My Pet World: Too many pets in a small place is a bad thing

Question: Our cat Levi poops in the kitchen sink. He previously pooped on the stove.

We do know of one contributing factor: There are other pets in the home. We have nine dogs, 15 cats and five birds (macaws and African Gray parrots). All the cats are indoors only. Six live in one bedroom with their own litter boxes.

The birds are in another room, which is gated to prevent the dogs from entering. The litter boxes for the other cats are also in the birds’ room. We clean all the boxes daily. We’d keep a litter box on the other side of the house, but worry the dogs would eat the droppings. Besides, our house isn’t that big. Our vet says the problem is behavioral. Any advice? — J.T.H., Goochland, Va.

Answer: Clearly, you love your pets. However, you’re not following the general rule for litter boxes (one box per cat, plus an extra box). You actually need 16 boxes!

“I would try a litter box with a hood and a flap for Levi to go in on the other side of the house,” says dog and cat behavioral consultant Darlene Arden of Framingham, Mass. “A dog might not be able to easily break inside this box. Or an uncovered box, which is elevated on a sturdy table above dog level.”

The stark reality is, you may have too many cats in too small a place for Levi to deal with. You might consider re-locating Levi to a home where he’s the only cat.

“I must be honest,” adds Arden. “I’m concerned about the welfare of all these animals. I don’t doubt your heart is in the right place. I’m astounded you only have one cat missing the box. Many of us wish we could save all the animals we encounter, but realistically you can’t, at least without their quality of life suffering, and yours. There aren’t enough hours in a day to care for that many pets and truly provide what they need.”

Q: I know you get many questions about dogs who fear fireworks. I’ve owned a few of those over the years, but my Malamute isn’t bothered at all. In our community, there’s an all-day picnic followed by fireworks in the park on the Fourth. My neighbor thinks it’s wrong to take our dog, but Snowshoe does just fine. And if I didn’t bring her I’d have to drive back home to take her out since this is an all-day affair. What do you think? — B.H., Cyberspace

A: Hire a dog walker. If this picnic was in a park some distance from the fireworks, my advice might be different. However, since you mention elsewhere in your letter that this is one of those parks where you can smell the fireworks and feel them, to a dog (who’s hearing exceeds our own) the sound must seem like an explosion in her head.

So far, Snowshoe may be fine, and might continue to be an exception, but under such circumstances, most dogs eventually become overwhelmed. If you insist on taking your dog to this event, ask your veterinarian about earplugs for Snowshoe.

I’m all for well-socialized, well-behaved dogs being a part of the action at large gatherings. We recently took our dog, Ethel, to a crowded urban rib festival, complete with a rock band. However, it seems like you’re asking for trouble to allow your dog so close to fireworks. If Snowshoe becomes terrified, you’ll have little luck explaining to her that the 4th of July is a wonderful, patriotic holiday. Instead, you could be instilling a lifetime fear of fireworks.

Q: Does micro chipping have any negative health impact on pets? — P.P., Southfield, Mich.

A: About the size of a grain of rice, a microchip is inserted by a veterinarian under the skin between the shoulder blades of a pet.

I’m not sure why you ask the question. Reports on the Internet that microchips emit dangerous radio waves are simply untrue. Other Internet claims that microchips can cause cancer in pets are also false. With millions of pets micro chipped, the verified instances of cancer at or near a microchip site can be counted on one hand, and in each case there may be another explanation for the cancer.

The timing of your question is on target, since more pets are lost around the 4th of July than at any other time of the year. Fireworks terrify many pets. They may bolt out an open door. Dogs may jump over fences or dig under them trying to escape the big booms. Pets contained by electric fencing may break through. Dogs on chains may break them off (or even choke themselves).

Of course, prevention is key. Not allowing pets outside without supervision makes sense, as well as never chaining dogs and being vigilant about closing the door.

While collars and ID tags are important, microchips are permanent. The fact is, microchips save lives daily, as long as owners register (and update) their contact information with the chip provider. That way, when pets are scanned for a microchip by an animal shelter or veterinarian, you can be contacted.

Q: Can you tell me about using brewer’s yeast to get rid of the fleas? — C.P., Charlotte, N.C.

A: Dr. Michael Dryden, a veterinary parisitologist at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, Kan., says, “This is totally illogical because brewer’s yeast is used in labs to grow fleas. Instead, ask your veterinarian to create a plan that will be safe and will effectively kill fleas.”

Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can’t answer all of them individually, he’ll answer those of general interest in his column. Write to Steve at Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207. Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve’s website is https://www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated “Steve Dale’s Pet World” and “The Pet Minute.”