• Baby gates can keep dogs in or out, as the need may be, but cats can jump over them to get to their litter box.
  • To prevent kitty from unrolling the toilet tissue, have the paper exit from the back.
  • If you are teaching your cat to stay off of the table while you are eating, try pulling a chair up to the table just for the cat.
  • You can recycle the bags the newspaper comes in by using it for the throw away kitty litter.
  • Real lemon makes a good deterrent for dangerous plants. Mix with water and spray on plants. If you do it often they will lose interest in the plants.
  • If you must cage a cat because of illness or because it is recuperating be sure to use a large enough cage. To keep the cat from accidentally spilling the litter box, use a small litter box or dishpan and drill a hole at each end at the top edge. Place a hook, such as a shower curtain hook or bunge cord, at each end and around the bars.
  • If you have both cats and mice and choose to use poison {for the mice, of course}, you can put the mouse bait boxes in a little larger box and tape it shut. If the cats get in the closet, crawl space or cabinets they will not be exposed directly to the bait box. There are also mouse cubes which will live catch your mice.
  • When bathing or medicating a cat, it is helpful to place them on a mat or towel so that they have something to dig their claws in besides your flesh.
  • Many cats like to play with plastic bags. Tie the handles together with several knots so that they can't get their head caught in the handles.
  • Either open pet food sacks with a very small corner or open them fully so that a dog or cat head can't get caught in the opening.
  • To prevent dogs from getting in the litterbox, purchase a large Sterilite bin to use in place of the litterbox. The cat is able to have a roomier literbox and the box is tall enough to prevent most dogs from getting in.
  • Safe collars can be made for cats with bracelet elastic and using light weight wooden or plastic beads. You can add an identification tag.
  • You can separate cats and dogs with a baby gate. The cats can jump over but the dogs can't enter the cat area and eat the food or litter.
  • The rings that are on half gallon jugs make neat toys for cats. Place several of them on a metal shower curtain hook.
  • Spray a thin layer of non-stick cooking spray on the bottom of a clean litter box and cleaning will be a snap!
  • Car ice window scrapers make an attractive and useful tool for scraping up litter stuck on the bottom of the litter box.
  • When working with knots in a cats fur, a teasing comb is helpful. They have slotted teeth on one side and a pick on the other. Both sides perform a special service in loosening the knots. If you can cut across the knot away from the skin, it is easier to loosen the smaller mat left.
  • Old baby blankets make wonderful pads to sleep. They are easy to launder. Garage sales are a great place to buy them.
  • An easy way to anchor your cat so that you can give medicine, trim toe nails, treat injuries, etc. is to place the cat between you and the padded arm of your chair or sofa. He is then held on three sides.
  • If you have a cat that struggles and makes it difficult for you to get him in a carrier, turn the carrier on end, wrap the cat in a towel and slide him into the carrier. Easy!
  • Be sure that cats do not eat raw or cooked onions. They could be fatal.
  • Plastic decorations on the lower branches of the Christmas tree can still be pretty but safe for your cats to play with.
  • An excellent scratching post is a piece of carpet tacked solidly to your wall. Going around a corner is very good. A cat likes something solid to pull against.
  • An easy way to get your cat to enter its carrier for a trip is to place treats at the far end of the carrier. Cat enters willingly to get the treat.
  • Pills are easy to give to if hidden in a treat. For cats who eat dry food, a bit of canned food with a hidden pill will disappear in a flash. If the cat is used to canned food, before giving kitty her meal, place a small bit of food in front of her with the hidden pill and do not put the rest of the food down until she gulps or daintily eats the small bite with the pill.
  • Cats can be trained to come to a silent dog whistle. Whenever the cats are fed, blow the whistle. They soon learn that the sound of the whistle means food is being served.
  • If you have a recluse cat who needs medicine, choose a certain time each day and call the cat and give it a special treat such as liver, salmon, etc. Then it will be there so that you can also give the medicine. If your cat refuses the medication, ask your vet or compounding pharmacy for a transdermal gel to use in the ear instead.
  • If your cat has long hair which knots and tangles easily, try using spray on detangler. It lasts a long time and saves the struggle of getting out the painful knots.
Bowl A Thon
Save the Date for the FPO Bowl A Thon February 26th from 11a-2p More Information to follow soon. (read more)

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