My Pet World: Moving? Please take your pets with you

Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Sep 1, 2021

Increased water intake can definitely help cats with hairballs. Cats don’t generally drink much water, so feeding them both wet and dry food or adding water to their food helps increase intake. You also should groom your cats to reduce the amount of hair they swallow while grooming themselves. Another option is to give them a hairball preventative, which helps move the hairballs through the digestive system and/or feed them a hairball formula pet food, which does the same, but also minimizes shedding.

Dear Cathy,

I have two indoor/outdoor cats. They are three years old. Oscar has started to catch baby rabbits in the yard. We also have two small dogs that use a doggy door that the cats also use. Aside from keeping the cats inside day and night, is there something I can do to keep him from hunting these cute little bunnies? -- Craig, Levittown, New York

Dear Craig,

Besides always supervising them when they are outside, your best options are to either build a catio – a screened in porch for your cats -- or purchase a mesh cat tent, which will contain them and prevent them from killing baby rabbits and birds, etc. Both options also give them safe outdoor space to enjoy. If you opt for the tent, place it in a shaded area and don’t leave them in it all day. An hour or so in the early morning or early evening are the best times for tent time. Be sure to include a water bowl and a few toys as well as their beds so they have a place to sleep.

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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.)