ing up

Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. Play behavior and jumping up is very natural and he will learn to grow out of it with patience and gentle correction, distracting him by throwing toys or giving food treats before he jumps up will help and do not shout or push him as he may see this as an invitation to play. Eating cat litter is also a relatively common bad habit and the only way to prevent is to is prevent access to it – a covered litter tray or keeping him out of the room with the litter tray until he learns will help. Certain bitter products designed for puppy training may put him off eating undesirable things but you have to get there before him every time until her learns which is not always easy

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

If your dog is a poop eater, make sure you go outside with them so you can quickly distract them if they start eating poop and pick it up right away. Add meat tenderizer, canned pumpkin, or another deterrent to his food. These items taste fine going down, but they make poop taste terrible to dogs.
Cat feces can contain intestinal parasites such as worms which can also go on to infest your dog. If the poop is covered in cat litter, that is an even bigger problem. When eaten in large quantities, cat litter (particularly clumping cat litter) can cause intestinal blockages in dogs.
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, a dog eating cat poop from the litter box is a “part of exploratory behavior.” Eating feces, or coprophagia, is a habit with its roots in scavenger behavior as well as “normal maternal behavior [that] includes consumption of feces and urine of young puppies.” The answer to “Is …
This behavior is common in dogs, especially puppies. If your dog is raiding the litter box, you should speak with your vet to make sure it isn`t an indication of boredom or poor nutrition. But most likely, it just means your pup enjoys protein-packed snacks and has never heard of personal boundaries.
The reason most dogs eat kitty litter (usually the clumping kind) is that the feline feces in the litter tastes good to them. This may sound disgusting, but it is what many dogs like. Cats are carnivores and require a higher protein diet than dogs.
Additionally, it`s important to remember that you should never punish your dog for eating poop. Punishing your dog for poop eating will likely lead to more problems like submissive urination , increased anxiety, and other issues.
Eating poo, also known as coprophagia, is a normal behaviour for many animals and is seen in roughly 25% of dogs. There are many reasons why your dog may be eating poop, but it`s probably because they just like the taste and texture of it.
While many dogs eat cat poop, and they`re fine, eating any poop carries the potential for the dog to contract harmful bacteria and parasites. Some of these bacteria, like salmonella, for example, can be transmitted to humans. Furthermore, dogs can contract several different species of internal parasites from cat poop.
YES! Dogs can definitely get sick from eating kitty logs. Cats can carry heaps of bacteria and parasites that can make their barking housemates really ill. One of the most common bacterial infections carried by cats is toxoplasmosis, and it is no joke!
Some dogs also like the taste of the cat litter itself. Your dog could get intestinal parasites from eating fecal material. Hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, and Giardia could be transmitted from coprophagy (the medical term for eating fecal material).
Dogs like to raid the litter box because cat feces often contain a lot of undigested food that dogs can utilize. People hate dogs to do this because a) it is distasteful and b) it gives dogs terribly bad breath.
Most often though many dogs will eat cat litter and cat feces with either no ill effect or minor gastrointestinal signs like loose stool. Overwhelmingly dogs prefer to consume the feces, and smaller amounts of litter also happen to be consumed due to proximity.
Cat poop can transmit parasites and bacteria to your dog which can cause a host of different health issues. If you notice your dog eating cat poop, get them to stop immediately and check for any noticeable symptoms of being sick, like excessive drooling, diarrhea, or vomiting.
Signs of infection include fever, diarrhea, cough, difficulty breathing, jaundice, seizures, and death. Adult animals with weakened immune systems are extremely susceptible to developing sudden, generalized toxoplasmosis. In many cases, treatment is not necessary.
Cat food tends to be high in fat, calories and protein which means it`s not ideal for dogs. Dogs with sensitive stomachs may suffer gastrointestinal upset, sickness and diarrhoea after eating cat food.
Coconut oil (¼ teaspoon per 15 pounds of body weight) can satiate a dog`s fat craving if that`s the reason they`re seeking out excrement as a food item. Citrus fruits are tasty and healthy for your dog to eat, and citric acid will make their poop taste unpleasant.
Typically, the fiber in the banana should help your dog have healthier bowel movements. However, too much fiber could cause constipation in dogs. Only give your dog bananas occasionally in small portions as a treat.
Vitamin B for dogs who eat poop, can be especially helpful. In fact, you might consider it to be the dog vitamin for poop eating.
Although a 2-week-old puppy may defecate at every feeding, by 12 weeks, they may be down to only 4 times per day. By 6 months, it may be 3 times per day. Usually by 1 year of age, they will have settled into their “normal” habits. An adult dog usually poops once a day, but they could go up to 3 times a day.
Coprophagia is harmless most of the time but can spread an infectious disease or parasite to your dog. It can also cause gastroenteritis that results in vomiting and diarrhea.
Pineapple contains an enzyme that alters the taste and smell of dog poop so that it`s unappetising to them. If you want to try this technique, it`s important not to feed your dog too much pineapple. No more than a couple of chunks every other day should be sufficient for an average sized dog.
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a single-celled organism, Toxoplasma gondii, capable of infecting both dog and owner alike. The infection is spread either through the feces of infected cats (as sporozoites) or undercooked meat (as tissue cysts).
Toxoplasmosis is a common infection that you can catch from the poo of infected cats, or infected meat. It`s usually harmless but can cause serious problems in some people.
YES! People may think worms could not survive in cat feces so they couldn`t infect your dog, but they absolutely can. The shell of worms eggs can be particularly hard and survive for a serious length of time on the ground in cat feces!

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. Our pup wont stop going into the cat litter an eating their poop how can we stop this my pup veryfrindly likes to greet people he keeps jumping up
ANSWER : A. Play behavior and jumping up is very natural and he will learn to grow out of it with patience and gentle correction, distracting him by throwing toys or giving food treats before he jumps up will help and do not shout or push him as he may see this as an invitation to play. Eating cat litter is also a relatively common bad habit and the only way to prevent is to is prevent access to it – a covered litter tray or keeping him out of the room with the litter tray until he learns will help. Certain bitter products designed for puppy training may put him off eating undesirable things but you have to get there before him every time until her learns which is not always easy

Q. Why do cats meow?
ANSWER : A. Cat parents often wish they could better understand what their favorite feline friends want or desire. A cat’s meow can be interpreted in many different ways and can indicate an array of feelings and needs. Here are some of the most common reasons for your cat’s vocalizations:

1. Greeting- Many cats will meow as a greeting when you enter your home or walk into a room. Cats will also meow at another cat or animal in the household to extend a hello and acknowledge the other animal’s presence.

2. Attention – An exuberant meow followed by leg rubbing or another attention seeking behavior may indicate your cat is looking for some quality time spent together. Some petting or rubbing behind the ears may be in order.

3. Hunger – A meowing cat is often a hungry cat. This is one of the most common reasons for a cat to vocalize to their owners. A cat will meow to get your attention at feeding times or even when they want extra food.

4. Sickness – A sick or hurt cat may begin to meow excessively, warranting a visit to the veterinarian. There are numerous reasons for a cat in distress to meow—whether it is related to an upset stomach, an injured leg or a urinary blockage. These meows should be carefully investigated.

5. Entering or leaving – Most cats will vocalize when they want to be let in or out of a room. You may notice when you are in the bathroom or behind the closed door of a room that your cat begins to meow, scratches at the door, and often reaches its paw under the door. This is a clear indication that the cat wants to be where you are.

6. Angry – An agitated cat may meow to warn their owner or another household pet that they are upset and would like to be left alone. This angry meow may increase in sound volume as the cat becomes more stressed or agitated. Often a cat will exhibit this type of meow at the veterinary office when they are unhappy with their examination or restraint.

Each feline is different and so are their vocalizations. Learn to understand the variety of meows your cat uses on a daily basis. This will help you develop a better relationship with your cat and help them live a more trusting and happier life.

Q. My cat will not stop going to the toilet on my carpet, bed, washing pile etc.. Also uses its litter box occasionally? I don’t understand why this is?
ANSWER : A. Inappropriate elimination in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his eliminating outside the box.
If medical issues are ruled out, take a look at other reasons. Has there been a lot of unusual activity? Has you cat been left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Is it big enough? Have you changed the type or brand of litter? Is there something attractive about the spot he uses? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out to express their dissatisfaction.
The general rule is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped daily, if not more often and changed completely weekly, washed with soap and water only. You can offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don’t recommend the crystals, it makes a hissing sound when wet that startles some cats and make them reluctant to use it again. The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure any other pets or people aren’t giving them a hard time around or in the litter box. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat’s preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. And, when cleaning up pet accidents, don’t use any cleaner containing ammonia. This leaves behind a scent similar to urine.

Q. My cat continues to scratch on furniture and carpets. He has plenty of scratching posts around the house. Please help!
ANSWER : A. Scratching is a natural behavior in cats that can be frequently frustrating for pet owners who want to keep their furniture from being shredded on a constant basis. The texture of furniture and carpet is very appealing to cats and this why they frequently choose to spend their time on this activity as opposed to playing with their own cat toys. Here are some suggestions to help curb this unwanted behavior:

1. Purchase a cat scratching post or cat tree that is covered in carpeted or textured material. Place it in an appealing spot that your cat would be inclined to spend time (eg. in the sun). You can also place catnip on the scratching post or cat tree to make your cat even more interested in the new object.

2. You can utilize double sided tape on the ends of the furniture because you cat will not like the sticky feeling and will learn to not scratch in that region. Use the tape that has a lighter adhesive in order to prevent any permanent damage. Other materials, such as aluminum foil or bubble wrap can also be placed on the furniture to discourage the scratching.

3. Keep nails trimmed short by either learning to do this on your own at home or using a veterinary technician, or groomer. Nails can usually be trimmed every 6-8 weeks.

4. Redirect the unwanted behavior. If your cat begins scratching, use a favorite or new toy to distract the cat from the scratching. Give your cat positive praise for not scratching.

5. As a last resort you can use a spray bottle full of water to spritz your cat when he or she is scratching inappropriately at your furniture. Generally, cats do not like water and this will discourage them from continuing the behavior.

Have patience with your cat because it can takes time to understand this is an unwanted behavior and that furniture is not another toy for them to use. You can always consult your veterinary or veterinary behaviorist to help with ideas or further solutions to this problem.

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Q. My cat seems to have lost control of her bowels and no longer uses her litter box even to urinate. She is 5 or 6 yrs and is in good health otherwise
ANSWER : A. If your cat has had a sudden change in litter box habits, it is always a good idea to rule out any underlying issues with a wellness check from your vet. Bringing in a urine and stool sample if possible can also help as tests can be run on these samples to check for common infections or parasites. If these are present, treating them usually helps resolve the problem of not using the box.

Loss of bowel control usually results in dribbling of feces or urine rather than complete accidents. If you are seeing this, it is possible that an injury to the hind end or problem with the nerves or muscles is happening and should be looked at by your vet.

If the accidents are complete (full amount of stool, big puddle of urine) your cat may be choosing not to use the litter box due to illness, a too-dirty litter, litter pans that are too tall (which may make older cats have a harder time getting in and out), or a litter substrate that was changed too suddenly. Sometimes, changing the environment your cat’s litter box is in by lowering the sides, moving food and water dishes away and returning back to a previously liked litter can help.

In any area of an accident, an enzymatic cleaner should be used. These break down urine and stool particles, making it so that your cat is less likely to be attracted to going there again. Moving stools to the litter box can also entice your cat to start going there again.

Q. My 3 month puppy eats his own poop and is also biting what can I do to prevent this
ANSWER : A. When it comes to poop eating, you want to consider a few things. First off, what is his diet like? Maybe something is lacking in his diet that is causing him to want to eat his own poop. This is the most common reason why dogs eat THEIR OWN poop. Try a higher quality kibble like Taste of the Wild, Ziwipeak, Orijen.. and try feeding three meals per day, instead of the more common two meals per day. Remember to gradually switch his kibble. Add a little bit of the new kibble and reduce the old kibble very slowly.. little by little every couple of days until the bowl is mostly new kibble! You should also be cleaning up his poops IMMEDIATELY after he does them.. I mean like, you have a bag in your hand, and you are low enough to scoop it up RIGHT when he finished so he doesn’t have a chance to eat his poop.

When it comes to nipping there are a few things you can do. First, you should yelp as soon as the teeth touch your skin, stand up, cross your arms, and ignore the puppy until he is ignoring you. Once he is off doing his own thing, swoop down and calmly reward him by playing with him WITH A TOY so he doesn’t nip your hands. Whenever you pet him, or interact with him, you should always have a toy on-hand so you can give it to him. This toy should be a soft braided rope toy that YOU own. This means, your puppy is never allowed to have this toy on the floor, and your pup can never “win” tug games with this toy. This is YOUR toy that disappears when you’re finished playing, and reappears when you want to play. If you keep this up, in a weeks time, your puppy will be so excited to see that toy, that as soon as you bring it out, he stops nipping you because he wants to play with the toy. Another thing you can do is have two bags of toys. Bag#1 is full of chew toys/soft toys/squeaky toys/etc. After one week, Bag#1 disappears and out comes Bag#2. Bag#2 has the same types of toys as Bag#1, and it only stays out for one week. This keeps the toys feeling like new to your pup!

Q. I have a cat that defecates in the litter box but always urinates outside the box. It is very annoying.
ANSWER : A. Inappropriate elimination in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his eliminating outside the box.

If medical issues are ruled out, take a look at other reasons. Has there been a lot of unusual activity? Has you cat been left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Is it big enough? Have you changed the type or brand of litter? Is there something attractive about the spot he uses? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out to express their dissatisfaction.

The general rule is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped daily, if not more often and changed completely weekly, washed with soap and water only. You can offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don’t recommend the crystals, it makes a hissing sound when wet that startles some cats and make them reluctant to use it again. The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure any other pets or people aren’t giving them a hard time around or in the litter box. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat’s preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. And, when cleaning up pet accidents, don’t use any cleaner containing ammonia. This leaves behind a scent similar to urine.

Q. My cat is pooping outside of the litter bix. He is 2 1/2. He did this as a kitten. It stopped then started about 3 months ago. Litterbox is clean.
ANSWER : A. Inappropriate elimination or house soiling can be a frustrating problem but with a bit of detective work on your part, there is hope. First, before deciding that this is a behavioral issue, any medical problems (diarrhea, constipation, fecal incontinence, pain on defecation, etc.) need to be ruled out and/or treated. If your cat receives a clean bill of health from your vet but is still eliminating outside the litterbox, then we need to consider that something about the box itself might be aversive to your cat. Cats can be quite finicky about their litterbox and toileting habits. Below I have listed common recommendations and cat preferences for litterbox use. Review the list and make any changes that could account for your cat’s aversion to defecating in the litterbox:
* Soft, fine-grained clumping litter (vs, coarse-grained, non-clumping litter)
* Unscented
* 1 – 1 1/2 inch depth (especially older cats or cats with hip problems)
* Larger pans (especially for large cats) – want to get whole body inside – poop just outside the box might mean the box is too small
* Open, non-hooded
* At least one shallow side to get in and out easily
* Easy to get to – not hidden away, preferably in areas they spend time in or near – and not near appliances that make scary, unpredictable noises (washers, dryers, refrigerators)
* Scoop minimum 1X/day – preferably 2
* Clean the litterbox with soap and water and put in fresh scoopable litter at least once/month (instead of just continuously adding)
* Some cats prefer to urinate in one box and defecate in a separate box, so you may need 2 boxes even if you just have 1 cat. Multi-cat households should have 1 box/cat plus 1 extra.