Carole is available for bi-coastal house calls, speaking engagements anywhere, phone consults nationally and internationally. She also sees patients by appointment at Westside Veterinary Center in Manhattan. Her latest book is The Complete Guide To Understanding And Caring For Your Cat. Her recently released CD of spoken cat advice and soothing music is Caring For Your Cat, The Wilbourn Way.
Come back to Carole's home page monthly for cat news and Carole's most recent replies to behavior inquiries from worried cat guardians. To have this home page emailed to you after the story update, click here. You will receive this exact page by email, and it will link you to the other pages in her site, and to the rest of the IDA web site.
THE WILBOURN WAY (AKA Cats on the Couch) March 2010
THE MESSAGE IS IN THE SUBTEXT
ORION LONGS FOR SPRING
The snowflakes and brigade of snowplows fascinate Orion, but a born and bred California cat, he’s ready for spring to spring! And what about you?
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE WHITE HOUSE
(Orion, a former rescue, will represent cats and offer nuggets of wisdom regarding Beau, the rescued First Dog—a Portuguese Water Dog.)
LET'S MOVE WITH EXERCISE
Orion wonders what Bo has to say about health reform? But he’s going to give Bo a time out—the issue may be too loaded. Be that as it may, Orion has another proposal. Bo could be the poster pup to advocate exercise as part of "Let’s Move," the First Lady's program to combat child obesity. Orion, an avid dog lover, is available to be Bo’s exercise buddy. And this program can be extended to all our animal companions. Go Bo!
LIBRARY APPEARANCE
Tuesday, March 23, I will be presenting a program at the Grand Central Branch Library in New York City. My cat, Orion, will be my co-speaker. The topic is: I ADORE MY CAT BUT.... followed by a Q & A session. Everyone always has a cat question. Please join us.
Grand Central Branch Library
5:30-6:45 P.M.
135 East 46th Street
212-621-0670
SOMETHING ABOUT THE SINK
B.C. is a N.Y. cat who has a sink fetish. He's often on sink patrol. Why not! A sink provides a perfect surface for a cat to cool off or even to warm up. Notice how this sink is so well suited to the contour of B.C.’s body. What a cool cat!
IS EBONY BEING BULLIED?
Dear Cat Therapist,
Rosie and Ebony are our two cats, whom we adopted together from a rescue centre. Rosie is around four years old, and Ebony is maybe five. They were originally rescued from a house of 40 or more cats. Rosie is definitely the top cat. She sometimes chases Ebony until Ebony jumps up onto a windowsill or another hard-to-reach place.
Most of the time they greet each other after they’ve been apart for a while. I can’t help but smile when they do. But I worry that Ebony is being bullied. I don’t want her to be anxious. Is she? I wish they could speak!
Thanks,
Amber
U.K.
Hi Guardian Amber,
Your two cats are speaking all the time. Sometimes it's a meow, a flick of the tail, a ripple of the back, a hiss, a purr, or a combination of a few. You can frequently decipher their cat talk by what’s happening at the moment or a previous occurrence. Now let’s address Rosie and Ebony’s “conversation” in relation to chasing.
There usually is a top cat when there's more than one. Your two girls have worked out their living arrangement. Rosie is more the mover and shaker, so she’s the one who usually initiates the "chase," and a chase must have a chaser and chasee. It’s a delightful way to exercise and blow off steam. Otherwise, the buildup or blast of energy might manifest in a destructive way. Amber, don’t worry. Your cats are simply being cats.
When they are engaged in the chase, you can tell them that you’re glad they’re having fun. Treat it like a treat instead of a treatment. Every now and again acknowledge Rosie for taking such good care of Ebony. No, she won't understand your words, but she'll respond to your upbeat voice and body language, which will translate into good feelings and defuse a bit of natural female rivalry. You could always distract Rosie with an enthusiastic toss of a toy or a loud thud if the chase goes beyond "friendly bounds." Have fun with your two feisty felines.
DISTRESSING DUMPS
Hi Carole
I have a problem with my four-year-old spayed cat. She was adopted last year from the SPCA here in Delaware, and I moved her in with my ten-year-old spayed female. It was rocky at first, but now they’re an item. The problem started a couple of months ago when she started defecating on a rug by the front door. This dump occurs every two days. I try to keep up with the four litter boxes as best I can. The only thing that worked briefly was a shallow storage container in the basement with fresh litter. But after two weeks, once again, the rug was her target. The stool looked hard at first, but it does range in consistency. Please help.
Thanks,
Crystal Q.
Hi Guardian Crystal,
To dump or not to dump! This is definitely a problematic issue for you and your cat.
Your cat’s "un-cat-like," distressing behavior is a symptom of discomfort or angst for her. Needless to say, it’s a major pain in the...for you. But it’s her way to let you know she’s uncomfortable. When she’s feeling A-okay, she uses her box and doesn’t take a dump on the rug.
MEDICAL
Now it’s necessary to determine what’s at the root of her incidents:
- If she’s constipated, she may need a food with more fiber or a stool softener. Sometimes a dab of butter in her food works.
- Because she seeks out a soft surface for her incidents, she may prefer to have one of the four litter boxes filled with paper towels or wee wee pads.
- Perhaps she needs her anal glands expressed or she may have a mild case of irritable bowel syndrome.
Crystal, you can contact your cat’s veterinarian for more information and an exam may be in order.
BEHAVIORAL
Her dumps or indiscriminate defecation may be an anxious reaction to an issue with her companion or with your day-to-day living situation. Some simple tips to ease her anxiety are:
- Praise her for positive reinforcement when she uses her box.
- Catnip may be an easy way for her to release energy and relax.
- Daily play sessions with your two cats provide healthy exercise that sparks relaxation.
- My CAT CARING CD will provide continuous relaxation for your cats and important behavioral tips for you. (Refer to the top of this page for more info.)
Here's to the end of out-of-place dumps!
THE ELEPHANTS NEED YOUR HELP
You can help prevent the sale of elephant ivory. Please visit http://www.idausa.org
You can now follow Carole on Twitter.
QUESTIONS TO CAROLE
Please consult with your veterinarian first to make certain that your animal companion's problem is not due to any medical condition.
If you have a question for Carole, you can email her at thecattherapist@idausa.org. We're sorry that Carole won’t be able to answer all questions, but the answers to many questions can be found in her IDA archives.
Oscar the Cat Predicts Death
Oscar is the feline resident at a nursing home in Providence, Rhode Island who seems to have predicted the deaths of 25 of the residents. In case after case, when he has curled up next to someone, it usually means they have less than four hours of life left. I was interviewed about Oscar by NBC-TV. Read all about Oscar on their site. To watch my video, click here.
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