat lady: 58 percent
In contrast, people who keep multiple cats consider themselves quite happy, describing themselves as caring and loving (96 percent), generous (90 percent), well-adjusted and fulfilled (87 percent).
PET TIP
Overgrown beak needs vet's look
Contrary to advice that can still be found in books or on the Internet, beak trims should not be a part of routine health maintenance for birds. Although beaks constantly grow at a rate of 1 to 3 inches per year, depending on the species, the beak of a healthy bird will remain at a healthy length with normal chewing activities.
Overgrowth of the beak is frequently a sign of illness, such as liver disease or malnutrition. Any bird whose beak seems to be too long needs to see a veterinarian expert in avian medicine to determine the cause of the problem and treat it accordingly. -- Dr. Marty Becker
Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.