#BestForPets Magazine Edition #3 (Spring 2022)

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#BestForPets

My male six month old kitten has just started spraying all over the house and meowing a lot more, I’ve got him booked in for neutering in a months’ time – is there anything I can do to soothe him in the mean time? You’re exactly right that spraying and vocalising can be signs of sexual maturity, but these can also be signs of stress. Has anything changed around the house? Are his eating and toileting habits otherwise normal? While castration can reduce spraying behaviour, the longer a cat’s been spraying before surgery the more likely it is that they continue afterwards, so it might be worth having him checked over by your vet and see whether they can move his theatre slot sooner. If that’s not possible, plug-in pheromone diffusers can help take the edge off in the meantime.

My cat is obsessed with my clothes! Every day she’ll curl up on my pyjamas and snuggle her nose right in – do you have any idea why she may do this? You should be very honoured, your cat clearly feels cosy and safe surrounded by your smell! It’s certainly nothing to worry about, but if it’s a problem then placing clothes out of reach is the best solution. Unfortunately, cats are great at sensing exactly where we don’t want them to sit before settling down there!

I’ve just brought home a one year old Romanian rescue dog, she’s a really sweet girl, but whenever we walk past another dog, she lunges forward and barks at them – have you got any advice? Unfortunately a lot of foreign rescue dogs have had very hard lives; they may have lived on the streets and/or spent long periods in kennels before being transported to the UK. As a result they can find adjusting to a domestic pet lifestyle very challenging. Acting aggressively towards other dogs is often a fear response, either because she missed out on vital socialisation as a puppy or because she’s unused to interacting while restrained on a lead. There is no quick fix for behavioural problems, and I would strongly recommend finding a qualified veterinary behaviourist to help work through this. It’s important to differentiate between a behaviourist and a trainer; look for someone accredited by the Association of Pet Behaviour Councellors (CCAB certified).

One of my rabbits keeps scratching at their ears, is this normal behaviour or could there be something wrong? Occasional scratching can be normal, but if it’s persistent or a new behaviour, it could suggest there’s something wrong. Like cats and dogs, rabbits can get both ear infections and ear mites. Often the ear will be red and may have discharge inside, but if in doubt a check with your vet is best. They can use an otoscope to check much further down the ear than we can see at home.

Please email your questions for our resident vet, Shula Berg to hello@mipetcover.co.uk

Provided by Shula Berg

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