PET DENTAL HEALTH MADE EASY

Lack of oral care in dogs can lead to dental disease, which in turn can lead to more serious health issues.  Good oral health for dogs (cats too!) goes beyond just whiter teeth and fresh breath, it's important to your dog's overall health as well. 

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 80% of dogs have some form of periodontal disease by the age of 3!  That number for cats is not much better, at 70%. 

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Good oral hygiene in dogs can help prevent dental disease.

Poor Dental Health Can Negatively Effect A Pet's Overall Health

Periodontal Disease can lead to even more serious health problems.   Toxins from periodontal disease get absorbed into the dog's blood stream and can cause infections in the body.  This can potentially damage kidney, liver, heart, and brain tissue.

This post is sponsored by Zymox. I am being compensated to help share information about Oratene® Brushless Pet Oral Care products. We only share information we feel is helpful and relevant to our readers.

Pets taking medications are especially prone to dental health issues.  

Many pets taking medication can experience a change in the quality of saliva.  Although pets may still have saliva and drool, this condition is called "Dry Mouth".  Pets with chronic Dry Mouth develop severe halitosis (bad breath), and accumulate plaque which can lead to tartar and tooth decay. 

Oratene's line of Brushless Pet Oral Health Products kill harmful bacteria and germs, and remove plaque biofilm in your dog's mouth.  

Tartar can throw off the balance of normal, healthy microbial flora in a dog's mouth. Oratene Brushless Oral Care products break down plaque and biofilm, and specifically target the harmful bacteria and microorganisms in the mouth. They help maintain a healthy oral ecology, and freshen your dog's breath.

Oratene products are especially beneficial for senior pets, pets with special health conditions like Diabetes, and pets who are taking medications for behavior, pain, allergies, heart problems, thyroid dysfunction, or urinary incontinence.  

One of the products in their line of pet dental care products is the Oratene Brushless Oral Care Water Additive.  It's a flavorless concentrate you add to your pet's water each day that provides a safe, healthy way to conveniently keep teeth clean without brushing!

Just add two pumps of Water Additive to 4 cups of water daily.

Dogs' teeth need attention in order to  prevent plaque from hardening and turning into tartar on the teeth.  Although brushing your dog's teeth every day is ideal to ensure good oral hygiene and ward off dental disease, not everyone can commit to that.  And many pets, if they're like my dogs Icy and Phoebe, will not tolerate a toothbrush in their mouth!  Believe me I've tried but it's just not feasible for us.  I use Oratene Brushless Oral Care Water Additive in their water and Oratene Brushless Oral Care Toothpaste Gel to keep my dogs' teeth clean and healthy.  Yes, I said BRUSHLESS!  These videos show you how easy it is to use both the water additive and the toothpaste gel.

Although my dogs don't take medication and don't have "Dry Mouth", they are both 9 years old and have shown signs of deteriorating dental health.  I've been using Oratene water additive and Oratene brushless toothpaste for a year or so and it's been really helpful.  Trying to brush Icy and Phoebe's teeth was just not working, but these products are effective, easy and convenient to use, and my dogs don't mind them at all, which is half the battle! 


Note: According to Oratene, the Water Additive can be used with a pet water fountain however "the filter MUST be taken out or it will remove the active compounds and it will plug up the filter."

HOW DO ORATENE BRUSHLESS ORAL CARE PRODUCTS FOR PETS WORK?

> Oratene brushless pet oral care products contain two patented, natural enzyme systems, the LP3 Enzyme System and the MD2 Enzyme System(Mutanase + Dextranase).  

> These enzymes inhibit harmful odor-causing bacteria and remove plaque biofilm.  The LP3 Enzyme System destroys bacteria and fungal microorganisms while restoring the oral balance in a pet's mouth.  The MD2 Enzyme System makes plaque water soluble and unable to bind to the teeth.

> Oratene oral care products do NOT contain CHLORHEXIDINE, XYLITOL, ALCOHOL, OR CHLORINE COMPOUNDS, so it's safe for dogs and cats to use daily!

*** Never use Human toothpaste on your dog or cat, it contains ingredients that are toxic to pets! ***

Symptoms to watch out for that could indicate poor dental hygiene in dogs:

⇨ Broken or loose teeth
⇨ Teeth that are discolored or covered in tartar
⇨ Abnormal chewing
⇨ Excessive drooling
⇨ Dropping their food, appearing hungry but will not eat
⇨ Pain or bleeding from the mouth
⇨ Swelling around the mouth

Oratene Oral Care Water Additive and brushless toothpaste for dogs & cats!

Contest open to US and Canada residents

FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL PET DENTAL HEALTH MONTH! 

We should always keep our pets dental health top of mind but National Pet Dental Health Month, Sponsored by the AVMA, helps raise awareness of the significance of oral healthcare for pets.

VISIT ZYMOX ON SOCIAL MEDIA & LEARN MORE ABOUT PET DENTAL CARE AND ORATENE PRODUCTS!

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You may also want to try Zymox Itch Relief Shampoo & Conditioning Rinse to calm and sooth itchy skin. 

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ADDING PUMPKIN TO YOUR DOG'S DIET

I've been adding healthy pumpkin to my dogs' diets for years. Not only do my dogs love the taste of pumpkin, but pumpkin is super healthy for dogs! The health benefits of adding pumpkin to your dog's diet is well worth the tiny bit of extra effort at mealtime.

As soon as pumpkins become available in my area, I buy a few both for Halloween decorations and to cook for my dogs so I can add some fresh, healthy pumpkin to their diet.  I boil chunks of pumpkin and add some of the pure, fresh pumpkin to my dogs food each day.  I like to use it in making pumpkin flavored dog treats as well. There are a million different ways you can make homemade dog treats that include pumpkin.  Add a touch of cinnamon to your pumpkin dog treats for the full effect of Fall flavor!

🎃 Don’t use a carved pumpkin that’s been sitting outside for weeks to feed to your pet.  A carved Halloween pumpkin may have picked up bacteria and fungi while sitting outside with it’s inside exposed to the elements. 🎃

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My dog with a Pumpkin decoration. Health Benefits of Adding Pumpkin To a Dog's Diet 

MY DOG"S HAUNTED HALLOWEEN

Up until 2019, we lived in Huntington New York, a Long Island town that was settled back in the 1600's.  Despite massive development over the years, there are lots of old historic places in and around Huntington township.  

Along with historic places that were settled centuries ago, comes a plethora of tales about hauntings by those who committed dastardly deeds, or those against whom the deeds were committed long ago.  Huntington is no exception, it certainly has it's share of spooky stories and haunted places.  Grab a hot beverage and pull the covers up tight as I tell you about three such places right here in our hometown.

Fun Fact: Each year on Halloween, Huntington unofficially changes it's name to "Hauntington" !  The idea came from the mind of a 7 year old girl.  She loves the spirit of Halloween in Huntington so much, she asked town officials to change the town's name to Hauntington.  So on October 31st - Ipitty Bippity Bop! - Huntington transforms into Hauntington.   Now that's the spirit of Halloween!

The historic cemetery in Huntington NY, Old Burying Hill Cemetery, is at the Eastern edge of town.  The earliest grave marker is from 1712.

THE HAUNTED CHATEAU AT COINDRE HALL

Coindre Hall is a massive estate built in a French medieval castle style by George McKeeson, a wealthy pharmaceutical entrepreneur in 1912.  George and his wife Pearl shared many happy years on their lavish estate. During WWI they raised their Niece at Coindre Hall after her parents died during the sinking of the Titanic. 

Like so many of the super wealthy of that era, the stock market crash of 1929 and subsequent massive tax hikes for the wealthy, meant the McKeeson's could no longer afford to keep up the estate. The county eventually took ownership of it and it is now a public space that is often rented out for events such as weddings. 

The Chateau at Coindre Hall, Huntington NY

We often take Icy to Coindre Hall because the back part of the estate, an expansive steep hill that leads all the way down to Huntington Bay, is dog friendly.   We've enjoyed many hours with Icy playing on the lawn and in the bay at Coindre Hall, never realizing that spectral sightings were common there!  

I only recently found out that there is an underground tunnel that leads all the way from the Chateau down to the bay, where the McKeeson's boat house once stood.    Mr. McKeeson didn't want to walk outside in the cold to get to his boat so he had a tunnel constructed.  During Prohibition, the tunnel served as a way to smuggle alcohol from boats up to the house.  I had no idea Icy was romping along grass that covered a hidden tunnel!

Icy, standing on a large tree stump to get a better look at the side of the chateau

For years, the staff and guests have reported seeing ghostly apparitions in the 40 room 30,000 square foot Chateau, and on the grounds of the estate.  These spectral visitors have been spotted mostly during evening events and are usually dressed in 1930's era clothing.  One ghost is reported to look and dress like a gangster or bootlegger from the 1930's. Other spirits look like party guests from the period. Not surprising, as George and Pearl were known for the lavish parties they threw!

Rear view of the chateau at Coindre Hall, Huntington NY

Fun Fact: John and I had looked at having our wedding at Coindre Hall but decided against it due to cost and logistics of the venue.  Too bad, we might have had some pretty interesting, albeit uninvited, guests at our wedding!

THE 1750 DAVID CONKLIN FARMHOUSE MUSEUM

The Conklin House is a historic home built in 1750 by Thomas Conklin.  This gable-roofed house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.  The Conklin family lived in the house for over 150 years.  It contains historical artifacts and is decorated in historical fashion.  It is owned by the Huntington Historical Society and is open for tours a couple of days per week (call for days/times). It's also available for small events in the barn on the property.

The historic David Conklin House, Huntington NY is supposedly haunted

In 1777 David Conklin was captured by the British and held prisoner.   He was accused of assisting the rebels during the Revolutionary War.

The David Conklin House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985

It's been said that ancestors of the Conklin family have haunted the home for years. Volunteers in the historic house have reported feeling someone or something touching or standing behind them when in fact no one was there.  

Beautiful detail on the back windows of the Conklin House

Some have reported strange noises and footsteps for which they can find no explanation.  One of the previous owners claimed that she continually had the feeling she was being watched and followed.

Fun Fact: I once worked with a guy who is actually related to the Conklin family!  He lived in another state but knew all about the historical Conklin house here in Huntington.

FIORELLO DOLCE PATISSERIE

Right in Huntington village there's a wonderful patisserie and bakery that is believed to be haunted.  It is situated on what was the site of row housing for the poor and is said to be haunted by the spirits of some of those individuals.  One such spectral visitor is a teenager named Eddie that supposedly met a harrowing demise during a drug deal during his lifetime. Staff at the bakery have also reported oven doors opening by themselves and an iPad that turns itself on and starts playing music!

Everything is so tempting at Fiorello bakery in Huntington, NY

I've never seen or felt any weird presence in the bakery.  Icy and Phoebe didn't seem to sense anything weird either, but I did find lots of delicious goodies to feed my sugar addiction.  Maybe the spirits come back just to get a whiff of their delicious cookies and pastries baking in the oven, I know I would!

...The Woods are lovely, dark and deep 

But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep

- excerpted from the poem "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening", by Robert Frost

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, GOUL-FRIENDS!!

If you enjoyed this post, you'll love reading about our trip to Salem Massachusetts: A Spooky Dog Friendly Halloween, and our trip with the dogs to Spirited Colonial Williamsburg: A Perfectly Spooky Halloween!   

Have you visited any haunted sites in your town?  Do tell by leaving us a comment!  We eat up comments like Candy Corn!

FLASHBACK! to my favorite costume of Icy's, the Headless Horseman!

WALK YOUR WAY TO BETTER HEALTH WITH YOUR PET

For many years, I've been a believer that pets contribute greatly to the overall health and well being of humans.  Pets and the Human-Animal Bond benefit people in so many ways!

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Walking my way to better health with my dogs, Icy and Phoebe during Pet Partners' World's Largest Pet Walk event.

A scientific statement by the American Heart Association assessed the influence of pet ownership (mainly dog or cat) on the presence and reduction of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk factors.  

Among other things, the American Heart Assoc. statement included that:

> Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.  Despite efforts promoting primary and secondary CVD prevention, obesity and physical inactivity remain at epidemic proportions.

> More than 60% of American adults are overweight or obese, and more than 50% don't perform recommended levels of physical activity.

> Pets, especially dogs, can provide increased physical activity.

Studies have shown that dog owners engage in more walking and other physical activity, and are more likely to achieve recommended levels of physical activity than non dog owners.  

Even better, people are lacing up their walking shoes for other pets too!  I see cats in walking harnesses walking towards better health with their people.  I also see dogs, cats and other pets riding in strollers, taking in the sights and sniffs as they help their people get more exercise by walking, running, and biking.

Walking provides health benefits for both pets and their people!

I participate in the Pet Partners World's Largest Pet Walk, an annual event that celebrates the health benefits of walking with pets.  It's a simple event to join.  People from around the world pledge to walk with their pets, starting at a synchronized date and time and ending whenever each participant feels comfortable.  

It doesn't cost anything to join and you can walk anywhere you like!  Invite anyone with or without a pet to join you.  It's a simple way to raise awareness of the health benefits of walking with our pets. Easy-Peasy!  The next Pet Partners walk is on September 25, 2021. Sign up and mark your calendars for the Worlds Largest Pet Walk .  Icy and I are a Pet Partners Therapy Dog team and we can't wait to resume our visits following the COVID19 Pandemic.

Walking is great for both human and pet health!  In people, it can improve cardiovascular fitness and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.  Walking is also attributed to stronger bones and muscle strength. 

My parents lived in New York City for much of their lives.  Walking is a way of life in NYC. Keeping a car in such a crowded city is a hassle so most people don't have a car, they walk everywhere.  When my parents moved to the suburbs, they actively looked for opportunities to walk more.  They went for long walks in all the local parks and beaches, took evening strolls in the neighborhood, and often opted to walk to stores instead of driving.  

Although my parents were 5 years apart in age, they both lived to be 94.  I'm sure their lifelong habit of walking, as well as their love of fresh fruit and salads, helped them get to 94.  I am so blessed to have had my parents in my life for so long.  I'm sure you want the same for your family!

Other benefits pets can provide to people are:

🐶 Pets can help lower your blood pressure.

🐾 Pets can help reduce stress and anxiety, which can actually help reduce pain!

🐶 Pets make us feel good, prompting the release of the "feel good" hormones Dopamine, Serotonin, and Endorphins.

🐾 It's been documented that pet owners have higher one-year survival rates following heart attacks.

🐾 Studies in Austria and Germany have linked healthcare savings to pet ownership, reducing the number of  doctor visits needed.

Sources: Dr. Marty Becker, Pet Partners, and HABRI (Human Animal Bond Research Institute)

Our pets give us so much.  In addition to contributing to our health and well being, they give us the one thing only a pet can give - Unconditional Love!  Be thankful for the pets in your life. I know I am, my dogs are my greatest joy!

My UNCONDITIONAL LOVE of pets sweatshirt hoodie is perfect for walking your dog in style.  The design was created by Brooklyn artist MendyDraws, exclusively for Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them.  Can you tell Icy was the inspiration behind this design?

You can find this sweatshirt, and other products bearing our Unconditional Love design in my online store

Sweatshirts, Phone Cases, Mugs, Tote Bags, Leggings, and T-Shirts.

We'd love to hear how you stay active with your pet. Leave us a comment and share!

Scottish Dogs Steal the Show at the Scottish Festival and Highland Games

The Long Island Scottish Festival and Highland Games event has been going on for decades.  Despite being born and raised on Long Island, New York I had never been to this popular festival.  I had heard a lot about it and I've wanted to go for quite some time, so when my cousin called and said Let's Go to the Scottish Festival! I was on board!

The Scottish Festival celebrates and preserves Scottish Heritage by educating people about the cultural history of Scotland. I was looking forward to all the vendors with unique Scottish merchandise, sampling some interesting Scottish food, and watching the fun demonstration of Highland games and dancing.  What I was most looking forward to though, is seeing some Scottish Dogs!  You knew there had to be a dog angle, right?

Guenevere "Gwenie", my cousin's adorable Scottie was none too pleased that we went to a Scottish Festival without her.  You're not taking ME along? Really!? I hope you get sick on Birdie Pie, Humpf!!

DOGS OF SCOTLAND, LET'S GET TO IT ALREADY!

The Scottish Festival wasn't a dog event, in fact it wasn't even a dog friendly event!  No dogs were permitted other than a few dog rescues, Scottish dog aficionados wanting to educate people about their dog's breed, and Scottish dog breeders that had booths set up there.  But there were plenty of adorable, sweet Scottish dogs to pet and love on! 

I was a little disappointed that there weren't more rescue dogs and dog rescue groups represented at the festival, but it was interesting to learn about the dogs of Scotland.  I was especially interested in the Scottish Deerhound, which I was only a little familiar with.  When I first saw this beautiful dog I assumed she was an Irish Wolfhound, the tallest breed of dog, but I was wrong.  Scottish Deerhounds and Irish Wolfhounds look so much alike - to me, anyway! 

I mistook this sweet Scottish Deerhound for an Irish Wolfhound - My Bad!

The Scottish Deerhound is a pretty big dog, but they're considerably smaller than their Irish Wolfhound cousins.  This beautiful girl was so large I just assumed she was an Irish Wolfhound - sorry sweetie, my mistake!   You know what happens when you assume, don't you? You make an ASS of U and ME,  LOL!!   In this Modern Dog magazine article, you can read more about the differences between the Scottish Deerhound and the Irish Wolfhound .

I was thrilled to see a number of Scottish Terriers at the festival. These Scotties were so adorable, and super friendly!  

This adorable Scottie loved greeting the children who came by to say Hi. Look at him smiling at his adoring fans! Kids' faces obscured for privacy purposes

I love black Scotties! In fact that's what I wanted when John and I finally decided to get a dog - actually, I had decided long before but it took some work to Convince my husband to get a dog!  We ended up with our Siberian Husky, Icy, instead!  A Scottie and a Husky couldn't be more different, but as most of you probably know, I wouldn't have it any other way.  Icy brings us so much joy.  I still hope to have a jet black Scottie one day.....

How handsome is this Scottie dude?!

I was happy to see a Shetland Sheepdog rescue group with some really sweet Shelties at the festival.  Among them was this absolutely adorable Dog. This Sheltie was so popular and friendly, I could barely get near him! I loved his unique coloring and amazing temperament, especially with the children.

This beautiful Sheltie was there with the Long Island Shetland Sheepdog Rescue group.  If you want to Adopt a Sheltie or Foster a Sheltie, they might be a potential resource for you if you live in the vicinity of the Northeast.

Sheltland Sheepdog Rescue Group on Long Island NY

Other great Scottish dogs we had the pleasure of meeting at the festival were West Highland White Terriers (Westies), a beautiful Sky Terrier, and a sweet little Dandie Dinmont.  

Beautiful dogs! Skye Terrier (L),  Dandie Dimnont (Upper Rt), and a Westie (Lower Rt)

It was so nice to meet these dog breeds of Scotland, I loved it!  

After I got my Scottish doggie fix, I was delighted to see that there were some interesting birds of prey at the festival too!  

BIRDS OF PREY MAKE AN APPEARANCE AT THE SCOTTISH FESTIVAL

All birds of prey are beautiful and fascinating.  One of my favorite birds in general are Owls.  I can't recall if my owl fascination increased following Harry Potter and his stunning Snowy Owl, Hedwig, or if I've always been this enthralled with Owls.  There wasn't a Snowy Owl at the festival, but there was an adorable little Barn Owl and a gorgeous amber colored Eurasian Owl.  

Beautiful birds of prey were at the Scottish Festival

In addition to Owls there were Hawks, Kestrels, and a majestic Bald Eagle, which is the national bird of the United States. The Falconer shared some interesting facts about each of the birds. 

Check out the giant talons on this Bald Eagle!  These birds can weigh up to 12 lbs and can lift and carry up to 5 lbs.  But don't panic dog moms! Although they'll eat small mammals, a Bald Eagle's primary diet is fish.  

Closeup of a Bald Eagle's talons

Red Tailed Hawks and Great Horned Owls, however, have been known to attack cats and dogs weighing well over 6 lbs.  Both of these predators are common on Long Island, so needless to say I keep a close eye on little Phoebe.

I wasn't that clear on the connection between these birds and Scottish culture, but I do know that Kestrels and Golden Eagles can be found in Scotland.  Oh well, it's a festival and these wild creatures were beautiful to behold!  Most of the birds they had on display were rescued birds, but not all of them.

I hope you enjoyed hearing about our day at the Scottish Festival and all the sweet dogs and beautiful birds we saw there.  Please leave us a comment and let us know if you enjoyed this post.  We always love hearing your thoughts!


Here's a fun Flashback photo of Icy when she was less than a year old.  Look how big her ears were LOL!  As she got older, she lost the beautiful markings around her eyes which looked like a mask.  I always thought they made her look a bit mean, but of course she's the sweetest girl!  I'm jumping on the Flashback Friday blog hop with this photo of Icy:

Icy as a puppy.  Look how giant her ears are LOL!

JOIN US ON THE FLASHBACK FRIDAY BLOG HOP, HOSTED BY DOROTHY WILLS-RAFTERY OF FIVE SIBES!!

WHY MY CAT SUDDENLY STARTED PEEING OUTSIDE THE LITTER BOX

Cats peeing outside the litter box seems to be a common issue among cat owners.  As I was reading a fellow blogger's post on reasons why a cat may be toileting outside the litter box, I was reminded of my cat Maggie - and the one and only time her litter box skills experienced an Epic Fail.

John and I had just gotten engaged and we were elated!  It was something we'd been talking about for at least a year, and we had finally sealed the deal.  Everyone was happy for us, and excited for our upcoming wedding the following year!

LOVE ME, LOVE MY CAT/DOG/RABBIT AND ANY OTHER PETS, RIGHT?

Shortly after meeting John, I had been so happy - and a little bit relieved, to be honest - when I learned that not only did he love cats, but he quickly fell for my beautiful sweet Calico cat Maggie.    

And Maggie loved him right back!  Or did she??  On the surface, she seemed to adore John.  She loved when he pet her, she rubbed against his legs, and snuggled with him on the couch.  She sometimes even napped on top of his tummy!

Tell me this isn't the body language of a cat who loves the owner upon whose tummy she naps peacefully?!

Maggie and I owned the home we lived in while John had been renting his, so it made perfect sense for him to move into our home.  Much of his "guy stuff" had to be moved into the basement because there wasn't enough room to accommodate our combined stuff.  OK, so part of the reason was that some of his guy stuff was just plain UGLY!  Ladies, you know what I'm talkin' about, don't you?

The move went smoothly and we happily settled into our new daily routine.  Nothing was amiss, until John went down to the basement one day to retrieve one of his ugly guy possessions ... and discovered that sweet little Maggie had apparently been peeing and pooping all over his stuff!   Anything that wasn't secured in a plastic container was ruined - YIKES!  

We could not believe our eyes, or the assault on our noses!  Maggie had never soiled outside the litter box before, how could she have done such a thing?! Was Maggie just a two faced feline pretending to love John while deep down resenting his intrusion on our previously perfect little world of two?  Or, was there a logical explanation for her pissy  hissy fit of suddenly urinating and defecating outside her litter box?  Was she trying to TELL us something?

If your cat is suddenly urinating and defecating outside the litter box, there's usually a reason!

Hmmm.  We thought about what might have prompted this bad kitty behavior, and the reason soon became clear.  Prior to John's ugly guy stuff invading a large corner of the basement, that space had belonged to Maggie alone.  It was her own little Fiefdom, her Cat Cave.  Her litter box was down there, along with some toys and a cozy bed.  She loved to creep up inside the rafters of the basement ceiling - I never did understand how the heck she managed to get up there - hiding and observing my laundry and crafting activities from her ceiling perch.

When the ugly guy stuff arrived it must have really cramped her style and stuck in her claw!  So she protested in the only way she knew how - by urinating and pooping all over the offending items!

Fortunately, my husband has a heart of gold and a soft spot for cats.  He didn't get angry or lash out at her (or me!), he simply dealt with it and we moved on having learned a valuable lesson!  You don't mess with the Cat's Crib.

COMMON REASONS CATS PEE OUTSIDE THE LITTER BOX

MEDICAL ISSUE: A trip to the Vet can identify, or rule out, a UTI or other medical problem.

UNAPPEALING LITTER BOX: You've gotten a New litter box and she doesn't like it, her litter box isn't Clean enough, or you Moved the box to a location your cat doesn't like.

EMOTIONAL OR BEHAVIORAL ISSUE: Something is upsetting, stressing, or frightening your cat for some reason. It could be furniture being moved or changed, something outside a nearby window such as a scary animal, or as we found out the hard way, someone has moved Ugly Guy Stuff into their coveted space!

So if your cat starts to urinate and defecate outside the litter box don't get mad, do some detective work and Find Out Why it's happening!

Have you ever had to deal with the issue of cats toileting outside their litter box?  How did you handle it?  Tell us about it in the Comments!  We always appreciate hearing your thoughts & feedback.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like:

Have you been longing to add a feline to your family but won't because you're allergic to cats?  How I got Relief From Cat Allergies and Kept My Cats!

I got Maggie as a 9 week old kitten. While I was waiting for her to be ready for adoption I "accidentally" adopted another cat!  How my Accidental Pet Adoption turned out to be a joy and a blessing!

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HAVING CATS WHEN YOU HAVE ALLERGIES

Ever since I was a kid I've loved animals, especially cats and dogs.  Sadly, I found out early on that I'm allergic to cats, but it didn't stopped me from having them!  

When I was growing up in New York, my 3 Uncle's had a deli in the city.  They often had kittens in the back of the store.  Spaying and neutering wasn't a big thing back then and the Uncles didn't mind taking in stray cats.  My Uncles would give the cats scraps of deli meat, a saucer of milk, and one of their many food delivery boxes with a blanket to sleep in.  

Needless to say, this made for excellent lodgings for a kitty that found herself Pregnant In The City!  I'm pretty sure there was a secret network for wayward cats who were in the family way that led them straight to my Uncle's store!

Pregnant Cats In The City somehow managed to make their way to the NY City deli owned by my Uncles!

CAT ALLERGIES BE DARNED

When we visited my grandmother's house, I couldn't wait to stop by the deli, which was around the corner.  Not because I wanted the candy or chips they sold there, or because I wanted a bologna sandwich, but because I was always hopeful there would be kittens in the back! 

After hugging the Uncles the first words out of my mouth were always "Are there any kittens today?"  Many times I was not disappointed.  I would run to the back of the store to find the latest litter of kitties and plop myself down to play with them.  They were largely stray kittens but I was always able pick them up and play with them.  Invariably, I'd leave the deli with bright red, watery itchy eyes.  I didn't care, I was going to play with the kittens anyway and there was nothing anyone could do to stop me!

Back home on Long Island, stray cats often made their way into our yard.  When they did, we set out the welcome mat.  They had food, water, and blankets in a cardboard box to sleep in.  My cat allergies were always present, but again I didn't care.  I wanted to handle the cats and play with them.  I loved them all!

Adorable stray kitten from a litter of cats that ended up at my sister's house.

When I was finally old enough to get a place of my own, one of the first things I did was look for a kitten to adopt!  I unexpectedly ended up with two cats in a one bedroom apartment, wreaking havoc on my allergies.  You can read about my Accidental Pet Adoption here.  It got so bad that I had trouble breathing and ended up with asthma.

I finally had to see a doctor, and in questioning me he realized the cause of my asthma was living in a small apartment with 2 cats.  He strongly urged me to give my cats away.  No Way!!  I told him I already loved both cats to pieces and there was no way in hell I was giving up my feline furbabies.  He shook his head and told me I could end up with asthma for the rest of my life.  "So be it!" I said.  I just had to keep my cats,  Mousey and Maggie, so I  began to research ways to help diminish my pet allergy symptoms.  

HOW I REDUCED MY CAT ALLERGY SYMPTOMS 

Here are the things I did to reduce my allergic symptoms:

🐈 The cats could no longer sleep in my bedroom, it was my "cat free zone"

🐈  I wiped the cats down with wet paper towels daily; sometimes twice a day

🐈  I vacuumed every single day and followed up with a wet mop to keep the dander down. Thankfully I had hardwood floors and not carpeting which helps a lot.

🐈  I dusted every few days using wet cleaning cloths instead of a dry cloth to keep dander and fur down.

🐈 I washed my cats' bedding frequently and kept the litter box super clean.

Following the above steps helped a lot but it wasn't quite enough.  I still suffered with frequent asthmatic symptoms due to pet allergies for several years, but I didn't care, as long as I had my cats.  When Maggie was the only cat left in the considerably larger house I lived in by then, my symptoms lessened a lot.  It was still difficult but quite manageable.  

MORE WAYS TO REDUCE PET ALLERGY SYMPTOMS: 

If I had known about it, there were other things I could have done to help reduce my allergy symptoms to cats as well:

🐈  I should have gotten a clean air machine with a HEPA filter! They weren't as common back then and I didn't know much about them.

🐈  I could have gotten a removable couch cover which can be removed and washed.  If I had drapes I would have washed them regularly. 

🐈  A few companies make pet allergy sprays that act as allergen blockers, although I'm not sure how well they work.  Have you used pet allergen blockers?  If so, did it help?

🐈  Allergy shots and prescription oral allergy medications.  I didn't want to consider allergy shots, I hate needles! But that probably could have helped a lot as well.

I was allergic to my cats Maggie and Mousey, but I didn't care!

After all that, was having cats worth going through asthma symptoms and constant daily cleaning?  YOU BET IT WAS!!  The love of a cat is not to be underestimated and I would do it all over again.  I have two dogs now but I look forward to getting another cat in the near future.  Thankfully, I'm not allergic to dogs, just cats!

NOTE:  I'm not a doctor or Veterinarian, I'm just sharing how I handled my allergy to cats. If you're allergic to cats but you really want a cat, you may want to check with your doctor first.

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY this post: Stray Cats In The Hood?  TNR 'em!

Do you have pet allergies? If so, how have you handled them?  Please leave a comment and tell us about it.  We love when you howl back at us!!