Well, here I sit at home, self-quarantined because I woke up today with a sore throat and swollen glands. My employer has already closed the office and we’re all tele-working at home for the foreseeable future anyway. So it just makes sense I should write in the BareFootPets blog today about the corona virus, right.

Include Your Pets During Crisis Preparation.

There is no arguing that folks have gone crazy trying to prepare during the corona virus crisis. Have you also taken action to prepare for your pet as well?  As more and more people are becoming quarantined, and are self-quarantining, be mindful that you also need to accommodate your pet’s needs.

Food.

Obviously you should ensure you have a good amount of your pet’s regular food on hand in the event you become unable to get out to shop for it later. If you are a late-comer to the preparedness stage of this crisis, don’t fret. You can easily feed your pet home-cooked meals until you are able to rebuild your supply of pet food.  Boiled chicken with rice and vegetables is always a big hit.  Use common sense when home-cooking for your pet — avoid spices, be very careful to de-bone completely, etc.

Supplies.

You should stock up on kitty litter, pee pads, prescriptions, supplements, water, … especially prescriptions.  Don’t compromise your furbaby’s health by allowing these items to run out. If you already are under quarantine and Fido needs a refill, call your veterinarian and ask if they can send refills to you by mail.  If mail is not a possibility, then pay by phone and ask a neighbor or friend to pick up the meds for you and deliver them to your front door where you can step out quickly and retrieve them.

Even if you are not a bottled water user, it’s always smart to have a couple of cases on-hand in case of emergency.  If your municipal water supply became tainted or in short supply, you would need bottled water to fall back on. This includes for your pets. REMINDER: keep your pet’s bowl and water supply fresh and clean–every day.

If pee pads are in short supply on store shelves, or you just need to tighten your spending for awhile, get creative again.  Just put down a trash bag and cover it with an old bath towel. This can act as a pee pad until the crisis passes and you’re able to get shopping again for the real deal. Same idea with kitty litter. If your cash flow or store supplies are low, just put some sand or dirt from your garden into the litterbox. Agreed, it may not be as fresh-smelling, but your kitty will be happy to use it until you can replenish your litter supply.

Exercise / Activity. 

Are you and Fido used to daily walks, but now you’re in quarantine?  You both can still stay active–just be creative.  Make use of your back yard to play fetch with a tennis ball, blow bubbles for him to catch, or just chase each other around.  You can get really creative and set up a make-shift obstacle course for him. How fun would that be!

If you don’t have a yard, you can make do inside your home, like chasing up and down a hallway, wrestling on the carpet, playing hide n seek under the bed blankets, chasing each other around the sofa, anything stimulating that will help to get both your pet’s and your heart rates up for 20 minutes or so a day.  Your pet will love the new mix-up in recreation too. Just don’t let yourselves get bored and lazy. Those are hard habits to break.

Companionship.

This is where your pet shines!  If you become quarantined, whether mandatory or self, you might find yourself going stir-crazy at some point. Your pet will get you through it beautifully. He’ll be right by your side–thrilled to have you at home with him every day.  He’ll keep you company and lift your spirits. He’ll entertain you and keep you laughing. He’ll help you stay active. He won’t even care what you’re doing, as long as he’s with you, whether curled up sleeping or reading a book, or rolling around with him on the floor. And he won’t make fun of your “bed-head” … or maybe he will. He will infuse your home with joy and love.  Doesn’t get any better than that.

As Long As You’re Focused.

Most of the ideas above are simple little no-brainers. As long as you’re paying attention and focused on taking care of everyone’s needs, including your pet’s, you’ll be fine.  And remember to be creative and stay active, intellectually and physically. Lastly, if you do find yourself quarantined, count your blessings for the precious little furry soul happily sitting at your side. God’s gift in the middle of the storm.

God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Pets And The Corona Virus. appeared first on BareFootPets.

Is the Kitty Being Picked On By Other Pets in Your House?

Typical practice is to put the litterbox in a corner out of the way. But there’s more to consider. Look closely at the relationships between all your kitties. If one cat bullies another, the one being bullied most likely won’t use the litterbox for fear the bully cat is going to jump him, and he’s probably right. If you put your litterbox in a corner or a small space, he’s going to get ambushed, and he knows it. So he figures better to not use the litterbox at all. If, on the other hand, you place the litterbox strategically so he has TWO forms of exit, then he can get safely away from the bully and won’t be afraid to use the litterbox anymore. I put my pets’ litterbox up on a long table with pet steps positioned at both ends. My kitties can come and go easily and quickly from both ends – they feel confident when they use the litterbox that they’re not trapped if the bully cat comes along at that moment.

Some litterboxes come with lids, because conventional knowledge says cats like privacy. This is true, but your cat becomes even more vulnerable to that pesky bully kitty because a lid reduces her getaway options even more. Out of fear, she probably will just stop using the litterbox altogether. Also, lids make it hard for the cat to turn around or move freely while trying to do her business. It’s just too cramped in there. She may avoid it for that reason alone. Do away with the lid.

Maybe Kitty Just Doesn’t Like the Litter?

Another reason kitties avoid their litterbox is they don’t like the litter. It may be the scent she doesn’t like, or the texture. So try a new brand – there’s lots out there to choose from. After years and years of experimenting, one that has become our favorite is “The World’s Best Cat Litter.” It’s natural, corn-based, doesn’t give off dust clouds like clay litter, so it’s MUCH better for the kitty’s health – and yours – not to be breathing that toxic dust cloud. It’s lighter weight, neutralizes odor well, clumps well, sticks less, and cleans up more easily than clay. An all-around ideal choice, one your cat will approve of. But do your own experimenting – kitty will let you know which one she likes, and that’s what’s important.

The LitterBox May Be Too Cramped for Her.

Way more often that folks realize, a standard size litterbox just isn’t big enough. I’ve found that my cats prefer something bigger where they can turn around freely and their little butt doesn’t hang over the edge. I use clear plastic storage bins by Rubbermaid or Sterilite – you can find them at Target, Walmart, Ace Hardware, etc. The sides are a little higher than conventional litterboxes, which is awesome because it helps to minimize tracking, so much less mess. Kitty can get in there and have fun just happily digging around, which is her nature to do. Plus, Rubbermaid and Sterilite bins are WAY more affordable than litterboxes.

Are You Doing Your Important Part To Keep It Clean?

Finally, the number one reason cats don’t use litterboxes is you’re not keeping it clean. Cats like to be clean–they don’t want to be stepping in their own poop and pee anymore than you do. Don’t be a lazy pet owner–clean your cat’s litterbox twice a day, more if needed, like in multi-cat homes. But at least twice a day. It takes only a minute or two, probably less time than it takes you to clean up their messes outside the box, so no excuse to avoid the chore. It’s part of good pet parenting, and the payoff is more than worth the effort. Your kitty will happily go back to using the litterbox so you won’t be cleaning up “accidents” around the house anymore, the house will smell much better, and everyone will be happy happy joy joy. A win-win for you and your cat.  🙂

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008.  Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post LitterBox Is A Dirty Word. appeared first on BareFootPets.