Cat resents dog visitor

#MiddleburyCT #Dogs #Heatstroke

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I periodically dog-sit for a neighbor, keeping her small Beagle, Downy, at my house while she travels. The problem is my cat, Sparks. He is absolutely infuriated when I bring Downy home, even though Downy doesn’t bark at him. Sparks will yowl and glare at the dog every time they’re in the same room. And now, Sparks is peeing on the rug next to my bed the entire time that Downy visits. What can I do about this? – Cheryl J., Reno, Nevada

DEAR CHERYL: Ouch! Cats are notoriously territorial, not just with dogs but with other cats, too. And Sparks does not seem to be settling in to the notion that Downy is an OK guest to have.

It’s clear that you’ll have to keep the two of them separate when Downy is visiting. But by leaving a mess on your bedroom rug, Sparks is signaling that separation may not be enough. The situation is really stressing him out. He’s drawing the line by marking your rug, a clear statement: This is my territory!

The quickest way to resolve the issue, of course, is to stop dog-sitting for your friend – or dog-sit by periodically visiting her home throughout the day to spend time with Downy and make sure he has food and water.

But if that’s not possible, and you intend to keep Downy at your house instead, you’ve got only a few options.

• Keep a clear separation between Downy and the cat. Place their food bowls in separate rooms with the door closed between them.
• Change out the rug in your bedroom for a new one, and spray it with cat pheromone (available at pet stores) to try to stop Sparks from peeing on it.
• Consider giving Sparks an anti-anxiety medication (available from the veterinarian) to reduce his stress.

Best of luck. Be patient with both pets; they may never be comfortable around each other, but you may be able to keep them both from being too anxious.

Readers, how did you deal with a conflict between two pets? Tell us about it at ask@pawscorner.com.

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