My Pet World: Cats can be re-trained to stay off the counters

DENVER, CO. -- These reader questions were answered by experts at the Convention of the American Veterinary Medical Association, held July 25-29 at the Colorado Convention Center.

Q: My cats are lovely and perfect, except they've started jumping on the countertops. I've told family and friends that I won't tolerate this behavior, but the cats aren't listening. I've tried the water bottle treatment (spraying the cats). I heard double-stick tape would discourage them, but they didn't care. Is it too late to stop them now? Clearly, I must not be as smart as my cats. -- S.T., Anderson, SC

A: You're not alone; most of us are well trained by our cats.

It's not too late to re-train your cats, though, says Sydney, Australia-based veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kersti Seksel.

"Forget about punishment. It hasn't worked and it's not going to work," she says.

It's important to discourage your cats from jumping on the counter. No one in the house should ever leave food on the counters. If double-stick tape doesn't help, try a manufactured product called Sticky Paws, or a spray can equipped with a battery-operated motion detector.

It's more important to provide lots of places for your cats to climb.

"Cats think and live with vertical space in mind, and we don't," says Seksel. "Be creative. Offer a cubbyhole in a bookshelf, maybe even another countertop you can give up to the cats, window ledges, cats trees, whatever you think of." There are even shelves manufactured for cat climbing.

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Q: We have two adult feral rescue cats, Our problem began when we moved seven months ago. We kept both cats in the bedroom for a few days. The female had no problem adjusting, but the male began leaving excrement on the carpet. Eventually he began to use the litter box, but recently we found another "present" outside the box. We clean the litter boxes at least once daily, and have added a third box. Any advice? -- E.A., Las Vegas, NV

A: Congratulations on saving a pair of cats. By all accounts, you're a savvy cat owner.

"There are so many possibilities to explain what's going on" says feline veterinarian Dr. Marcus Brown, president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners. "The problem may be medical, anxiety-based, a litter box issue or combination of all the above."

Some cats adjust to change better than others. And just as in people, stress and anxiety can unmask disease.

"See your veterinarian to rule out kidney disease, constipation, or even arthritis (it may be a challenge to step into the box, particularly if your cat is overweight)," says Brown, of Arlington, VA.

If the male is defecating next to the box, he might be saying, "This location for the litter box works," but there's something offensive about the box itself, the litter, or the cat is having difficulty stepping inside.

Adding a third box made perfect sense, but where have you placed the boxes? They should NOT be side-by-side-by-side in the same room, Brown says.

Take a picture of the male cat's droppings with your smart phone. What they look like may not matter to you, and certainly not to your cat, but the information could help your veterinarian make a diagnosis.

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Q: I saw your YouTube videos about fleas and ticks, and they were very good. My Australian Shepherd had fleas, so he's on a medication now to prevent them. The problem is, now he's getting ticks. He picks them up each time I take him outside to exercise. I don't want to overdo the chemicals I give my dog. Is there a product for tick protection only? --L.T., via cyberspace

A: Dr. Richard Goldstein, of New York City, is very concerned about the proliferation of tick diseases in dogs.

"It's great you are asking about protection; I understand your concern and it's valid," Goldstein says.

Scalibor is a tick collar which has no chemicals. Another reasonable choice is the Preventic collar, says Goldstein. Still, he strongly suggests speaking with your veterinarian about the right choice for your dog, which depends on your lifestyle, the composition of your household (do you have children or cats?), the age of your dog and where you live.

There are also advantages to zapping fleas, ticks (and perhaps heartworm) all with one product.

What you should NOT do is go to a big box store and randomly pick an over-the-counter product, Goldstein says.

"Your guess is just that, and so much of what's available over the counter just doesn't work that great -- and may not be safe in some instances -- even if the packaging has terms like 'all natural.'"

Thanks for your comments about my YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/user/jdbdrp. It features videos with dozens of experts in veterinary medicine, covering topics ranging from tick disease to feline viruses, and even interviews with celebrities like the legendary Betty White.