How to Keep Your Dog Out of the Litterbox
Does your dog like to steal “treats†from your cat’s litterbox? It’s OK—you don’t have to be embarrassed! This is a common problem for many pet owners. For reasons we’ll never fully understand, many dogs like to eat the feces of other animals—especially cats. The name for this is “coprophagia†which means, “the oral ingestion of fecal material.†Yes, this is really disgusting, but dogs think it’s perfectly normal.
To best way to keep your dog from engaging in this behavior is simply to prevent it from happening in the first place. It only makes sense to scoop your cat’s litterbox daily. Twice a day is even better. It also helps to feed your cat on a schedule (as opposed to leaving food available at all times) since now you will be able to predict more easily when kitty needs to relieve himself (and when you need to scoop out the box).
If your dog beats you to it I can guarantee that yelling at him is not going to do much good. He’s already been rewarded for his behavior. Some people go so far as to sprinkle Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper on the stool to deter the dog from eating it. I really wouldn’t recommend this. First of all, if you’re going to go all through all that trouble you might as well just scoop the poop out of the box and be done with it. I’ve also heard that some dogs really don’t mind the taste of it.
In addition to regular scooping, the best way to keep your dog out of the litterbox is to make it accessible to the cat only. This can be achieved many ways, but one of the easiest is to use a cat door. There are many varieties available but the one I like best resembles a simple archway. It is easy to install and can be either painted or stained to match your décor. This can be especially handy if you keep your cat’s litterbox in a room where the door is closed often, like the laundry room, or in a closet.
If your dog likes to eat the occasional cat turd or two it probably won’t hurt him much. However, it may be a good idea to have him wormed regularly by your veterinarian. Also, proper dental hygiene is a must!
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Tags: cat health, dog health, keep dog out of litterbox, keeping dog out of litter box, my dog eats cat poop, pet health, why do dogs eat cat poop
November 29, 2008
How to Keep Your Dog Out of the Litterbox | Natural Pet Health
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