Ask MetaFilter questions in the pets & animals category

Elephant hugs?

inactivist — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:30:55 -0800

Where can I go to have a bonding experience with elephants? I love elephants. Terribly. I'd like a chance to ride on one, swim with one, pet one, or care for one. And I'm willing to travel, pay, or volunteer to do it.

But I understand that elephants aren't animals meant for captivity, and the thought of going to some tourist trap in Asia or Africa where my money might only contribute to some elephant's mistreatment is disturbing. Does anyone know of places where such a thing is possible? Wildlife encounter tours? Elephant orphanage volunteer programs? Zookeeper assistance? Bonus points for things that actually help the animals.

Wondering Why My Cat Greets Me This Particular Way ...

WCityMike — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:25:53 -0800

Consistently, every single time I come home, my cat will come over to a particular corner of my desk -- I need not be sitting at it or indeed be anywhere near it -- and meow while faux-scratching it. He occasionally will stretch his back after the scratch, but not always. It's extremely cute, and he's such an affectionate cat that I'm even kind of touched by it. But I suppose I find myself curious as to what the gesture breaks down to. I'm assuming it's a greeting, since he repeats it without fail every time I come home after being out for more than a few minutes, but I suppose I'm curious as to what the action signifies. I doubt it's totally random, but I can't quite figure out what "animal world" thing he would be doing by that particular pattern.

I want a cat -- but should I? But I really want.

cgg — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:28:24 -0800

Help me decide whether or not I should get a cat. This is more complicated than it sounds. (At least it is to me...) I really, really want a pet. In fact, I might even *need* a pet. But I'm trying to decide I if I *should* have one. [Warning -- this is long. Sorry.]

* I grew up with animals. As a kid, we never had less than 2 cats, up to the (slightly chaotic) 3 cats, 2 dogs and a couple gerbils.

* I just turned 30, and I think it's making the feeling of needing something a bit stronger. That being said, I definitely don't want a kid yet. But that "awww can I hold him, he's so adorable, I want one" reaction some people get around little kids? Thats me around cats and dogs.

* I realize I probably shouldn't have dog, at least not yet. I'm not around enough during the day for it to be fair to the little guy. But once I own my own house, I'm getting two. Not yet though.

* I think getting an older, laid back cat from a shelter, one that would be much much happier lazing around on my couch instead of locked into a little cage, would be a very good thing. I want an animal who I can truly help (lets face it, the kittens will always get adopted; 8 year old Fluffy -- not necessarily so). Plus, I want a cat whose personality is already developed. All cats are neurotic to a point, but I'll be frank -- I don't want an animal who turns into a really neurotic, skittish, fraidy-cat who hates being picked up.

* Other important details: I have a stable job, don't travel for work or anything like that anymore, and understand the responsibilities and costs associated with pet ownership.

Now, the reasons against getting cat:

* I live in a very tiny condo, without even a balcony. 600 sqft, tops.

* Rental housing is next to impossible with a pet in this city (Vancouver). I currently rent a condo where pets are allowed, but having a cat is definitely going to make finding my next place much, much harder.

* My boyfriend is really allergic. Although he actually loves cats, they make him miserable. I realize there are things I can do to reduce the allergens in my house, but he will suffer when he visits. And don't bother suggesting he take anything. Been there, lost that battle, many times. He grew up with a cat, and had chronic allergies the entire time. He'd have a pair of cats himself if it wasn't for the allergies. He claims he's tried everything that's supposed to help, twice, and nothing works. I counter with the fact that medicines have improved in the last 10 years, but he ignores me. His words: "If there was something I could take, don't you think I would take it? Do you think I enjoy being miserable?" He may have a point.

* The cat would have to be okay being on his own every other weekend or so. I spend some weekends at the boyfriend's.

* I have actually already had a cat once in my "adult" life. I got a kitten when I was 22, before I was really ready to be able to take care of it. I was moving a lot back then, not really home much, and I'm pretty sure I'm partially responsible for this this particular cat being as neurotic as she is. (She was nuts to begin with, but I probably didn't help matters). My parents adopted her, and she's a little better now that she's living a consistent, predictable life with a big yard and 2 people who worship her, but she's still skittish and, well, nuts. I still feel guilty whenever I see her and realize she really doesn't know how to cuddle with people, although it's obvious she wants to. She likes her people, she just can't deal with them. Also my parents aren't taking any more pets (if only because this cat doesn't play well with other cats/dogs, either).

Also, it should be noted I'm tried the smaller, caged animal route. I had a perfectly nice, normal hamster for 3 years until he died peacefully in his sleep. They just don't do much for me though. It's hard to sleep on the couch with a hamster on your lap.

So -- opinions? Convince me either way, either that I really would be a good cat owner and I'm just freaked out due to an unfortunate experience that I've learned from. Or that no, a cat probably isn't the best idea right now, and the reasons why.

(Again, I apologize for the length... geez. Some people don't have this much anguish about about having kids, and all I want is a freakin' cat!)

A Superb Cat Supplement. Where?

watercarrier — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 04:48:25 -0800

CatFilter: What is the absolutely best vitamin/mineral/enzyme supplement available for cats? I want to get something that I don't have to worry about the manufacturer's supplies sources and/or ethics. It has to have all the trace elements, vitamins, minerals that ordinarily would be provided by an excellently balanced and nutritious diet which unfortunately I am not able to provide 100% of the time and this will keep us/them covered in those in-between times.

ID these Eastern US birds of prey?

The Confessor — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:01:46 -0800

Can anyone here identify these (apparent) birds of prey? The photograph was taken in Salem Massachusetts, but more than one mile away from any saltwater shore. What Bird narrowed the possibilities to Red-Tailed Hawk, Red-Shouldered Hawk, and Osprey, none of which seemed likely from pictures.

Additional photographs are available here and here: click the photographs link to expand the section, browse using the greater-than less-than symbols, and click on a photograph to load a larger version in a new window.

Who would want a veterinary symptom video

amtho — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:15:34 -0800

Donating a veterinary disease symptom video - would any library / video collection want this? Is any university veterinary school collecting things like this? I do not want to spend a lot of time on this; I couldn't bear it right now. But I want to resolve this as soon as I can.

I've got a couple of video clips of a cat in either respiratory or vomiting distress; probably respiratory. I think it might be useful to vets or vet students or animal owners in diagnosing a pretty dangerous and awful condition. I didn't realize exactly how serious the condition was when I saw it, although I did realize it was pretty bad and made the video to send to my vet.

Now the thought that I might have seen this behavior earlier and not reacted bothers me a lot.

Anyway, I'd like to contribute this video in some way to the public body of knowledge. I have found some vet schools by Googling, but does anyone know for certain of some repository or library that would collect this kind of thing?

Please don't ask for more information about the cat.

I have a hungry kitten and a terrified bird

nataliedanger — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:06:05 -0800

How can I keep my kitten from eating my bird? I have a cockatiel in a rather large cage. I also have a 12 week old kitten. She has been very interested in my bird, watching him intently and occasionally trying to jump onto the table where his cage sits. Until today, she wasn't able to jump that high. So now she's jumping onto the cage and trying for dear life to attack this bird (who so far, doesn't really understand that she wants to eat him).

Let me share some facts:
- The kitten has those softpaw covers on (I imagine she will be less able to leap onto the cage after she's been declawed)
- I've tried to spray her with water/scare her with a noisemaker every time she would try to get by him, but she seriously doesn't care about either of these disciplinary tactics. She'll run away, but literally as soon as the spray stops she'll be right back up there.
- We keep her in the bathroom when we're not home, for a number of reasons, but mostly because we don't trust her not to kill the bird. I would like to let her have free run of the apartment soon, though. I know she gets kind of bored in there.
- There is nowhere I can put the birdcage where she won't be able to get it (i.e. another room in the apartment).

I am mostly worried that when she's bigger, she'll be able to knock the cage off the table, or that when the bird is hanging on the bars of the cage (which is his favorite spot), she'll be able to hurt him with her claws or teeth.

Any advice would be appreciated!! I have never had a cat before, so I have no idea even where to begin!

Dog "magazine" to benefit shelter--ever seen one?

HotToddy — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:33:05 -0800

I'm thinking of doing a small quarterly publication on caring for dogs (basic training, dealing with behavioral issues, fun things to do with your dog, etc.) to benefit my local animal shelter, and I'm wondering whether I'm reinventing the wheel. Have you ever seen such a thing in your area? If so, please tell me everything you know about it. Also, if you saw something like this at the cash register for $1, proceeds to benefit the shelter, would you buy it? All comments/advice welcome.

Litterbox issue when traveling by car with cat

kathleenl — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:43:11 -0800

I am getting ready to move 1000 miles with my cat. I have a crate for him, and a litter box to travel with. But I'm concerned about when he might have to use it during the trip because I would like to keep him in the crate (as recommended by just about everyone I've talked to.) Is it ok to have him in the crate for 8 hours and give him occasional food and water and then let him use his litterbox when we arrive at our destination each night? Around the house he often goes that long without using his litterbox...but I'm just not sure if that will be ok. I don't really want to get a larger crate that I can put a litterbox in b/c I don't think he'd like laying next to a litterbox for 8 hours a day.

Some have suggested putting a harness on him and having him go outside, but he's an entirely indoor cat, and I honestly don't know that he'd know once outside (and probably freaked out) to do his business.

I'm also wary of taking him out of the crate in the car because it can be challenging to get him back in.

Any advice is much appreciated!

removing pee smell from old wood?

Salvatorparadise — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:46:07 -0800

help me get the poop and pee smell out of an old chest I'm a lover of antiques - especially beat up ones in need of lots of help. I bought this wonderful blanket chest 2 years ago for a song, it's fairly early and has a great "Columbus, OHIO" carving on the front, which is where I live. Just a wonderful chest, and I've never seen any carving like it.

The problem is that it was a chicken feed bin for decades. I hosed it out when i first got it, and it still stunk like hell. Then it sat in the garage for 2 years, still stinking. A few months ago i used two bottles of "urine gone" on it, then filled it up with hot water and a gallon of bleach, which drained out through cracks in the bottom. It's better, but still stinks.

I want to restore this chest by fixing major cracks in the wood and repairing the hinges, sanding it slightly then giving it a period light coat of water based paint.

BUT

I can't get the smell out! i have to get rid of this smell or this is a dead duck

how do i do that? submerge it somehow?

pics:

pic 1
pic 2

pic 3

Where did all the eyebrows go?

divka — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:41:31 -0800

Should I stop worrying that my one of my cat eats my other cats' eyebrows? It appears to be an entirely consensual act. All right, so I have two male cats (unrelated, neutered) who love each other. They express this, in part, through mutual grooming. I've noticed recently that the orange cat has been vigorously nibbling at the brown cat's eyebrow whiskers during the grooming sessions. Now, all the eyebrow whiskers on one side are entirely gone. His fur and skin in this area look perfectly normal.

This happened before--but with the other side of the brown cat's head. Those have grown back in now--so I guess they've been switching sides. Both the orange cat and brown cat appear to be extremely blissed out during the eyebrow nibbling.

The brown cat is fully capable of defending himself. He is, in fact, the dominant cat in this situation.

Of course, one cat over-grooming himself is signs of bad things. But this? I'm not so sure how much to worry about it. Plus, I don't know how I'd stop it if I'd try. Much of the loving action takes place when I'm not home.

And yes...I could call the vet and ask. But, I'd like some outside cat-loving opinions before I call and have my vet make fun of me over this one.

Eeeew, we can't eat that!

DiscourseMarker — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:58:24 -0800

Catfilter: What is the texture of your cat's wet food? So my vet is concerned that the current wet food I've been feeding my cats has too much sodium and is urging me to get better food for them. They also have weight issues (overweight) and I just got the labs on one of the cats and she is a little dehydrated, so I really need to get them to eat more wet food, less dry.

So here's the thing: my cats (obligatory picture) are finicky, particularly with respect to the *texture* of their wet food. As in, they just won't eat food that has identifiable chunks of real meat. It has to be minced/pate/whatever you want to call it, or they just stare at me and yowl. I read through this thread and am interested in Evo or Wellness, but I can't tell from the websites what the food actually looks like in the can.

So those of you who use these brands--tell me about the texture. Are specific flavors of either brand chunky/minced? Somewhere in-between? I really don't want to buy more food (I've already been burned this week!) that I know they won't even look at.

Maybe it'll be cheaper to take her on the plane after all

Countess Elena — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:10:25 -0800

Can you recommend a dog boarding service/overnight walker/kennel in the Boston area, preferably T-accessible but otherwise not a long drive from the North Shore? My vet has a kennel, but it's an extremely basic crated-all-day setup. There's a spacious place I know nearby, but I hear that some dogs got kennel cough there.

Let me know if you have any tips.

Looking for a word to train my dog to come to, besides the obvious

jeffxl — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:36:11 -0800

I need a unique and amusing word to train my dog to come to, besides the word "come". Any ideas? I'm in a dog training class, and this week we're learning the "Really Reliable Return". For some reason they don't want us to use "come" for this exercise--they say we should come up with a word that is unique to us and our dog. (The theory is we're supposed to get her thinking that when and only when we say that word she gets the super awesome treat she never gets any other time, and therefore she'll really come when we say that word).

The trainers gave examples of previous students using words like "Skittles", or "Pickles"... but I really don't want to be that guy in the dog park yelling "PUDDING!" at his dog, so I'm looking for creative alternatives.

What are some good words that would be funny to have a dog come to? I was thinking about using synonyms of come (surprisingly little of those, though) or "come" in another language, or perhaps something like "hither". I'm sure you can top those ideas, though, right?

Help me keep a chinchilla without cockroaches.

Brainy — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:19:44 -0800

How do we keep a chinchilla in an apartment where roaches might be present without killing the chinchilla or attracting tons of bugs? My girlfriend wants to bring her chinchilla to our apartment and I would like that too. However we've seen more than a couple of roaches (including one gigantic one in the sink the other day*) I'm worried we'd pretty much be bringing a roach attractor into the apartment.

The cage she currently has is homemade and constructed of wood and wire...something roaches would have no problem getting through. There are solid plastic cages, but air holes = bug holes. Are there any bug proof cages out there?

What about rodent food that wouldn't attract roaches?

Will we have to be more careful with the insecticide, is the chinchilla in more danger because of his size?

My girlfriend and I (and Kirby the chinchilla) thank you!

* Bonus question. we sprayed Raid Roach Max into our sink to kill it. What's the best way of cleaning this poison out of our sink?

How to un-peppermint a litter box?

starbaby — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:23:49 -0800

Like an idiot, I cleaned my litterbox with peppermint-scented cleaner. Now one of my cats will not use it. How do I get the peppermint scent out? I used a Method-brand bathroom cleaner on my dirtier-than-usual litterbox. It was pepperminty. I use liners on top of the box, so I didn't really think about the smell affecting him. I know this was stupid, and one of my cats has been proving it to me daily by using the shower stall/bathmat instead.

Thursday I tried re-cleaning the entire thing with vinegar water, as it is known to get rid of odors (after the vinegar smell wears off). Either he's still traumatized or this did not work, as he still prefers the shower stall. I have also tried re-introducing him to the area, to show him that it doesn't smell like peppermint anymore. He still acts terrified of the entire idea of using the box. He walked around in the box when I originally cleaned it out, but when I try to put him in it, he reacts negatively and I have to stop immediately to not make it worse, and, of course, still won't actually use it.

Is there anything else I can use to neutralize the odor or peppermint (and now, possibly, vinegar)? Or do I just need to buy a new litterbox?

(I know that you should always get a cat to the vet when it stops using the litter box. I can't get an appointment until late next week, so I am trying to fix what I think is the problem in the meantime, as he seems to be actually using the bathroom fine and doesn't seem to be producing anything unusual. If I can't fix it, I'll keep the vet appointment.)

please hive mind, name my dog

nanhey — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:06:53 -0800

help me name my puppy that i am picking up tomorrow if all goes well. ready. set. go.

Why won't my dog eat regularly? Help!

philrj — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:56:06 -0800

Why won't my dog eat regularly? It started when my roommate moved out, who had friends over a lot. Over the past few weeks it's progressed into serving him canned food, to some days where he doesn't eat at all except for treats and any kind of cooked meat. He has a routine vet appointment in a week but my mother thinks we should bring him to the emergency clinic. He is a 11.5 year old lab mix who needs constant attention. Since he started developing an irregular eating pattern, I've been giving him more and more attention to get him to eat. Walking him more, brushing him, vacuuming his coat (his fav), throwing his ball around, and I even gave him a bath today. If he leaves his breakfast or dinner in his bowl all day, the minute a few friends come over he'll go eat it after getting some attention. It's like the excitement of people urges him to become hungry again.

So, I can't tell if he's depressed or if he has some intestinal issue. Behaviorally, he acts 100% fine—unless I leave for more than a few hrs he'll throw his bedding around and sometimes my laundry. He started not eating his morning meal, and then some days a struggle to get him to eat his dinner without my turning it into a game (pretending to hide his bowl, move it to different places, getting his tail wagging...those kinds of things), which he loved.

Then one day he wouldn't eat his dry food at all so I went out and got canned food and that worked for a few days....now it's a struggle to get him to eat that. Sometimes he inhales his food, like yesterday and wants more, and other times, like today, he'll have one can and won't touch anything else.

One thing to note is that he drinks water like a fish—but he's always been like that. The last vet visit we were worried about kidney problems but the vet figured he was using the "please give me more water" look to get attention. I'm afraid this is what has happened with the food. Nothing else seems to be wrong with him, so I'm not so sure he's sick. I think he's playing with me because he knows I get upset over the food thing! But maybe he really is sick...who knows. He's my best friend and just want him to be healthy!

No diarrhea, just small stools on days he doesn't eat much.

So, emergency dog clinic tomorrow, or just wait until vet appointment next week?

Vet Trachea Specialists?

Hands of Manos — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:34:52 -0800

Our pug has always had breathing problems. Now we find out he's got a fold in his trachea. We're in the Atlanta area and are looking for a specialist. The vet gave us the grim news last night. Basically our pug will overheat, not be able to get enough oxygen and die. We're going to do everything we can to not stress him out and keep him very cool.

He also said if it were his dog, he wouldn't give him the surgery due to it's low success rate. But we're still going to inquire with a specialist. So does anyone a.) know any dog trachea specialists in the Georgia area (we're willing to travel to Alabama, Tenn, NC, SC, FL) and b.) is it even worth it?

Money IS an object, but we're willing to plop down a fair amount of cash for the surgery if it's worth it and will prolong his life (or give him a better one).

Thanks!

Help me grind some chicken wings.

HotToddy — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:22:09 -0800

Will a Cuisinart food processor be able to grind up chicken wings (including the bone)? Chicken necks? Or do I have to buy a meat grinder? And if so, will the KitchenAid meat grinder attachment be able to handle it?

Cat just starting Lasix - how long before I should see effects?

giddygirlie — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:55:42 -0800

Cat just starting Lasix - how long before I should see effects? My 9 year old cat developed allergies about 3 months ago and the vet treated him with antihistimines and a round of antibiotics (the x-rays showed some spots on his lungs that she thought could be bronchitis) and he got much better.

About 2 weeks ago, he started having difficulty breathing and asthma attacks, so I took him back to the vet. After several additional tests, it was determined that he has heart/lung problems, most likely an early symptom of heart disease (causing fluid to build up in his lungs). He has just started Enalapril and Lasix (Furosemide). These are the same medications used to treat humans as well, so I am hoping someone here might have some experience with how long it takes to see results. The vet said it varies by animal and can take days or weeks. But I am hoping for a few first-hand experiences. And I'm crossing my fingers that the poor guy can breathe easy soon.

Dogs with missing toes, with this be a problem in the future?

jkl345 — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:56:02 -0800

I'm considering adopting a greyhound dog missing a toe on it's front foot (the one on the right side, so it's 'pinkie' in human terms). It doesn't seem to hobble or act weird about it, it does sometimes tend to lean on the other three toes (so they kind of curve a bit more than they probably should), as if the fourth one was there. I actually didn't even notice it until someone told me the first time I met the dog. Anyone have experience with dogs with missing toes? Will this cause problems in the future, like arthritis or the loss of ability to walk? What should I look out for? The greyhound agency had the dog checked out at a vet for all the shots and everything and they tell me it's ok. I'm a little apprehensive though. Thanks for your help!

Stupid Littermaid!

wordsmith — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:14:51 -0800

My Littermaid cat poop box broke. Again. Are there any decent alternatives? Seems like lots of people have problems with these breaking. When they work, they're awesome, but this is the second unit I've purchased in two years.

My question: are there any decent alternatives (that are still automatic) to the Littermaid?

Finding a new home for a fear-aggressive dog

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:39:40 -0800

Finding a new home for a fear-aggressive dog I have a six-year-old neutered male dog who is fear aggressive. We have had him since he was eight months old, prior to which he was pretty severely abused. He is very anxious, and he has bitten people he does not know several times. He has never broken skin, but he does bite multiple times. We love this dog very much, and we have done everything that we can think of to address this problem. We have taken him to several trainers and behaviorists and continue to work with him daily. He has had a complete medical workup. He is sweet and entirely nonaggressive to people that he has previously met. He is not aggressive towards dogs or other animals.

We are at the point that we can no longer keep our dog, as his biting appears to be getting worse and because we have a baby coming. We are devastated to have to put him to sleep...this dog is our family, and we have not reached this point without considerable effort and thought.

We have contacted rescue groups without any success so far.

Please don't suggest that we keep our dog. We would love to do this, but we have literally spent years working with him under the guidance of very good professionals, and we are clearly not improving his aggression.

What's bugging my laptop?

meta_eli — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:57:00 -0800

My 15" MacBook Pro is buggy. Literally. Every time I turn it on, one or two very small insects crawl out. So, there are two questions here: what are these bugs, and how do I get rid of them? (pic enclosed) The bugs are tiny. I would guess in the 0.5 to 1mm range. I managed to get a picture of one of the bigger buggers (pic1, pic2). As you can see, that one was about as long as the width of the "F" in "F2." Most of them are smaller. Some are much smaller and lighter in color (larval, I assume). They all move pretty fast given their size. They have a soft shell and squish easily.

The bugs appear to be mainly located in the hinge / system fan / upper keyboard area.

The previous question about roaches in a laptop wasn't a whole lot of help. And these clearly aren't roaches.

(no "debug mode" jokes please)