I’m an inside cat but sometimes I get to go out on the patio with my people. I have to be supervised. That’s what they say. I love all the flowers and plants out there, but they fuss at me whenever I try to nab a bite. They say some plants are poisonous, but how do I know which are good and which are bad? They know I don’t always remember the rules so maybe they should get rid of the poisonous plants?
Waldo
Dear Waldo,
Keep in mind that your humans buy plants because they are beautiful on the patio or in the yard, and they do supervise you so you won’t get into trouble. Sometimes severe weather conditions can cause humans to bring outside plants inside. They are usually under some stress when that happens and might forget about the seriousness of exposing you to plants dangerous to your health.
Campaign for CATNIP! When it shows up as a “special treat” on the patio, make sure to show a great deal of appreciation. Don’t hold back on silly antics that make them laugh. Cuddle up to them and show off your loving nature. That should guarantee a steady supply of catnip and then you must leave the other plants alone. And do not forget!
Several sites on the internet provide lists of poisonous plants. There are a few variations, but when in doubt, just stay away. Some plants on the list that are common in or area are:
• Castor Bean (Ricinus communis)
• Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)
• English Ivy (Hedera helix L.)
• Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea L.)
• Hyacinth (Hyacinth orientalis)
• Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
• Oleander (Nerium oleander L.)
• Philodendron (Philodendron spp.)
• Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.)
• Tulip (Tulipa spp.)
Go to Library UIUC Education for an extensive list of plants.
Some of the common symptoms of plant poisoning are loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, pale tongue or gums, swollen tongue, abdominal pain, or worse yet, convulsions. When in doubt, your people should call your veterinarian with as many details and suspicions as possible. They must remain calm and coherent, lest the vet will suspect they have also chewed on a few plants.
As a back up, cut this out and stick it on the refrigerator door:
The Animal Poison Control Center is a unique, emergency hotline providing 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week telephone assistance to veterinarians and animal owners. There is a $50 consultation fee paid by the animal owner, veterinarian or product manufacturer.
Animal Poison Control Center 1-888-426-4435
Your safest plan is to confine your dining to only substances put lovingly into your very own food bowl.
Your friend,
Fisher
Dear Fisher,
My name is Stasch and I am in the picture with roommate Emmy. Emmy gets really mad at me because I cause problems in our household when I don’t use the litter box. I don’t know why. Sometimes I just get busy, I think, and I don’t want to take time out to go to you know where, so I just go where I am. I guess it is training or something, but this has always been my way, and now I find all my housemates are getting pretty disgusted with this habit of mine. Can you help?
Stasch
Dear Stasch,
There are those who insist cats are un-trainable. That is not true at all. Training a cat just takes more time than training a dog, and it is not so much that dogs are smarter, it is just that cats have had it pretty good by acting like training is beyond them. Not such a bad plan overall. But, when bad manners are interfering with the happiness of one’s household, something needs to change.
Oftentimes, when two cats share a litter box, one party objects. It is not vocal, but pretty matter-of-fact when housemates notice wet spots and/or little piles on the floor. It can get even worse if the mess is found on, oh, I don’t know, the bed linens? Time to make some changes and I strongly recommend you take it very seriously.
You could coax your people into adding another litter box to the mix. It will become apparent to your people early on that the problem you have is the result of having to share this very personal duty. If that is the case, the problem is solved.
Are you just inconsiderate? You must undergo an attitude adjustment and learn to comply with the rules set forth by those in charge. There is only one rule here. If you need to eliminate digested products from your body, use the litter box! End of rule.
You and your people have several options here. It can simply be a process of elimination (no pun intended):
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• First off, get a physical. Make sure you do not have a urinary tract problem.
• If you are put off by an unclean litter box, your refusal to use it will get noticed and your housemates will do well to schedule regular cleanings.
• Are you under stress? Kids home for the summer or unfamiliar guests arriving to visit for extended periods of time? Work with your people on stress relief.
• If your potty of choice is a potted plant, it should be removed from easy access.
• If carpet is your preference, confinement to a non-plush area with food, water and a clean litter box is a good training technique.
• Bad habits are hard to break, but praise for doing a good deed instead of scolding and punishment will go a long way to help you get over your unsavory behavior.
• Visit Perfect Paws to find practical training information for cats.
Your life will become much easier as soon as you learn to comply with the house rules. Count on it!
Your friend,
Fisher
Dear Fisher,
We are writing to you to see if you can give us an easy way to lose weight so our humans would quit obsessing over it all the time. We are Burt and Tammy and we really don’t do a lot of running type exercises because we have these short little legs and we look silly. We also enjoy eating good food when our humans gave us their leftovers, but then suddenly they decided that we were getting a little on the fat side. So now we have this kind of double whammy where we are expected to eat healthy dog food instead of macaroni and cheese with hamburger thrown in. And, we are expected to go outside and play in the back yard. That does not include a slow walk to the end of the fence and then back again. They want us to run around the entire yard.
Of course we want to please, but we feel we are too old to change our ways. What do you think we can do about this? It is not fun!
Burt and Tammy
Dear Burt and Tammy,
No, it is not fun to go from cheeseburgers to dog food. But, I have to tell you, it sure is better for your health. I am guessing your people have not brought out the new toothbrushes yet? Healthy eating goes a long way toward helping with dental hygiene.
You two will do well to reverse your thought processes. Instead of thinking you are being punished because your humans would like you to do a little exercise, you might want to look forward to the play time as just having fun. If you walk to the end of the yard on occasion, you might want to raise the number of occasions. It isn’t so much that they want you to start lifting weights or jogging down the street past that super-jock dog you know will laugh at you; it is that they are concerned for your health and want you around for a long time. Your humans will do well to offer you praise for your efforts. You might visit www.dogplay.com for fun ideas for you and your humans to get more exercise together.
When you and Tammy are put outside to play in the yard, think of something that is actually fun. Chasing a ball or Frisbee is good sport. Start slowly and then build up to the point where you can play longer with less exhaustion. Do not go straight for the strenuous exercise thinking it will work faster to get you fit. It will wear you out faster and increase the absolute dread of ever exercising again!
There are many maladies that can come from overeating and under exercising pets. You and your humans might want to start out by having a good chat with your vet just to do a check up on the state of your health.
As far as the eating goes, try very hard to eat well, eat less, and eat less more often. That way you have some time in between to digest your food and let some of the calories work for good. It is a change, but you might just find yourselves feeling better and more energetic. Then think about the fun it will be when you do your perky little dog jog past the super-jock dog down the street. Your confidence alone will stop his giggles.
Your friend,
Fisher
published in tbt* Tampa Bay
