How can I get my cat to stop peeing outside the litter box?

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I have two male cats that grew up together since they were tiny. They are both neutered but one, Loki,  seems to be more stressed out than the other. We brought Loki to the vet because he was standing in the litter box while peeing and pees against a wall (almost every day). They did find very small crystals in his urinary tract but she thought the behavior was stress-related. So we tried the Feliway and “Good Cat” herbal stress reducer. It seemed to work at the beginning, but now it’s back to his same routine. He pees in one location every day and defecates in the litter box….

Can my FIV-positive cat be saved?

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I am disabled and a Vietnam veteran and my cat, my best and only friend, has FIV and stomatitis. One vet says he can be helped and one vet says to put him to sleep. Can anyone help me keep my friend with me? ~J Siouxsie: First of all, J, we want to say we know how hard it is to face losing your friend to this chronic and progressive disease. Mama’s first cat companion had FIV, so she has tremendous compassion for what you’re experiencing.

Is it OK to give my cat Zoloft?

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I enjoy your person’s Catster tips very much. I have a 6-year-old female Abyssinian. She is spayed and lives indoors with two male cats. We moved from Kansas to Arizona in 2006. About three months later she began to groom herself excessively, especially on the tummy, where all the fur is gone except for peach fuzz. I feel it is from stress as we moved several times the first three months we were in Arizona. Is it OK to give her a very small amount of Zoloft? The tablet I have is 25 mg, but I do have a pill splitter for a smaller dose. We now have a…

My cat has lost all her teeth. What’s wrong with her?

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: My cat is 4 or 5 years old and has lost all her teeth, and I don’t know why. Should I have her put down? Is what she has contagious to my other cats? ~James Siouxsie: The first thing you need to do, James, is take your cat to the vet — sooner rather than later. It’s not an emergency, but you don’t want to put off that visit. There are a number of reasons why your cat could lose all her teeth, and only your vet can give you a diagnosis.

Paws and Effect supports the Shelter Pet Project

More than 3 million healthy and treatable pets are euthanized each year. Shelter animals are loving, loyal pets who find themselves there through no fault of their own. By dispelling myths and misconceptions, The Shelter Pet Project aims to make adoption the first choice when acquiring a new pet. The Shelter Pet Project, sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States, Maddie’s Fund, and the Ad Council,  seeks to eliminate the stereotype that there’s something wrong with shelter pets and to make shelters the first choice and desired way for acquiring a companion animal. Please join the Paws and Effect gang in supporting the Shelter Pet Project. Here are some easy ways you can…

Can my tiny, sickly kitten have a good quality of life?

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I would like to ask a question about our kitten, Belle. When Belle was six weeks old, something terrible happened to her and me: I was feeding mum and the 7 kittens and even though I was trying to be careful, I took a small step backwards onto Belle. She was badly hurt, unconscious and with blood coming out her mouth and nose, so we rushed her to the emergency clinic. They x-rayed and treated her and we got to bring her home. We were told to keep a close eye on her and keep her separated from the other cats for a few days. Then she came down…