By Larry | Allie Katz | Comments are Closed | 31 March, 2023 | 0
Before ever walking into a shelter to adopt a pet there is one thing that should be (but seldom ever is) considered, and that is the fact that you are about to adopt a new member of the family every bit as much as if you were adopting a human kid! That means dealing with needs, both physical and emotional, natural behavioral traits and personality. The only advantage is that you won’t have to scrimp, save and sacrifice in order to send them to college! With summer vacations on the horizon, let’s talk about separation anxiety that can arise in our furry companions.
I’m going to focus on cats since dogs can be boarded and walked daily and (unlike most cats) will forgive you for plunking them into a cage while you’re gone.
Say you’re only going to be gone for a couple of days. So how can you avoid coming home to furniture that wasn’t “shag” or “splintered” when you left? Leaving your cat with toys suitable for solo play is a good idea. Providing scratching posts in various places around the house can also be the perfect outlet for Miss Kitty’s feeling of frustration. If Miss Kitty is a six-month-old or younger kitten, she will probably survive being alone during a workday, but it’s not advisable to leave her alone for 12 hours or more. If you have other pets and they are friendly, they will likely keep each other entertained. The key word here is “friendly.”
Leaving your cat’s food and water out for prolonged periods is dangerous. Wet food left out for more than four hours at room temperature can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, not to mention a banquet for gnats, ants, roaches, palmetto bugs, etc. Warning: people have been known to succumb to an infestation of “Etc.’s!” Although it is safer, dry food left out for long periods can become unpalatable.
While cats can survive for three days or more without water, it’s even worse to let them drink stagnant water. So, dear hearts, what’s cheaper . . . a little bit of water and your time or a vet bill? It is not uncommon to see cats drink from outdoor puddles as they are sensitive to the chlorine in tap water. I recommend using a pet water fountain that uses a charcoal filter. Filtered water also eliminates the chlorine problem. The fountain should be emptied, cleaned and the filter contents changed at least once a month. Or you can simply give them fresh water every day. Chlorine is lighter than air and will eventually evaporate, but it takes a while. One way to speed up the process is to purchase an inexpensive chlorine filter that fits over the end of your faucet.
Keep plants out of reach and ensure that plants and flowers in your house are not poisonous to cats. Be aware that anything in the lily family is toxic to cats. And remember, you don’t have a place in your home high enough that your cat can’t jump to get to it. Kitty parents experience different types of problems with their cats and houseplants. Some felines just like to chew on or play with the leaves, but some have been known to eat the plant or use a plant pot as a litter box, which isn’t the ideal fertilizer for the plant either.
If your cat shows signs of behavioral issues, you may be obliged to hire a professional pet sitter. The alternative is to have a family friend come by every day or so to check in on and play with Furball, being sure this friend proudly displays the battle scars of a cat lover/owner!
