Build the house of your cat’s dreams -- or at least jazz up his life a little

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

We’re all spending a lot more time with our pets these days -- dogs are getting walks galore and more playtime than they know what to do with -- but what about cats? They don’t typically go on walks (though a few are exceptions to this rule), so what have people been doing with -- or for -- their feline friends?

They’ve been busy. Building castles, for instance. A recent post making the rounds on Facebook showed a number of home projects for kitty, built by cat lovers with plenty of time and cardboard boxes on hand. Castles with crenellated walls and drawbridges, clubhouses (“Dogs keep out!”), a “hissing” booth decorated with a skull and crossbones, a fort with a sniper tower, steps and ladders to elevated entries. No doubt somewhere out there is a French “cat-eau.” Or maybe “chat-eau” is, after all, the correct spelling.

With shorter days, longer nights, colder weather and spiking coronavirus rates, you, too, may be looking for ways to fill your time and entertain your cat. Here are some tips on building a feline freeway or fort; where to buy cat steps and bridges if you’re not handy; and other ways to entertain your cat -- and yourself as you watch him explore and enjoy his new home decor.

For advice on building “up,” we turned to artist and photographer extraordinaire Bob Walker, who, with his artist wife, Frances Mooney, turned their entire house into a cat playground with overhead walkways, spiral staircases, floor-to-ceiling scratching posts and much more. You don’t have to go that far, but Walker says it’s easy to use found objects -- those Amazon boxes that are piling up, wooden or plastic crates, or even a sturdy stepladder -- to create a feline hidey-hole or gym.

When he built a catwalk, he used 2-by-6-inch pieces of wood, which allowed room for cats to turn around or pass one another. For inclines, he inset carpeting, putting carpet tape beneath it to hold it in place. That provided the cats with secure footing as they went up or down. Walker recommends referring to the Public Playground Safety Handbook (cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/325.pdf) to ensure that anything you build takes safety into account, especially if you have kids in the home.

His best tip? Use negative space. “Think of your house in cubic space terms, not square footage,” Walker says. For instance, take advantage of unused space behind objects or furniture or high areas on walls that are otherwise bare.

If you’re handy with an X-acto knife or box knife, you can build a cardboard kitty castle or fort that is as simple or elaborate as you please. To strengthen cardboard, especially if you have multiple levels, reinforce gaps with glue or packing or duct tape. You can also add an extra layer of cardboard in the bottom, cut to fit, or sandwich a piece of foam between two pieces of cardboard. Find inspiration on Pinterest for cardboard or wooden structures.

For the simplest of cardboard projects, take two to four open boxes, tape them together, and fill them with plastic play balls for a moggy mosh pit. Other spaces you can fill with play balls, for impromptu cat hockey games, are bathtubs or kiddie pools.

Don’t want to build anything? You can purchase attractive, high-style cat walks, climbing shelves, hanging beds, play tents, scratching towers, rope bridges, window seats, and furniture on websites such as Hauspanther, Etsy, Wayfair, Chewy, Overstock, Petco and PetSmart. Active cats may love having an exercise wheel to run on. You can find one through a number of online retailers or ask your local pet supply store to order one for you.

For the simplest play of all, make or buy puzzle toys (see foodpuzzlesforcats.com for ideas), or just hide your cat’s kibble or favorite treats around the house so she can “hunt” for them. Or be the goalie in a game of hall hockey with a pingpong ball. Your cat will be delighted.

Q&A

Which crate

for new pup?

Q: I’m getting a new puppy in a few weeks! What should I look for in a crate, and how should I introduce her to it?

A: There are lots of different types of crates with different features. Here are some things to look for as you make your decision.

Wire, plastic and soft carriers each have pros and cons. Wire crates offer good ventilation and views and are easy to cover if necessary. They fold up when not in use, but they can’t be used for air travel. For safety, remove your dog’s collar before putting her in a wire crate.

Some plastic crates have wheels, making them easier to move. Look for one with a top that comes off easily. Top-loading kennels are helpful for Fear Free veterinary visits. Your pup can be examined while he’s still in the carrier if the top comes off, or he can be removed without being forced out. An alternative for small dogs up to 20 pounds is a crate with a bottom that slides out, such as the Van Ness Calm Carrier.

Soft carriers are lightweight. They’re not the best choice for a puppy, but once your dog is grown and trained, they can be a comfy choice for relaxing or suitable for stays in hotel rooms.

Whatever crate you choose, make it attractive to your puppy. Before you pick her up from the breeder or shelter, spray or wipe down the crate with a calming canine pheromone such as Adaptil. At home, place the crate in an area where there’s lots of family activity. Put treats and toys in it for her to find, and feed her in it. Give a treat or leave her with a favorite toy every time you put her in it at naptime or bedtime. -- Mikkel Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Pre-Columbian

-- We don’t typically associate big cats with the country of Peru, but a giant cat drawing -- a geoglyph -- has been found on the side of a hill at the site of the country’s famous Nazca Lines, pre-Columbian figures etched into the sand and visible from above or from great distances. Archaeologists accidentally uncovered the feline figure on the slope of Mirador Natural Hill as upgrades were being made to the lookout site. The figure of the cat measures more than 120 feet across and dates to approximately 2,000 years ago. Even then, apparently, people were sharing pictures of cats.

-- Seniors who need help adopting and caring for pets can get financial assistance for adoption fees, veterinary care, food and other expenses from nonprofit Pets for the Elderly, which is increasing its efforts to help people and pets stay together to benefit from the human-animal bond. People over 60 can qualify for adoption discounts from participating shelters and apply for aid in covering pet-care costs, including in-home visits from shelter employees to check on the welfare of people and pets. Pets help seniors by keeping them active, and seniors help pets by providing them with homes and love. Win-win!

-- November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Other pet-centric events are National Pet Awareness Month, National Senior Pet Month, Pet Cancer Awareness Month and Pet Diabetes Month. Going on now is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. Also occurring in November are National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day (Nov. 7), National Black Cat Day (Nov. 17), and the National Dog Show, broadcast on Thanksgiving Day. In December, celebrate National Cat Lover’s Month, National Mutt Day on Dec. 2, Celebrate Shelter Pets Day on Dec. 5, International Day of Veterinary Medicine on Dec. 9, and National Cat Herders Day on Dec. 15. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Dogs are typically known for burying bones, but some dogs have been trained to unearth them

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

They smell dead people.

If you read mysteries, you’ve probably run across more than a few where a random dog finds a dead body or uncovers buried bones. Or perhaps the detective is working with a cadaver dog: one trained to detect the odor of human decomposition.

The next one you read might feature a dog helping to solve archaeological mysteries.

In a 2018 paper published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, archaeologist Vedrana Glavas and ethologist and dog handler Andrea Pintar proposed that human-remains-detection dogs could be valuable tools for locating ancient burial sites. They based this idea on their work with four dogs at a prehistoric site in Croatia. Their research demonstrated that HRD dogs could detect trace amounts of specific human decomposition odor and indicate burial sites considerably older than had previously been thought possible. Using radiocarbon dating and analysis of material culture (the objects found at the site), the excavated burials were dated to the eighth century BCE.

Dogs have formally played a role in finding bodies for criminal investigations since at least 1974, and it’s no surprise that other professionals have wondered if dogs could contribute to their work, as well. Forensic anthropologist and K-9 handler Paul S. Martin’s interest in the abilities of cadaver dogs to aid archaeological surveys and cold case investigations began in 2002, when he established HRD Specialized K9 Training. He says the most interesting and rewarding work he has done -- in partnership with Ziva, an 11-year-old black Lab -- has been participating in the search for and recovery of the remains of missing American service members from World War II through a nonprofit organization called History Flight.

“These men died in the service of our country 75-plus years ago, and families were told they were unrecoverable,” he says. “Some of these were intentional burials, but with the air crews, they became buried due to impact or accumulation of sediment over time.”

When it comes to more ancient burials, Martin, who was not involved in the study performed by Glavas and Pintar, says several universities are working on understanding human decomposition and the volatile organic compounds -- the odors that the dogs detect -- that it produces.

“One of the things we can already see is that, due to the changes in diet, there are compounds present in modern remains that don’t present in historic or older remains,” he says.

Archaeologists use techniques as basic as field surveys -- gathering information through observations, sketches and interviews with local people, for instance -- and as high-tech as ground-penetrating radar, satellite imaging and aerial photography. Like those techniques, HRD dogs provide information in a non-destructive way. At the Croatian site, geological characteristics and environmental conditions made visual inspection and GPR impractical, but didn’t deter the dogs.

Canine scenting abilities, in conjunction with geophysical surveys, help archaeologists establish a more complete picture of where human remains may lie.

“The dog adds the ability to gain another layer of information about what might be in an area,” Martin says.

That’s important, especially at sites that may be facing development. Dogs can help to focus searches before bulldozers move in.

“Locating burial grounds using HRD dogs has great potential in preventive archaeology,” Glavas and Pintar write in their paper. That’s the detection and study of archaeological sites prior to construction or other development.

Currently, Glavas isn’t working with HRD dogs on any site, she writes in an email, but she doesn’t rule it out.

“We have some plans for the future, but we will see.”

Q&A

Make the most

of new dog park

Q: We have a new dog park in town, and I want to start taking my dog there. What should we know about having a good time and staying safe?

A: Dog parks have their issues, but for some dogs, they are the only opportunity for a good off-leash run-and-play session. Here’s how to have fun without having problems with other dogs or humans.

It seems counterintuitive, but give your dog some exercise before you head to the park, especially if he’s a high-energy hound. Taking him for a walk first or giving him a puzzle toy to figure out can dampen his energy a bit so he doesn’t overwhelm other dogs with his antics or run them down in his excitement to be there.

Avoid the park if your dog is aggressive or fearful, or go at times when you know you will have it to yourself. It’s not fair to your dog -- or other dogs and people -- to put them at risk of an unpleasant or harmful encounter.

Leave your dog’s favorite toys and treats at home if he doesn’t like sharing them. You don’t want to start any fights.

Most parks have a double-gated entry. Take your dog off leash once you’re through the first gate so he can enter the park leash-free. That ensures that he won’t feel vulnerable when other dogs approach. For safety reasons, be sure he’s wearing a breakaway collar or one with a quick-release buckle.

Pay attention. It’s tempting to use the time to peruse Instagram or read emails, but your focus should be on your dog to ensure that he’s playing nicely and not being bullied -- or being a bully.

Lastly, pick up after your dog so you’ll both be welcomed back. -- Mikkel Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Watch animal videos

for good health

-- Watching animal videos is good for the heart and soul, according to researchers at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. They found that heart rates dropped in participants who watched videos and images of cute animals. Also, the average blood pressure of the group moved into the ideal range, and participants’ stress and anxiety levels were reduced by up to 50%. Heart rate and blood pressure were measured before and after participants watched the videos. The 19 participants consisted of students waiting to take an exam and academic support staff who felt stressed from work.

-- Dogs walk with us in death as well as in life. Have you ever heard or seen the word “psychopomp”? In mythology, a psychopomp is a spirit guide who leads souls from life into death, helping them cross over to whatever that culture believes comes next, such as judgment or an afterlife. Our best friends, the dogs, play the role of psychopomp in many cultures. The jackal-headed Anubis, an ancient Egyptian god, is one such canine escort. Others include the black dogs, or “grims,” found in English and Welsh lore. They often make an appearance when someone is near death. And in Mesoamerican cultures, such as Aztec and Mayan, people were laid to rest with the figure of a clay dog in which their spirit could reside as they made their journey to the afterlife.

-- Domestic chickens are believed to have originated in southern and Southeast Asia. Four species of wild jungle fowl are still known in those areas: Gallus gallus (red jungle fowl); Gallus lafayetti (Ceylonese jungle fowl); Gallus sonnerati (gray jungle fowl); and Gallus varius (black or green jungle fowl). The red jungle fowl has long been considered the progenitor of today’s domesticated chicken strains and breeds. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Most pets stay calm when they see people wearing masks, but these tips can help those who might be a little worried

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Most of our pets are exposed to masks -- scary or otherwise -- at least annually, thanks to the Halloween season. But over the past six months, seeing people in masks has become a daily occurrence for them: on walks, at the veterinary clinic and even at home.

According to interviews with experts, and a completely unscientific survey on social media, animals rarely respond to masks with concern.

Professional dog groomer Julie Ellingson in Sacramento, California, says none of her canine clients bat an eye when she greets them in a mask. They just look for a new place to deliver a kiss, usually targeting her glasses.

Veronica Barker of Tustin, California, wore a mask long before COVID-19 came along in order to protect herself from inhaling dust while grinding the nails of her English springer spaniel, Polly. Barker says Polly is unfazed by the face covering.

That’s probably because animals rely on more than a view of our face when it comes to identification.

“They have other points of reference, such as eye contact, our tone of voice, scent, body language -- and in some cases, familiarity with the person,” says Wailani Sung, DVM, veterinary behavior specialist at San Francisco SPCA. Other cues such as gestures or movement can also contribute to their recognition of a particular person.

Masks muffle voices, and that can be an issue when working with or training dogs, so it’s important to speak clearly. Wearing a mask with a transparent section over the mouth allows other humans -- and very likely dogs -- to read lips and better understand what’s being said.

Some dogs have learned that masks mean good things are about to happen. Shelley Bueche of Austin, Texas, says her dog interprets the donning of a mask as a signal that she’s going to get to go somewhere. “She’s usually right,” Bueche says.

Similarly, Labrador mix Rio and miniature poodle Peach, who both live with Jen Reeder in Denver, get excited and rush toward the door when they see her putting on a mask. That usually means they’re going for a walk, Reeder says.

That’s not to say that every dog reacts to masks with nonchalance. “One of my regular patients growled at me the other day when I was wearing a mask,” says behavior specialist Lisa Radosta, DVM, who practices at Florida Veterinary Behavior Service in West Palm Beach.

Alastor, a flat-coated retriever, first saw owner Jill Gibbs wearing a mask while they were at a Barn Hunt event. “He wanted to pull it off my face, and almost broke my nose trying,” says Gibbs, of Billings, Montana. “He is better now, but still jumps for it.” Her other flat-coat, Izzy, looks twice before she recognizes Gibbs, and her golden retriever, Henry, avoids her until she pulls the mask down so he can see her whole face.

Mask design may affect a pet’s reaction. Some animals might be taken aback by masks with images of dog or cat faces.

“Hopefully, the dog would recognize the family member behind the mask and quickly habituate, especially if engaged in an enjoyable activity,” says Toronto veterinary behaviorist Gary Landsberg, DVM, who heads up research for Fear Free Pets. “However, one would also expect and hope that the owner would recognize, remove and replace a mask if the image evoked fear.”

If you have a new pet or one who doesn’t like masks, the following tips can help:

-- Wear a mask around the house to accustom your pet to seeing people in them.

-- Put on the mask while your pet is watching so he knows it’s you.

-- Don’t stare at your pet (whether or not you’re wearing a mask).

-- If a mask with a particular image causes fear in your pet, remove and replace it.

-- Offer favorite treats or toys while wearing a mask so your pet develops a pleasant association with it.

Q&A

Parrots need

more than seed

Q: What should I feed my new baby parrot? Her veterinarian recommends a pelleted food, but I heard seeds were better.

A: The idea that birds need only seeds for a complete and balanced diet is one of those myths that keeps hanging on. Seeds are high in fat and don’t provide the nutrition that birds need. Feeding only seeds is like giving your kids a diet of hamburgers, hot dogs, and mac and cheese every day. Birds who eat only seeds are prone to obesity and other health conditions caused by poor diet.

Pellets are a mixture of grains, seeds, fruits and vegetables, and provide appropriate levels of vitamins and minerals. Different types of pellets are made for different species and sizes of birds. But not even pellets offer a complete meal for every bird. Many species have unique nutritional requirements.

Adding fresh foods such as vegetables, fruits, pasta and various types of protein -- including lean poultry or cooked eggs -- is important for giving your bird a well-rounded diet. Birds enjoy fun foods that they have to work at: think corn on the cob, a slice of watermelon, the core of a bell pepper, sprouts, or a nut in the shell. Your bird-savvy veterinarian can advise you about the proper percentage of pellets and fresh foods for your bird’s species, but in general, pellets should make up about 80 percent of your bird’s diet.

When are seeds OK? I’m not saying you can never give seeds to your bird; in very small amounts, they are a great reward when you are teaching her something new, or when she has just done something you like. Just remember that they should be a special treat, not a large percentage of her intake. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Airport deploys

virus-sniffing dogs

-- Travelers arriving in Finland’s Helsinki-Vantaa Airport will now be greeted -- at a distance, of course -- by coronavirus-sniffing dogs, who will check to see if they are infectious. The dogs, trained to recognize the virus that causes COVID-19, are located at specially built sniffing stations. Passengers swipe their skin with small pieces of gauze, then put the samples in a beaker and pass it to a dog handler on the opposite side of the booth. The dog sniffs the beaker and indicates any samples that may belong to an infectious person. Results for the free, voluntary tests are available within 10 seconds, and the entire process takes less than a minute. Dogs and passengers don’t come in contact with each other, which helps to protect the dogs from potential infection.

-- Teens in Hungary who participated in a program that involved working with horses two days a week had fewer emotional and behavioral problems, and better “prosocial behavior” -- actions that benefit other people or society as a whole -- than students in the control group, who did not work with horses, according to a report in the journal Environmental Research and Public Health. Researchers’ analysis found that equine-related activities were a significant factor in development of the positive traits. Working with horses requires students to understand equine communication and behavior. The relationship-building skills they learn translate to developing trust, acceptance and understanding with humans as well.

-- Burmese cats, with their unique brown coats, were known as copper cats in Southeast Asia. Smart, funny and playful, they enjoy interacting with people and have a loyal, loving temperament. Burmese aren’t as talkative as their Siamese cousins, but they will carry on a conversation with you in their raspy voices. The medium-sized cats have eyes ranging in color from yellow to gold and a short, glossy, solid-colored coat. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.