Litter Box Issues

By Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Sep 4, 2019

Keep sifting the litter boxes, twice daily, and add a litter box additive to each box to help attract the male cat back to one of them.

It may take another month for everything to return to normal. Given time, the two male cats may eventually become good friends, too.

Dear Cathy,

Please don't think that because a dog has changed behavior in your presence, he isn't predatory anymore. I have cried for the last three days. I feel so guilty. My foster dog and my own large pit bull/lab mix that I have had for two years killed my beautiful 10-year-old cat. My Shih Tzu was terrified and hiding under the bed. My 12-year-old daughter is devastated.

I had separated the foster dog and she didn't seem predatory in my presence anymore, but she broke out of the crate. The foster dog and my own dog had scratches on their faces. I rehomed the foster dog. I loved my pit bull mix. We went to the park and beach daily. But he is headed to the shelter. My Shih Tzu is still traumatized and no longer plays like he used to.

Please tell your readers to be careful with predatory dogs.

- Dolores Wood, Tampa, Florida

Dear Dolores,

What a heartbreaking story. I can't imagine anything more devastating than to have one animal in the house kill another animal in the house.

Some prey drives are mild and involve the puppy or dog chasing the cat and giving up when the cat is out of reach. That behavior can be addressed through training and management, which involves keeping the animals separated in rooms or crates or by using baby gates when you're not home.

If a prey drive is severe though, it can be difficult to manage. Training, counterconditioning and medication often can't correct an overly aggressive prey drive. It requires constant supervision, and you can never safely leave the dog alone with other animals or kids, ever.

You did the right thing by putting the foster dog in a crate. When you left, you had the realistic expectation that he would still be in the crate when you returned home. There was no way for you to know he would break out. I don't think your other dog was prey-driven. He likely just got caught up in the encounter when it happened.

I understand your grief and the guilt you feel over the death of your cat. Sadly, the trauma of this event may linger in your heart. I hope with time you will forgive yourself.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)