Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with pet

Are you OK? Are you OK now? What about now? How are you feeling now?

Sara C. — Sat, 25 May 2013 18:48:55 -0800

How often is normal for otherwise healthy pets to have medical emergencies? I've had my dog Alvy for a little more than three months now, and it feels like every other week we are in some kind of animal health crisis.

So far:

At least two instances of eating (cooked) chicken bones and at least one instance of eating chocolate off the street during walks. He was ultimately fine in all these instances.

One cut toe resulting in a $400 visit to the emergency vet and two weeks wearing the Cone Of Shame.

And just now, on another walk, he snarfed a discarded plastic bag containing some goopy stinky Taco Bell that someone had littered in the street*. I was able to pry most of the bag out of his jaws, but he definitely swallowed some of it and now we're on yet another Poop Watch. Per the receptionist at the vet clinic, who suggested observing him before opting to bring him in -- it being a holiday weekend, we could well end up having our second emergency vet visit since April.

Is this normal? Am I being anxious and catastrophizing normal situations? I knew going into pet ownership that emergency health situations where a "when" rather than an "if". But I feel like I'm in a constant state of crisis over my otherwise healthy and active dog's physical well being.

How often do you find yourself calling the vet, taking your dog into the vet, or making visits to the emergency vet?

*Do not even get me started on people throwing half-eaten fast food litter in the street in my neighborhood.

Please help me find this monkey.

macadamiaranch — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:45:17 -0800

Please help me find this monkey. This is my dog Frankie with her favorite toy (and a quarter for scale). This specific monkey toy is her favorite -- other monkey toys aren't as pleasing. We bought a bunch of these at PetSmart when we last saw them and Frankie has worked her way through them. She is on the last one and it is in bad shape. PetSmart doesn't have them anymore (and doesn't know where they came from). Can you help us locate more of these monkeys for Frankie before this one finally disintegrates? Here's a picture of just the monkey.

Need advice on transitioning cats to healthier cat food

8dot3 — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:34:07 -0800

We have 2 cats that are a little less than 2 years old. They are both active and healthy little terrors with no medical issues. One of them seems like she is always hungry. While I get that there are some animals that will whine for food until they drop dead from overfeeding, when I gave her more she seemed happier. However, at that point she gained a little more weight than she should have to remain healthy, so I wanted to find some food that is more nutritious, has less byproducts, more protein and helps them feel fuller. They have been eating Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys wet cat food since we adopted them 14 months ago. They do love that kind.

I got a bunch of different brands and flavors of healthier food recently and tested them (slowly integrating them with their regular food) over the course of a few weeks.
Brands we tested: Weruva, BG, Halo, By Nature, Merrick and bff. By Nature seemed to be the winner, so we started shifting them to that brand. After a couple of weeks of that, they stopped liking the food and got pickier and pickier about it, first turning their noses up at one flavor, then another. I was baffled by this shift, because they'd previously been complete freaks for that brand.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how to transition cats to new food, or suggestions of healthier alternatives to Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys? My goals:high protein, avoiding grain and not costing more than $1.50 for a 5.5 oz can or .89 for a 3 oz can.

One side note: while they were transitioning to the new food, (eating about 3/4 of the new food and 1/4 old food at each meal,) we were on vacation for a week and they had a pet sitter coming in and feeding them. My husband doesn't think that this is relevant {"They really don't seem traumatized, honey…" as they run around the house like the fools they are,} but I wanted to mention it in case it matters.

And since I know y'all will ask, a link to the cuteness.

I'm getting a puppy for my birthday (no, really ...)

lunasol — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:55:39 -0800

I'm getting a puppy! Would love some advice about the first few days/weeks, especially in terms of bringing him to my office. I'm adopting this adorable guy. He was dropped off with his sister at the defacto rescue in a Mexican village, where they were found by a friend and whisked back to the US.

They've been at the friend's house, where they've had lots of opportunity to socialize with people and other dogs, for the last month. They're remarkably healthy and well-adjusted given their tumultuous infancies. I'm taking him home next Friday - we think he's about 8-9 weeks old. They're already great at coming when called, sitting on command (with treats) and walking on a leash. Less great at pooping only outside.

I've been reading up on the proper care and feeding of puppies (and have lived with several adult dogs), but I've got some specific questions:

- Lots of people seem to recommend a "dog toilet," but I'd rather establish with him that he only poops/pees outside. Can I just bring him outside every two hours or so?

- I'll be bringing him with me to my dog-friendly office. My initial plan: keep him mostly in my office with the door closed, possibly in his crate most of the time at first. I was also thinking I'd bring him outside to the same spot every 2 hours to go to the bathroom and then take a short walk (I work next to a greenway). Does this sound reasonable? Also, what's the best way to handle introducing him to the other dogs in the office?

I would also love any general puppy-raising advice. Things to look out for the first few weeks, stuff you wish you'd known your first time with a puppy, etc. Already planning to enroll him in puppy kindergarten, and I have a pretty good puppy set-up at home (fenced-in yard, space for a puppy play area, puppy-proofing this weekend).

Dog Ownership 101

Sara C. — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 17:56:30 -0800

What's it like to be a first-time dog owner? I've wanted a dog on and off for several years now, and it seems like I'm finally in a situation that will allow for it. I have my own apartment which is pretty well situated for dog ownership (small, but there's no reason a smallish dog couldn't hang). There's a yard for supervised pup hangouts. I'm in the habit of going on runs and long walks daily, so it wouldn't be too hard to fold a dog into that routine. It's also looking like the era of insane work hours away from home might be ending for me, at least temporarily, and that if I go back to a crazy 60+ hour work week, I'd be able to afford a walker.

I have a few concerns, though. Mainly that I've never had a dog before. Not even as a kid growing up. I've been around dogs as an adult, walked dogs, pet-sat for dogs, played with dogs. I'm sure I definitely want a dog. But I don't have any experience caring for one full time. Another concern is my neighborhood. A lot of people in my area let their pets wander the streets freely (I wouldn't, obviously). Most of these animals seem docile enough, but the last thing I want is my dog getting into fights on walks. There are a couple of dogs on my block who are able to get into my yard, and we also have a feral cat population.

Additionally, I notice that dogs here in LA aren't as well trained as the dogs I knew back in New York (lots of barking in my neighborhood, lots of dogs growling behind fences). I've never trained a dog before. Is this something I can do?

So OK. Let's say I get a dog. A low-maintenance dog that doesn't need a ton of exercise would be ideal. Probably on the small side. I will need to leave the dog in my (tiny) apartment for several hours a day.

I'm thinking that I'd adopt an adult dog from a local shelter. I don't care much about breed as long as the dog I end up with fits my lifestyle.

What's my game plan, here? How do I get ready for a dog? How do I find the right dog for me? What's the right timeframe for getting a first dog? Is there any non-obvious research I need to do or books I need to read right out of the gate?

If any Southern California folks are reading this, are some shelters better than others? Anything else I should know as a potential LA dog owner?

How to cope with roomie's annoying pets

seesom — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:29:50 -0800

I share an apartment. I have a great relationship with my roommate. When I met her before I moved in she told me “I work a lot of hours, my home is my sanctuary, I like to come home to a calm unstressful environment.” I am the same way. On to the problem. I am not an animal lover but I have lived with dogs and cats before it has been fine. The issue is her dog is a Chihuahua that always barks. Literally every single time I open my door to come home, it starts howling loudly. It stops after about two minutes, but then starts again randomly when it hears something. I work 70 hour weeks and this environment is really annoying me. It has a bark collar which I occasionally will ask my roommate to use and she does. But she will not use the bark collar for longer periods of time. Guests who come to visit me (which is rare, I rarely have visitors) comment on how annoying and excessive the dog barking is. Obviously, I am not planning to stay when the lease ends. Is there anything that I can do? Also, if you are a pet owner, what would you do if you were my roommate? Is either of us being unreasonable?

The care and keeping of anal glands.

phunniemee — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:25:40 -0800

Please explain to me how my dog's butt works. Thank you. My dog, Truman, is a 9.5 month old border terrier. He's been neutered, he's healthy, and he's freaking adorable.

Lately, he's been chasing his tail a bit and sniffing at his butt, and apparently this can be a sign of anal gland issues. He doesn't seem to be terribly displeased with the state of his butt, but better safe than sorry, right?

Problem is, this is my first dog, and I don't know anything about anal glands other than that dogs have them and sometimes they have problems. When he got neutered at 6 months, the vet tech told me she expressed his anal glands while he was still sedated, and that there was poop in there so he might need a poop later, not indicating that there was anything wrong with said anal glands in any way. (Speaking of poop, Truman's poops tend to be a bit on the soft side of normal, which might not be enough to naturally take care of the anal glands? I don't know.)

Anyway, I've read around the internet a bit on this, but I'd like some practical advice:

1) Is this something I need to concern myself with? If so, how often? He's not due back at the vet for several months still, unless he gets sick. He's not scooting...how would I know if he has issues? When I look at his bum, everything looks hunky dory.

2) How would I go about doing this? Most things I've read say leave it to the vet or the groomer (simply because it's gross), but I'm reasonably competent, have a full arsenal of gloves and cleaning supplies, and Truman takes very well to all other sorts of grooming when I'm there doing it.

3) Anything else I should know?

Thank you!

Sick kitty, low on cash.

greta simone — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 13:14:02 -0800

My cat is sick. I have next to no money. Is there a really-truly-worth it pet insurance company you recommend? Or is there a place I can apply for financial assistance? These are the details:

My cat, Greta, which is also this Greta, is a 10 year old female DSH, spayed, indoor-only cat. She's been showing bad symptoms and I have been taking her to a vet I'm really happy with (I have seen other, [only-slightly] cheaper vets in the city that I have not been as happy with. We have been putting her through some tests to figure out what's wrong with her. Best-case-scenario: She has a kidney disease I will have to treat her for for the rest of her life. Worst-case-scenario: Cancer.

I've already spent $600 on tests and visits alone over the past two weeks, and we haven't yet figured out what the deal is, but either way, I know I will be spending more money in the coming weeks to figure it out. I spoke with the vet about costs and my options. While they don't offer a payment plan, they offer essentially a line of credit that I could use to pay for the visits. I researched the line of credit, which would only offer so much, at a 27% apr. I looked into my existing credit and I can extend my current credit line the same amount as the vet-credit offered, at my existing 14% apr. So I have extended my credit the allowed amount. This is still not much (I know because I've spent as much for less serious but still critical care in the past) and will likely not cover the worst-case-scenarios. I am already struggling to pay my own bills as it is, though obviously I am working on that. I have nothing of any value to sell that isn't of vital importance.

My cat is not in any pain, and is otherwise healthy enough. My vet said that whatever it is, it has been caught early (according to the rate at which blood indicators show) so I have no plans to put her down in the event of worst-case-scenario, and fully plan on giving her treatments for whatever until things tip the scale to where she is in pain.

So I'm seeking a few options:

#1) I have heard of organizations or groups that offer some free assistance to people that can't afford treatments. Do you know of any groups where I can apply for such a thing? I'm in NYC if that's relevant.

#2) Are there any pet insurance companies that are actually worth the value that will cover serious care for an already aging cat? I can probably scrounge up $50 a month to pay a premium, but not the $500 every few weeks that I've already had to do.

Also, my cat is very sensitive to new environments and people and other animals (and my absence) so any suggestions to rehouse her with someone who could pay are not acceptable, as rehousing her would be as much of a blow to her quality of life as an untreated illness. I am only seeking suggestions on how to afford her care.

Please help. Thank you.

Cat sitter in Boston

maryrussell — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:36:29 -0800

I moved back to Boston a bit over a year ago. previously I was living in the suburbs in a southeastern city and had a really great pet sitter: she would come to the house to care for my pets daily when I travelled. I have had trouble finding a similar person here. I have had a few short work-related trips, for which my building doorman sufficed. When I took a longer personal vacation, I used yelp to find a pet sitter. The person I chose was recommended but REALLY did not measure up. (ie did not show up at all:please memail me if you want who never to use). I am looking for someone who will come to my home daily to feed/water my 2 cats. I live in Fort Point (so parking can be a challenge). Anyone have suggestions? (note; I prefer to leave my cats in situ as vs boarding them)

Help us name our cats.

baby beluga — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 13:32:34 -0800

We just acquired two new kittens from the shelter. Problem: we are stumped as to what to name them. Obligatory cat photo provided by the shelter. I haven't taken any yet because they're both still hiding inside the carry case we brought them home in.

They're four months old, both female. Names we have batted around, with varying degrees of seriousness: Lucy, Wallace (after Alfred Russel Wallace), Marie Curie, Lorenz (after Ed Lorenz -- this one was not my idea), Harriet. We like scientists and "human" names. I have been informed that I am under no circumstances allowed to name them something "stupid" like Bagel and Cream Cheese. But please provide these anyway and I will sweet-talk my partner into going along with it.

Can I give my cat Sustagen?

mule — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:19:21 -0800

Can I give my cat Sustagen? My cat is at least twenty years old, and is obviously slowly getting towards the end of her life. Over the last few months she has been eating much less and has lost a lot of weight and muscle tone. Apart from this she is very happy.

Is it safe to give her a nutritional supplement like Sustagen to give her a bit of a boost?

Please help me administer eye drops three times a day to a very skittish little dog

scody — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 11:17:12 -0800

Please help me administer eye drops three times a day to a very skittish little dog. My little terrier mix, Duncan, needs eye drops three times a day for the next two weeks (he's blind in one eye and is prone to infections and conjunctivitis). He is EXTREMELY skittish, nervous, and squirmy.

My vet showed me how she gives drops to him -- she kneels behind him and sort of wedges him in between her knees, then tilts his head back with one hand, widens his eye, and puts the drops right in. It looks so easy. I even practiced at the vet's office and it worked fine. And then, at home: he panics and snaps at me and squirms away and gets stressed out for hours (and only about 30% of the time I've managed to get a drop in). He's really scrawny and I fear holding him too firmly will actually injure him. My partner's out of town and will be until after the holidays, so there's no additional set of hands to hold him for me.

PLEASE help me, preferably by pointing me to videos or photos that show specifically how to use this technique on an uncooperative dog. (Note that most of the videos I've found on youtube show totally cooperative, mellow beasts. This is not my dog.)

Help Me Clone My Cat

BitterOldPunk — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 21:17:01 -0800

I want to clone my cat. I have the best cat ever. He is smart. He is dependable. He kicks ass. He poops outdoors, he catches mice, he doesn't run out into the middle of the street.

He's also 15 years old.

I want another cat just like him when the time comes that we have to say goodbye.

He is neutered.

What do I need to do to preserve his DNA? Is this a pipe dream, or a possible thing?

I'm willing to spend up to, eh, three grand.

What?

He's an awesome cat.

Name this dog!

aoleary — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:29:38 -0800

Help me name this adorable Boston Terrier puppy! The dog's human dad-to-be likes short, tough names. But really, we just want some great options when we finally bring him home this weekend! Here's the adorable photo!

Oh birds!

wierdo — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:22:08 -0800

So we're unexpectedly in receipt of a pet bird. What do we need to know? So there's this little green parrot, Kiwi. She's been happily living in someone's office for a good many years now, but new owners say the bird has got to go. This hopefully won't turn into a permanent situation, but somebody's got to take the bird until a permanent home is found.

Given that we already have three dogs and three cats, it'll be interesting to say the least. Luckily, we have a room that we can close off to the other animals when direct supervision is impossible, so safety from the other animals shouldn't be an issue. (hopefully they'll pay the bird no mind, but I'm planning for the worst, not the best)

We'll get advice from the present owners about feeding schedules and the like, but I really know nothing about birds. I do know this particular bird is fine venturing beyond her cage, at least when other animals aren't around. (I have a terminally cute picture of her sitting on my shoulder some years back) However, I've got little clue regarding caring for birds.

What needs to be done to make the house bird safe? I've heard that just about anything will kill them, so I'm somewhat concerned about this aspect, but fortuitously, we just had our furnace inspected and it's not spewing large volumes of carbon monoxide or anything. We do use a gas stove and oven for cooking, but the kitchen is on the other side of a poorly insulated and drafty house. What else do we need to know? Does anyone have any good resources on pet birds?

Any tips you have would be greatly appreciated. Whether this ends up being a two week thing, two month thing, or twenty year thing (I don't know how long small parrots live?) I'd like to make Kiwi's stay as pleasant and healthy as possible. Talk to me like I'm three, because I really have no clue beyond my 7th grade science teacher having had a couple of cockatiels at school, whose cage cleaning duties I had to attend to a couple of times. I don't even know what temperature they need to be kept at.

Sorry for the rambly style. I really have no idea, so I don't even know what information is relevant or what I don't know. There's lots of unknown unknowns for me here.

Old dog, new tricks?

Pomo — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:51:59 -0800

What sorts of things should we be considering to keep an older dog amused and happy? The new addition to our family is a large breed neutered male, aged 10-13 years (not sure; got him second-hand). We are concerned that he doesn't get enough mental stimulation and want to make sure his golden years are as pleasant as possible.

I'm looking for suggestions for techniques, tricks, tips, and products that might help in this regard.

He is dog-agressive, so can't go to off-leash parks or have play dates. He doesn't have any interest in toys and really only gets playful once in a blue moon; the only kind of play is wrestling with humans (no tug of war or anything like that will interest him). He gives up easily on Kong-style toys despite being highly food-motivated.

He usually sleeps most of the day while the family is at work, sleeps through the night, and also sleeps some of the time while everyone is around in the evenings. He's a little overweight from too many table scraps and a very healthy apetite, but doesn't seem to enjoy walks longer than 30 minutes or so (will put the brakes on mid-block). I don't think it's from any kind of physical pain: he seems to be hale and hearty, just mostly lazy.

So, I guess my question is: is this dog actually happy sleeping that often? Should we force a more vigorous exercise regime and hope he learns to like it? Are there any products that we could use during the day to give him something interesting to do, given that he doesn't like toys? Is it a good idea to leave the windows open so he can see the world and bark at things (don't worry, no neighbours) or does that stress a dog out? Are there any tricks I should be teaching (besides the basics already learned -- sit, leave it, stay, lie down, roll over, shake paw) that won't wear out the old joints? Maybe he could be trained to run a vacuum so we're not constantly picking black fur off ourselves?

It's a pretty broad question because we're willing to consider all sorts of suggestions. Just let me know if more detail would be helpful.

Jet Set Puggle

griphus — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 08:35:31 -0800

Our 24-lb puggle (for scale: I am 5'6") needs a soft-sided carrier and also to get stuffed into said carrier. NB: We will not be taking her on airplanes any time soon. This will be for the bus/subway and extended car trips.

What's a good carrier for a 25-lb puggle?

Amazon is having a Pet Tuesday event tomorrow, so I intend to buy it there and then and get it shipped next-day (we need it for Friday.) The problem is that I cannot for the life of me figure out how big the actual carriers are, nor what would be a comfortable size for the dog. The same carrier will have reviews saying "too big!" and "too small!" for the same sized animal, and very few of these seem to be made for a dog >22lbs., which is confusing. One company's "large" is another's "medium" and we tried to compare in person at the pet store and we're running into the same issues. Right now all we have to go on is "Sherpa makes good ones" and that's about it.

How do you get a dog in a carrier?

While she doesn't mind tight spaces (she cuddled up REAL tight with people and hangs out in her kennel sometimes) we have yet to figure out how to get her into a carrier. We had a test run at the pet shop on Saturday and hoo-boy she was just not having it. What are some good tips to get her to at least not absolutely HATE her new carrier by Friday?

It's not me, it's you - rabbit edition

kat518 — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 07:23:15 -0800

Should we get rid of the rabbit? And what about this cat? Several months ago, my husband and I had a pet rabbit who was getting sick and on the way out. A friend texted me to say someone had left a rabbit in a cage on her front lawn and would we like to adopt the rabbit. It seemed very much like fate - one pet getting sick, another healthy pet shows up, hooray! Naturally, it has not been that easy.

The sickly rabbit we had had since she was a baby and she was about as sweet as a rabbit could be. The new rabbit has been a handful. We thought that maybe she just needed time and love. It's made a little bit of a difference but not a lot.

She chews on everything, which I understand - rabbit #1 chewed too but it seemed like she chewed less or slowed down at one point. And this rabbit chews on *everything* - the floor, books, clothes, the molding, the window sill, cords, the cord protectors we put down, her cage. She has chewed through bars on her cage! I think part of the problem is that she shouldn't be in her cage all day and we let her out when we can supervise but it's not fun.

Also, she is really aggressive. She grunts at us, charges, fights, bites. I'll let her hop around a small space for a bit and she'll sit with me and let me pet her for a while, then decide that it's time to fight. We went away for the holiday and a friend went to feed her and naturally she bit the hand that was feeding her.

I've tried to make it work but I feel like it's not working. She's very cute and soft but she's just not nice. The moments where I think, this could work, she's being nice and cute now, are outweighed by the moments where I think, dear god, when is she going to stop doing that?! Even the vet (though a non-rabbit specialist) could barely handle her. I feel badly because we've been trying to make it work. I hate giving up on anything. And I think my husband has warmed to her more than I have. But I feel like owning her has created more stress than not.

I think part of the problem is that I really want a pet. I would like a dog but I don't think we can do a dog right now. Even if we could, our landlord is not dog friendly. I've been looking for a dog friendly place and have had no luck.

Meanwhile, my father has a cat who I love. He has said many times that I could have her. My siblings have heard him say many times that I can have her. But my mother's dead so I feel like the cat is all he has - I know that's not true but she's home when he comes home and loves him so I don't want to take that away from him. So maybe I could find a similar cat. But I reallllly love my dad's kitty. And after having a jerk rabbit, I worry that we would find a worse cat.

If we were going to get rid of the rabbit, I would contact the House Rabbit Society and tell them what happened because hopefully they could find someone who would love her. But who knows. I feel like she's probably miserable with us so anything else would be an improvement. But I would still feel badly if I found out she had to be euthanized.

TL; DR - Our pet rabbit provides far fewer moments of joy than annoyance and frustration. Should we get rid of her somehow? If so, should we consider a cat in her replacement or take this one step at a time?

How to eavesdrop on your pets using technology

epanalepsis — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:17:28 -0800

Rabbits may vocalize in frequencies humans can't hear. How can I record my rabbits talking and play it back to myself? They're quiet, but rabbits do talk. They growl when angry or threatened, they make a honking/huffing noise when they are very excited, and they will scream when they think they are in mortal danger. Those are all noises you can hear easily if you are paying attention.

However, sometimes my house rabbits will do things that make me think they are talking to each other, but I don't hear anything. For example, one rabbit is behind the couch and the other is in the middle of the room--they can't see each other, but suddenly they swivel their ears to each other and both make the same motion. Rabbits can hear sounds in frequencies of 360-42,000 Hz whereas humans can hear 64-23,000 Hz so I suspect they are speaking in frequencies I cannot hear.

I would like to somehow record my rabbits talking to each other and play it back in a range that I can hear. Is this possible, and what would the best way to do it be? I have no experience with sound recording and no idea of what kind of equipment or software would be useful. The rabbits themselves are pretty tame, live in my apartment, and would put up with me doing weird things around them, fwiw.

What items add enjoyment to a hedgehog's life?

Ufez Jones — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 17:16:32 -0800

Hedgehog owners of MeFi: what are some awesome toys or treats that your spiny kiddo really goes nuts for? I really don't know much about hedgehogs, but I need to buy a gift for a co-worker that has a young female hedgy. Ordering online is cool, or I can easily pick up something at my local pet-supply joint (or either of the major big-box pet stores). Let's set a flexible budget cap around $20. Specifically looking for items that will add to the animal's well-being (meaning: not really interested in Hedgehog-themed jewelry or prints from etsy). Thanks.

Can I drive 1600 miles in a Mini Cooper with 4 cats?

pinkbungalow — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 13:33:58 -0800

Can I drive 1600 miles in a Mini Cooper with 4 cats? I realize just the question alone will make me seem a little crazy to some... I will be spending a few months in Maine next summer, and need to drive there from FL. The cats aren't "good" travelers, but they do ride in the car on occasion - usually to the vet. Yes, they'll howl and maybe freak out a little for a while, but I hope eventually they'll settle down. I'll probably have them in 3 cat carriers - two of them might be ok together in one larger crate.

I have a few months perhaps to desensitize them.... maybe I need to take them for rides around the neighborhood, reward them for getting in the carrier on their own if they do?

Has anyone done something like this that might offer some tips? I don't want to tranquilize them or anything. What can I do to make it less traumatic on all of us? Leaving them home isn't an option, and there is a good chance the same trip may need to be done again for a final move from here to there.

Airline where pet can fly w/o certificate of health from vet. Sandy Emergency!

LLF246 — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:58:35 -0800

Emergency! Does anyone know of an airline (or other option) that allows pets to fly as cargo without a certificate of health from the vet? I know there are one or two. I'm in an emergency sandy situation. I have no power, water, cell service and am moving across the country flight booked Nov 12. I have a dog and have to get my dog to the vet (walk 30+ blocks and she has a torn acl) to get her a bill of health to fly as cargo per most airline regulations. She's too big to fly in cabin (30 lb corgi.) I know there are one or two airlines that don't require a bill of health but I have zero time to do a deep internet search as I can only use internet briefly and only if I walk 30 blocks and many avenues. Also we are expecting a freezing storm Monday and she can not fly AT ALL if temps are below 45. I need to get her on a plane ASAP. Can someone please advise?

How to adopt a Boston Terrier, without waiting months?

amoeba — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 11:57:12 -0800

What's the best way to adopt a Boston Terrier (without waiting months and months)? We know we'd like to adopt a Boston Terrier, ideally a young adult male. We initially didn't want to buy a purebred dog from a breeder, and have signed up with the local Boston Terrier rescue groups, and have been approved for adoption, but it's been months and nothing. Responding to animals on Petfinder and Craigslist almost never get a response. But now we're getting frustrated and are starting to think a breeder is the only way to go.

Are there other ways to adopt a specific breed dog, more quickly? We've been waiting a few months now and would like to move a little faster due to some upcoming housing and professional changes that will make now the right time to adopt.

What is this puppy's name?

ohsnapdragon — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 08:44:58 -0800

Name my scrappy survivor terrier puppy? This is our new puppy. She is about 10 weeks old, we think, and some sort of terrier mix - border terrier? She has survived a lot in her short life and is the only remaining member of her litter although you would never know it from her demeanor. She is a little shy and cautious still, but seems hardy, smart and playful.

Pictures here.

Names we like:
Winnie (but our friends already have a dog with this name, which is a little weird maybe)
Rooney (but may be too similar in sound to our cat, Dewey)
Wren (but my wife says it reminds her of Ren and Stimpy)

We like people names that are a bit unusual or nicknames. We like names that end in an "ee" sound (Emmy, Mattie, etc.) We'd like something either tomboy-ish or old-fashioned or both. Bonus points for a name that has a meaning like strong or brave, but it's not a necessity.

Right now we call her "nugget" or "dumpling" but it's time to give her a proper name. Suggestions? Votes?

Psychoanalyze my cat

apostrophe — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 11:13:44 -0800

Calling all amateur Jackson Galaxy-wannabes: why is my cat such a jerk toward guests, when he's a bundle of love the rest of the time? I'm not sure what the problem is with my cat Barricade. He's the most affectionate cat (toward me & my husband) that I've ever met. But as soon as guests come over, he turns into a little demon: hissing, swatting, growling. He doesn't act scared--it feels more like territorial aggression, even when my guests ignore him. For example, one time a friend (small, female, quiet) was sleeping on our couch. Barricade tried to attack her while she was asleep, clearly presenting no threat to him. I am a huge fan of My Cat From Hell and have tried every hint from the show that I can think of, but nothing's working.

all the details:
Barricade & his sister Beatrix are our only pets. They are about 2 years old. We got them from a rescue organization. They get along great, cuddling & playing.
There are no medical issues that we're aware of. No litter box problems (at the moment--there were some "pooping outside the box" situations before we got the right food & litter combo, plus eradicated all the intestinal parasites the kittens came with).
We play with them all the time. They both love to chase the feathers-on-a-string.
They are both indoor cats.
He is neutered and his sister is spayed.
The house is pretty large--1500 square feet with a 2nd story. It's not like he doesn't have anywhere to go if he's annoyed.
We provided them with lots of "vertical space" (awesome cat tree by the window) though they don't use it that much (we think they are bush-dwellers). But they hang out on top of the couch or my desk to look out the window. They have toys galore and a few scratching posts.

My husband & I are both somewhat introverted & don't have guests that often--maybe once every 2 months. However...

...the problem started when my sister was staying with us for 7 months straight after she graduated from college & was looking for work. At first the cats were very affectionate with my sister, but after she had been living with us for 3 months Barricade started with the growling and hissing. My sister tried ignoring him, playing with him, being the one that fed him, being the one that gave him treats. But nothing helped. And yeah, I was kind of ready for her to go, so it's possible that Barricade was picking up on my own tension/stress. But still--sometimes in life you need to put up with guests that you'd prefer to leave. It's not ok that every time I have someone staying with me that I'm not 1000% delighted by at every single moment that the cat's going to attack, you know?

As soon as my sister left, he returned to normal. Until someone comes over.

He is okay with some people more than others.

He does seem to be more aggressive toward women.

My husband & I are talking about having kids in the next year or so. I'd hate to have to get rid of the cat if he can't be trusted around the theoretical baby.

Any ideas?