Should You Bring Your Cat to College?

Increasing numbers of universities are allowing students to bring pets to school with them. But should those policies include cats? Every situation is different, as is every cat, but generally speaking, I’m against temporarily transplanting a cat unless it's absolutely necessary.

Cats are very territory-centric. They are more comforted by their own territory and their own scents than they are even by those of us who feed, pamper and adore them. Relocating a cat isn't a trivial change for them. In fact, it can be quite distressing. It can take a cat a very long time to adjust to such a move. That's a big deal because it will happen again and again whenever there’s a break from school. I see no need to put a cat through all of that stress if you don't have to.

Cats also prefer being on a regular schedule. What happens when you go on a rafting trip one weekend, and a football trip the next and back home the next? What about when you audition for a play or end up in the computer lab every night before a big project is due? Who will care for your cat during those times, and will they be well cared for? No offense, but college students aren't always the most reliable people. They have a lot on their minds. A cat needs to be a priority, not an afterthought.

There are also some unique dangers associated with campus life. I won't be too graphic, but where there are drunken frat boys, there are potential dangers to everyone. Your cat may not have as much fun being there for you as you think they will.

One thing you should definitely do is to leave things with your scent on them at home whenever you visit. A pair of sweatpants or an old t-shirt left in one of your cat’s prime sleeping spots will comfort them in your absence. Yes, they’ll miss you when you're gone, but they’ll still be happier at home and they’ll thoroughly enjoy your visits, even if they sometimes pretend not to. That's just how cats are. They don't like change, but any cat you’ve bonded with will always be your special friend.

Going off to college is about growing up, and a big part of growing up is learning to put others needs before your own sometimes. Think about what's best for your cat and I think you'll conclude, as I have, that they’ll be better off at home.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

What to do if You Find Abandoned Kittens

The world is filled with cats who haven't been spayed or neutered. Some are feral and others are pets. In both cases, mothers can sometimes go missing just when the kittens need them the most.

It's important that you confirm whether or not the kittens' mother is still around before you relocate her litter. You can interact with them (your scent will not cause the mother to reject them) and tend to them but don't move them if you suspect the mother is still around.

Some rescuers will put the kittens into a box that they can't get out of and then scatter flour around the box. If you leave the box for a few hours and come back to find paw prints in the flour, the mother is probably still tending to her babies. Also note the cleanliness of the kittens. Mother cats take care of cleaning their kittens, so the longer they're away, the dirtier the kittens will be.

If you discover that the mother is still around, your best bet is to try and help her to provide for her little ones. You can make an inexpensive shelter like this one and provide food and water without interfering with the family. Once the kittens have been weaned at 4-6 weeks of age, they can be socialized and adopted. Of course, the sooner the socialization takes place, the better. If the mother is friendly, it may be possible to relocate the family and socialize the kittens even earlier.

If you determine that the kittens have indeed been abandoned, it's time to take action. The first thing the babies will need is warmth. A plastic bottle filled with warm water and wrapped in a towel will do in a pinch.

Newborn kittens need constant care. Most shelters won't take them because they simply don't have the resources needed to turn them into adoptable cats. Even if they do take them in, the kittens will probably be euthanized. If you have the time and resources, please, by all means, do what you can to save the kittens' lives. If not, you'll need to try and locate a local rescue that will care for them and get them there as soon as possible.

If you decide to care for them yourself, there are plenty of good online resources. Caring for newborn kittens is quite an undertaking, so I usually refer people to the best resource I know: THE KITTEN LADY. She's been rescuing kittens for years and has kindly provided a wealth of information about all aspects of newborn care on her web site. All the information you might need is there for the taking, including links to product sources and very specific instructions on kitten care.

Last but not least, please see to it that the kittens and their mother are all spayed or neutered, even if you choose to allow them to remain feral. This includes following up with adopters if the kittens are adopted out before they're old enough to have surgery. 

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

Do Cats Feel Bored Inside All Day?

Cats like routine, but even they can get bored with the same old thing every day, just like us. It really can be a challenge to try and keep a cat active and entertained, especially an older one. The key is enrichment. It helps if you can find creative ways to mix up their environment and give them new things to explore. This can be easier, and cheaper, than it sounds. A new box with holes cut in the side or a paper bag from the market can help. It's not only the new "place" - it's also the new smells that come along with it. Even making a play fort from a blanket over a couple of chairs can change things up enough to make them interesting for them.

When you come home, be sure to let your cat smell your hands if they’re at all interested. The scents left on your hands from your day tell a story and most cats very much enjoy the new scents from the outside world. Think about ways that you can share the smells you bring into your home.

I leave soft music on all day for my cats. I had one who was over-grooming and that stopped when I started playing music. My cats are both very fond of soft harp music like this: https://youtu.be/dCvEgqePl84

I've also had great luck playing live streaming nature cams for cats. Here’s one my cat like to watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/F1Q7iN_RWUs

None of this addresses activity, of course, at least not directly. When cats are more stimulated by their environment, I've found that they become more interested in playing. The way you play can affect their interest as well. The toy should behave like prey and it's better if the toy is moving away from the cat, not toward them. Many cats respond well to the "Da Bird" wand toy, but some don't. Each cat has a bit of pre-programmed preference for a particular kind of prey. If your cat doesn't have the "I want to kill and eat birds" gene, she won't be interested in feathers, but she might like stuffed toys. It takes some trial and error to determine.

If your cat will accept a harness, you could also take them outside for brief exploratory sessions. Cats enjoy exploring and, even though they’ll probably go about it very slowly, they would be likely to enjoy it.

As to adopting a new cat friend, it usually doesn't work well for cats above the age of four. I won't say it never works out, but it's risky. Older cats rarely take to new housemates.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

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Should I Train My Cat to Use the Toilet?

There are lots of litter boxes on the market today, all of which are vying for the attention of cat lovers. However, when choosing a litter box, it's much more important to get the approval of the cat. Litter boxes with hoods and motors and tumblers may seem super cool to us humans, but they aren't always welcomed by our feline friends. And then there's the toilet.

It sounds like a great idea, doesn't it? Your cat could just perch up on the toilet seat, do their business, and be on their way without all the muss and fuss of keeping up a litter box! No sweeping up or vacuuming. No more lugging 25-pound boxes of litter home from the store. No more foul odors. It sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? That's because it is.

While it is possible to teach a cat to use the toilet, it's not such a good idea for them in the long run. It introduces stress to an activity that's ingrained in your cat's biology. Over thousands of years, cats learned to cover their waste to keep from being detected by predators and prey. When this is forcibly changed, a large number of behavior issues can be the result. It's just not worth it for you or for your cat.

These are the key reasons not to toilet train a cat:

1. It goes against a cat's instinct to dig and bury their waste.

2. Litter box odors reinforce a cat's claim over their territory.

3. As the cat ages, they may no longer be able to nimbly perch atop the toilet seat and they might fall in.

4. When they’re boarded or kept in veterinary care, a litter box will be the only option.

5. You can't relocate a toilet. The location of your cat’s litter box is critical to their elimination behaviors.

6. If you have more than one cat, you should have one more litter box than the total number of cats. That doesn't really work with toilets.

7. It makes it impossible for you to monitor urine output. Changes in urine output are key indicators to medical conditions like bladder stones and urinary tract infections.

So, while it seems like a great idea from the point of view of us humans, toilet training a cat will probably cause them some stress. It's better to focus on giving them positive reinforcement that increases your bond.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

How to Redirect Chewing Behaviors in Cats

Most cats love to rub their faces on the edges of things to deposit their scent there. It's very satisfying for them to do so. But what if that rubbing becomes chewing?

The items that cats choose to rub on depends greatly on what items are available to them. Things that stick out are prime choices because they're easy to access and the ends rub the cat’s face in just the right way to satisfy them.

It's a short step to go from rubbing on something to chewing on it. You can redirect a cat’s rubbing and chewing toward something they’ll like even better. Many cats respond to the prickly surfaces on self-grooming toys. Most of these are arches or surfaces with bristles or pegs for rubbing against.

To get a cat to transition, you might want to put these toys close to spots where they used to rub other things. Cats are creatures of habit, so it may take a little bit of time to get them to move to the new groomers, but once they try them, they’ll probably like them even better. Just observe them and make sure they aren’t chewing bits off the groomers. The nubs are usually short enough that this isn't an issue but with a particularly chewy cat, it's a possibility.

You'll also want to discourage your cat from using the old items, so just rub a little bit of lemon juice on them. Cats generally hate citrus, and one whiff should send them running to their new toy instead. It also has the advantage of not having anything but natural ingredients. Never use a citrus cleaner or air freshener for this purpose as they often contain things that could actually kill cats. Just use plain old lemon juice.

Given enough time, you should be able to redirect this unwanted behavior. Just be patient with her and you should see results. 

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior with over six years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

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