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6 Secrets for a Well-Behaved Pet

Is your pet's bad behavior driving you crazy? Here's how to fix six common problems.

from 1001 Do-It-Yourself Hints & Tips
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Problem: Your cat has accidents around the house.

Solution: After cleaning up a cat “accident,” wipe the area with a cloth moistened with ammonia. The pungent odor will kill the smell of cat urine and will prevent the cat from returning to the same spot to relieve itself.

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Problem: Your cat keeps digging up the plants in the garden.

Solution: Stockpile orange, grapefruit, and lemon rinds in the freezer over the winter. In the spring and summer, poke the rinds into the soil of flower and vegetable gardens, then cover them with a light dusting of soil.

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Problem: Your dog repeatedly digs up the same spot in the yard.

Solution: Scatter a crumbled cake of toilet freshener over the area—the smell will keep the dog away.

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Problem: Your cat jumps onto all your furniture.

Solution: Place strips of double-sided adhesive tape on tables and other surfaces that are off-limits to your cat. Cats hate the feel of the adhesive on their paws, and will soon learn to keep off.

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Problem: Your dog keeps gnawing on its paw, tail, or fur.

Solution: Paint the spot with clove oil, available at pharmacies and drugstores. The horrible taste will discourage the chewing.

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Problem: Your cat avoids the litter box.

Solution: Dip a cotton ball into some lemon juice, then put the ball into a lidded tea strainer, and hang it where the cat has chosen to urinate—the smell should discourage the cat and send it boxward.

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Your Comments

  • Cindyl161

    Ammonia will attract a pet to urinate their again. Ammonia is what puts the smell in the urine.

  • Babyunagi

    Problems: If your cat avoids the litterbox, take it to the vet. It could be due to a UTI or a blockage, which is cheap & easy to fix if treated early & often fixes the issue, but if left untreated, could potentially kill the cat in the long run.

    Problem: If your animal is constantly gnawing or licking itself beyond the usual, take it to the vet.

    Problem: If your cat is being annoying outdoors, don’t worry. It’ll most likely be hit by a car, catch a disease, or be maimed/killed by a predator long before its time should be up.

    • L.W.

      I’m a vet, and tried a month ago to post a comment addressing the huge problems with the advice in this article. Oddly enough, it never made it through the moderated queue.

      In any case, thanks for being a voice of reason here.

    • L.W.

      I’m a vet, and tried a month ago to post a comment addressing the huge problems with the advice in this article. Oddly enough, it never made it through the moderated queue.

      In any case, thanks for being a voice of reason here.

    • L.W.

      I’m a vet, and tried a month ago to post a comment addressing the huge problems with the advice in this article. Oddly enough, it never made it through the moderated queue.

      In any case, thanks for being a voice of reason here.

  • shropshirelass

    Most of the behavioural issues on here are likely to be due to environmental or medical issues. Putting something in the spot that your pet is doing something you don’t like is not going to resolve the original problem. Please ask your vet.

  • Hellokitty123

    when you said if your cat is being anoying outdoors it might be hurt what did you mean by that

  • Hellokitty123

    if your cat or dog throws up clean it with ammonia so you don’t ghet sick or it might have vireses that will get you really sick