Step 11: Stop a Peeing Cat

My boyfriend affectionately calls Peri the "Little Piss Machine." This would be cute if he were peeing in his cat box a whole bunch, but when the nick name is bequeathed upon you because you pee OUTSIDE of the box all of the time, it can be really stressful.

We moved Peri from my mom's house--the place he's spent nine years in--to my new apartment back in January. We made sure to have everything set up for him beforehand so he wouldn't have the additional stress of us moving furniture around on top of being in a new environment. Still, he freaked. He spent the first six hours holed up in his cat tree before slinking under the bed and refusing to leave the bedroom for two days.

He's gotten much more comfortable since then--almost too comfortable.

The first time he peed outside of the cat box we had left the windows open at night, so maybe he heard/saw/smelled something that made him mark his territory. Cleaned it with Nature's Miracle for Cats--no problem. Go for a good while without any accidents.

Then, everything changed.

And by everything, I really mean everything! COVID-19 was becoming a real problem just as spring was starting. My library closed to help control the spread of the disease, so I started working from home. I thought this would be a great time to try this new, better-for-the-cat-and-the-environment litter because I'd have plenty of time to integrate it slowly into his box and could catch him if he started peeing in inappropriate places.

He either instantly hated it, could sense something was wrong because I was home all of the time, or could tell spring was coming and desperately wanted to go outside. He started peeing EVERYWHERE!

And by everywhere, I really mean almost everywhere! His primary target has been various spots around the bedroom, but he's hit the living room a couple times. And he pees in the bath tub ALMOST EVERY NIGHT.

We'll tolerate the peeing in the bath tub. That's easy to clean up. But when he started peeing in the same spot right next to the bed, scratching at the wall, waking us up in the middle of the night, we had to find a way to stop it.

Right now, we're getting a Well & Good Calming Aid cat treat mixed in with our nightly nummies, a little bit of catnip before some play time, a good dousing of the apartment with Nature's Miracle Calming Spray that we initially bought for the move, a practically spotless box with the cheapest litter I could find (his fave!), a constant stream of Feliway calming diffuser, and this beautiful aluminum fortress in the spot he likes to pee most.

And he's still peeing in the bath tub. At least the carpets safe... for now.

If you have any other suggestions, leave a comment below. He's been to the vet before for pee issues. There weren't any medical problems back then, so I'm trying to avoid putting him through that stress. But he know's a trip to the scary place is on the table if he doesn't shape up.

Step 10: Puppies!

Last week I spent eight wonderful, long days with 10 rottweiler puppies, and boy, did the cuteness nearly kill me!

Puppies are a lot like furry babies. They need to put everything in their mouth--toys, wires, poop, fingers--you name it! And since they're babies, you can't really do much to discourage this behavior besides gentle redirection that will only distract them for about two seconds.

 

The best thing you can do is to properly play with them using their toys. Eventually, they'll get the idea that toes are not toys, while balls are. :)

After a while, they'll wear themselves out.

 

And you can enjoy the cuteness.

Step 9: Experience an RTO

You can have a lot of sad experiences while working at a humane society: taking a family pet away to a back room because they can no longer keep their animal, cats and dogs so sick that they just lay motionless in their bed, sad puppy dog and kitty cat eyes that stare at you through the bars of their cages for months on end.

But one of the happiest things that you can witness is a Return to Owner (an RTO, as we call it). In fact, I'd almost go as far as to say that it's happier than an actual adoption.

Don't get me wrong, it's always wonderful when a dog or cat finally finds a forever home. But there's just so much more emotion when an animal is reunited with his family (at least, that's the case when it comes to dogs). How they pull at the leash as they run up to their owner, the little whine that grows louder and louder the more they jump and spin around, that brief silent moment as the two hug.

It's always horrible when you lose a pet, but such a feel good moment when you see owner and pet reunited.

Step 8: Survive the Blizzard!

What are poor cold kitties supposed to do when it's -15 degrees out? Cuddle up in blankets, that's what!

Or they could be like Arlo, crying about wanting to go out, not listening to you when you say it's too cold, stepping out onto the back porch, noticing all the snow, and quickly heading back in to sit on the register.

It's pretty hard for humans when we're forced to stay indoors for an extended period of time, but I think it's even harder for our pets. When we're forced inside, we can always find things to do - watch a movie, play on the internet, read a book, etc. But animals, they come in, explore the house that they've lived in their entire life (nothing new there), eat some food (as if they weren't fat enough already), and sleep (ok, that one's not so bad). But that's all they really get to do. That, and watch us humans.

Most of my pets are used to going out multiple times a day, and for long periods. With the weather being so bad, we've got to keep them inside (or shorten their time out in the snow). Don't get me wrong, it's much better than the animals who get left outside and freeze to death, but Lexi always looks so sad when we call her back in after only being out for 5 minutes. She really does love the snow, just not frozen paws.

So just remember, as you survive snowpocalypse 2014, take a little extra time to play with your animals indoor - they're just as bored as you!

Step 7: Shadow

I love any dog named Shadow because of my very first puppy.

Ok, not a puppy in this picture, but her and I did grow up together, and she was the best dog that I ever had. I actually named her Shadow (well, technically I guess Santa named her Shadow) because of my favorite movie when I was five years old - Homeward Bound. There was an awesome old golden retriever who's name was Shadow, and I really wanted my own Shadow because of that movie.

Now, I didn't get a golden retriever, but that turned out alright because let's be honest - it makes more sense to name a black animal Shadow than it does a golden animal. BUT I did meet an old golden retriever named Shadow at work the other day, and I felt like my life was complete. If only there had been a pit bull named Chance there too... and somehow a cat named Sassy... :3

Step 6: Love the Names of Dogs

As any dog lover knows (or any animal lover, for that matter), each dog has his or her own unique personality. And let me tell you, working with a bunch of different dogs 30 hours a week, I come across some really interesting characters.

My favorites, though, are the ones with names that I like. And I like each name because it reminds me of someone from my life. Granted... most of those someones are from television shows or movies... but it's still fun to picture them as dogs!!!

For example:

• Every time I called across the room to Jack the golden retriever, I kept catching myself sounding like Jack Frost's little sister from the movie Rise of the Guardians.
• I say Toby's name the same way they say his name in The Great Mouse Detective. Too bad my Toby's a golden retriever and not a basset hound.
•  Max the German Shepard Mix is just as spastic as the boy in Parenthood.
• I keep calling Brunie the German Shepard either Bruno or Brony. She is neither an awesome singer nor a crazed My Little Pony fan-boy.
• I can never play Kingdom Hearts again without picturing Axel as a little corgi with different colored eyes.
• And Kevin. This one's legitly based on one of my friends. Kevin is no longer my roommate's sexy-mexy, but rather a gigantic black Newfoundland.

I can't wait to see how many more friends become dogs. :)

Step 5: Get a Job Working with Dogs

My first day on the job, Maxward the German Shepard was already there by the time I clocked in (at seven in the morning, I might add). And there was diarrhea all over the floor.

I'm not going to lie - my first day working in dog daycare was pretty rough, but it actually had nothing to do with cleaning up after all the dogs (I've got pets of my own, so I'm used to it). It was more that I was anxiously bored.

First off, I'd never done anything like this before. Sure, I've watched wolves, but with the wolves I knew their fights were about dominance and they wouldn't actually hurt one another. And if things did get a little rough, I knew the wolves could handle it. Dogs aren't like that, and I don't know these dogs well enough yet to be able to tell when they're legitimately fighting too hard or getting too worked up and are about to snap at another dog. So I hover.

But there's only so much hovering you can do (intermixed with some pee clean-up here and there) before you get bored. I wanted so badly to turn my attention to something else instead of just standing there and watching everything (because the previous jobs I've had, you didn't just stand there - you were always doing different things), but I was afraid to. And, technically, that's my job to stand there - I watch the room and the dogs and make sure that everything and everyone is friendly and clean.

But that first day I forgot about the best part of working with dogs - I'm working with dogs! I shouldn't just be hovering over them - I should be interacting with them. My second two days went a lot smoother once I adjusted my mindset about the job and started playing with the fuzzy little guys (well, I guess I shouldn't say "little," because there are some huge dogs who come to daycare!). And now me and Maxward are pretty good buds. ;)