How can anyone say no to this sweet face? Tom is looking for his “fur-ever” home. He is just one of the pets available for adoption at the local animal shelter in Cedar Hill. Click here for more information.
For many residents in Cedar Hill, your pet is a valued member of your family. As precious as they are, from time to time, Sassy or Fido will have an occasional accident.
You love your pet, but can’t stand the stain left behind from those periodic “oops”.
When training your kitten or puppy, the removal of each pet stain is crucial to their house training success.
Why is that so important? Simple. First, if there isn’t a complete removal of the stain, it will act as a scent marker for your pet to return to as an acceptable place to relieve him/herself. Second, the bacteria within each pet stain not only create a foul stench, but also can be a health hazard…especially to young children in the home.
There are many products on the market that promise a complete removal of every pet stain. But you want to know that the stain actually has been completely removed. That’s why you call Dr. Clean for all of your pet stain removal needs.
We come armed with an arsenal of enzyme removers, antimicrobial disinfectants and highly concentrated deodorizers – all to attack those nasty pet stains. We’re confident we can restore that “new carpet smell”.
What should you do while you’re waiting for Dr. Clean to arrive? We recommend you remove the waste material as soon as possible. Then, apply pressure on the stain with a damp terry cloth towel. We also suggest that you use a high-quality pet stain and odor control cleaner found at your local supermarket.
If it’s an old stain, you can take household vinegar and lightly mist it onto the stain (you should always check for colorfastness in areas such as closets before spraying any product). Vigorously work the vinegar into the affected area. Follow that by blotting the area with a damp cotton terry cloth towel. Be sure to apply a good deal of pressure. This will help to remove as much of the stain as possible.
Most of all, relax and enjoy your pet. Dr. Clean is on the way!
For your benefit, we’re including a portion of an article from Pets Web MD to help you with litter box training your kitten.
Litter Box Training For Cats and Kittens
Contrary to popular belief, mother cats do not teach their kittens to use the litter box. Kittens begin to dig in and use dirt and dry, loose material at about 4 weeks old without ever having observed their mothers doing so. This natural instinct is used in training kittens to use the litter box. Begin as soon as the new kitten arrives in your home.
Buy the largest litter box you can find; your kitten will soon grow into a cat, and will appreciate having the room. Make sure at least one side is low enough that your kitten can easily climb in and out of the box. And make sure the box is in a spot that is easy to get to. (These are also important considerations for a geriatric cat, who may have limited mobility.) Place the box away from heavy traffic and loud distracting noises so the cat can have privacy. If it becomes necessary to move the box, make the change gradually, moving it step by step.
If the kitten was trained to use a litter box by her previous owner, use the same type of box and litter. A kitten who has been living outside may need dirt or sand in the litter box at first, as that is what she is accustomed to using. Gradually replace the dirt with more and more litter, until you have completely switched over. This method works for switching the litter for any cat.
Place the kitten in the litter box after a nap, a meal, a play session, and whenever your kitten appears inclined to urinate or defecate. Praise her when she goes. If mistakes occur, pick up the kitten and set her down in the box. Do not discipline just before placing the kitten in the box. The kitten will associate any reprimand with being placed in the litter box and will assume the litter box is the wrong place to go.
Never rub cat’s nose in a mess or bring her over to it for a reprimand. She will have no idea why she is being reprimanded, but she may be inclined to eliminate in hidden spots (such as behind the sofa) to avoid another reprimand.
When your kitten is still learning to use the box, leave a tiny bit of urine or feces behind in the box, so the scent will remind her what the box is for. As soon as she is using the box reliably (and this could be as quickly as a day or two) remove all liquid and solid waste regularly. Scoop out solid material once or twice a day, and stir the litter to keep the surface dry. If you are using a clumping litter, scoop the liquid wastes at the same time. Change non-clumping litter every week-more often if necessary. Change clumping litter as soon as you notice that the box has even the slightest odor after you have scooped. Wash the box thoroughly and let it dry completely before adding fresh litter.
Kitty Litter
The choice of litter is very important to your cat. The ideal litter is as dust-free as possible, unscented, absorbent, and easy to dispose of. Dust can be a serious problem for cats because they are digging in the litter and can inhale dust, leading to respiratory problems. This is especially problematic in enclosed litter boxes-which many cats don’t like, either.
While scenting the litter makes the humans feel good, the smell may be overpowering to the cat, who will choose to retain urine or eliminate elsewhere.
Clumping litter is often preferable because it is easier to remove all solid and liquid waste from the box daily.
It is important to place litter boxes in relatively quiet areas that are easily accessible to the cat. Litter should be scooped at least once every day and the boxes thoroughly cleaned weekly. Ideally, you should have one litter box per cat in the household, plus a spare. They should not all be in the same room.
To read the article in its entirety, click here.