How to Dog-Proof a Cat Litterbox

How do you keep your dog out of the kitty’s litter box? This is a great question. But I have some solutions for you that I hope will help. It is disgusting how much some dogs like feces. First you have to ask, why in the world do they like it so much? Well, for one they love the smell and taste of it. The food that we feed our cats has mostly meat in it; the food that we feed our dogs is made mostly of cornmeal and by products. So the dogs really love the smell and taste of cat feces. I decided to ask my veterinarian about this problem and she said that they really are not sure what causes dogs to engage in this behavior but given the chance dogs will eat a variety of feces. In others words there is no known reason, we can only guess as to why they participate in such disgusting behavior. Some people suggest that dogs may be bored, anxious or just plain hungry. However, this behavior has been witnessed in dogs that are well fed so I don’t think that hunger is the issue.

First we must outsmart the dog (this can be harder than you think!) I know that when my dog wants something bad enough he works hard to get it. Below is a list of ideas to help you out.

1. Keep the litter box out of the dog’s reach by putting it up high so the dog can’t reach it.

2. Put the litter box in a room (bathroom, laundry room) that you can put up a baby gate the cat can jump over but the dog can’t get to it.

3. Put the litter box in a room that you can install a small cat door, one that the dog cannot get through.

4. Clean the litter box as soon as the cat uses it. (This is virtually impossible! We are all too busy to stand around and watch the cat.)

5. Trick your dogs sense of smell, sprinkle the cats food with meat tenderizer, this changes the smell of their feces and makes the smell undesirable to dogs.

The point here is to place the litter box in an area that the dog can’t get to. Sometimes dogs eat feces for medical reasons so it is always wise to have the vet give your dog a health check. For the most part it is normal for dogs to eat feces of just about any kind. Mother dogs will eat the feces of their young for cleanliness reasons. It can be challenging to have a dog and cat in the same house but it can be done with some understanding as to why they do what they do and how to prevent it. Good luck!

Velzipmur aka Shelly Wyatt

Dogs and cats do not have to be natural enemies; they can in fact become good friends. How can we help these two animals to become, at least, tolerant of one another? Here are several tips that I have found to be quite helpful.

• If you are bringing them together as a puppy and a kitten, they will not have had a bad experience with one another and they can be nurtured to get along with one another. However, the puppy’s play may be more vigorous and rough, so it is important that it be monitored.
• Try to make the right match between the two, select a cat that is not fearful of dogs rather, just curious and the same with the dog. There are some dogs that should never live with a cat such as a terrier, hound, and herding dogs. Their instincts are to catch them, shake and kill this is a great danger to the cat.
• Introduce them slowly and supervised. They should become well aware of one another.
• They should meet in a restrained environment. This means that your dog should be leashed when they are introduced and place the cat in a small carrier.
• Always make sure that your cat has a place that they feel safe and can escape the dog if necessary.
• You can take something with the scent of each of them and rub it on the other to get them acclimated to each other scents. That is how animals get to know each other, through scent.
• Your cat should be allowed litter privacy; this will also help to ensure that your dog will not be eating the litter.
• Be sure to keep your cat’s claws trimmed, as they can injure your dog. I do not recommend that you have the cat declawed because this will make them feel defenseless against the dog.
• Each pet should be able to eat without the interruption of the other, so make sure you give them each a separate dining area.
• In the end, you can hope that they will become friends, but you should be willing to accept they may remain just acquaintances that tolerate one another.