Cat peeing on dirty laundry is not uncommon feline behavior

Oneofmycatsispeeinginmyson'slaundrybasketfullofclothes.Hehasalwaystreatedherfine,sothisisn'tapersonalityproblem.Wekeephisbedroomdoorshut,butsomehow,everyonceinawhile,whenitisleftopen,ithappensagain.IstheresomekindofrepellentIcanusetokeepheroutofhisroom?IthasbecomesoingrainedinherIdon'tthinkshecanbetrainedtostop.--Sue,ChinoValley,AZ

DearSue,

Catspeeingondirtylaundry,bathmats,andevenbedlinenswhilethelinensarestillonthebedarenotuncommonfelinebehaviors.Nooneknowsforsurewhycatsdothis,buttheymaynotlikethesmellofthelaundryorthesmellorlocationoftheirlitterbox.Theymaybereactingtostress,whichisoftentheresultofchangeinthehome,liketheadditionofanewbaby,newfurnitureoramovetoanewhome.Theymayevenhaveahealthproblemthatrequiresmedicalattention.

Ifit'snotahealthproblem,thereareafewthingsyoucandotodiscouragethebehavior.Themostobviousiskeepingthecatoutofyourson'sroomanddirtylaundryupoffthefloor.Sincethatisdifficulttodo,switchthelaundrybaskettoaclosedhamperorconsiderusingfelinemotionsensorspraydeterrentsorsprayrepellantsnearthelaundrybaskettodiscourageherfromapproachingthelaundryaltogether.

Ipickedupa5-month-oldgoldenretrieverpuppy,andamreadyforherwithacrate,toys,waterandfooddishes.Ihavebeenreadingsuggestionsonwhereandwhentocrateher,andwhenandwhennottolockherinthecrate.Somesuggestnexttomybed,whichinmycaseispossible,butnotpractical.Somesaykeepherandtheopencrateinasmallcordonedoffareawiththecrateopenwhereshecanseememostofthetime.Iwanttotrainherright.Anysuggestions?--Jeffrey,Holtsville,NY

DearJeffrey,

Youmayalreadybepastthefirstfewdaysofcrate-trainingbutalwaysstartwiththecrateinyourbedroomforthefirstweek.Ifthecratewon'tfit,putitinthefamilyroomandsleeponthecouchforafewdays.Theideaistobenearher,sosheisnotanxiousthosefirstfewdays.

Aftertheinitialadjustmentperiod,putthecrateinanareathatisnothightraffic,butnearwhereyouhangoutmostofthetime,likethemainlivingspaceofyourhome.Neversecludeadoginacrateinanotherroom.Ifyourdogcan’tseeyou,shemaydevelopseparationanxiety.

Asfarastimeinthecrate,apuppyshouldn'tbeinacrateformorethanafewhoursatatimewithplentyoftimeinbetweenforplayandexercise.Ifyou'reusingthecrateonlyanight,alatenighttimepeeshouldcarrymostlargebreedpuppiesuntiltheweehoursofthemorning.Ifyouareusingthecrateduringtheday,thenshewillneedabreakeveryfewhourstogooutsideandrelieveherself.Donotleaveherinthecratemostofthedayandallnight.Itcanbeveryhardonapuppyordogtobecratedallthetime.Hireapetsittertocomebyandplaywithhersothatshehasplentyofexerciseandoutdoortimeifyouarenothomeorcan'tgethometoletherout.

Teachhertogointothecratewhenyouaskbysaying"kennel"or"crate."Somepeoplesay"gotobed,"butthatissomethingyouwouldtellachildandwedon'twanttoconfuseyourdog.

Finally,makesuresheloveshercrate.Youcandothisbyfeedingherinhercrateorgivinghercertaintreatsorspecialtoys(likeaKongwithfrozenpeanutbutter)onlywhensheisinhercrate.Onceshelearnsthiscrateisherspecialspace,whichmaytakeafewmonths,youwillbeabletoleavethecratedooropenandshewillgotoitjusttohangoutortakeanap.Thisisherspecialspace,sodon'tletanychild(oradult)botherherinthisspace.

CathyM.Rosenthalisalongtimeanimaladvocate,author,columnistandpetexpertwhohasmorethan25yearsintheanimalwelfarefield.Sendyourpetquestions,storiesandtipstocathy@petpundit.com.Pleaseincludeyourname,city,andstate.Youcanfollowher@cathymrosenthal.

DistributedbyTribuneContentAgency,LLC.

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