A dog question that is ultimately a cat question.

jazzyp · Mar 12, 2017

My problem has to do with dog behavior, but ultimately, the question is about what is safe for my cats. If this post belongs somewhere else, please accept my apologies.

I have two dogs, one of whom will not stay away from the litter boxes. The dogs receive quality food, so it's not any kind of nutritional deficiency. In fact, one of them has stopped this behavior entirely since I upgraded their diet. I have six cats, and it is not feasible for me to put all of the boxes where the dogs can't get at them, nor will an enclosed box help, as the dog who does this is small enough to get in, anyway, and besides, one of my cats refuses to use an enclosed box.

My question (now you will see why it is here) is, is there anything I can add to the cats' food that will make it less palatable to this pup? I know they make things you can put in a dog's food to keep him from eating his own poo, but do they have similar products for cats? If so, are they safe? I scoop as often as I can, to deter it that way, but sometimes poop happens when I am out of the house.

Help! If there's nothing I can add to the food that is safe for the cats, I guess I will just have to put up with this now and then, but it really is gross, especially since my dog loves to give puppy kisses.

lalagimp · Mar 12, 2017

PetSafe Pawz Away Indoor Pet Barrier

I hated to do it but I set it up so much dog couldn't get within 3 feet of the litter box. She kept making herself sick and had to go to the vet and then get crated a few times. We walked around with it on our arm to see how strong it was. We had it on her a few months before I let her go live with my parents where they had only dogs. She lived with them almost 4 more years until she died just before Tom was hospitalized last month.

SeventhHeaven · Mar 12, 2017

Coprophagia Tips on what to feed so they will dislike the taste, some additives

are high in sodium (many things are) maybe short term solution-collar at the end good for training young dogs.

orange&white · Mar 12, 2017

Two out of three dogs I've owned thought that cat cookies were the "bestest" treats they ever tasted.

Here is how I broke one of the dogs from noshing on the sweet steaming morsels:

Clean the box and save one "cookie". Spray it heavily with Bitter Apple spray. Place the cookie directly on the floor (if you have ceramic tile...if not, maybe use a saucer). Place it about 8-12 inches in front of the cat box. The next time the dog goes cookie hunting, it will likely snatch up the forbidden treat without sniffing first. The dog probably won't like the new recipe and will spit it out.

One of my dogs had to try about 3 "spoiled" cookies over one weekend, and then never tried eating anything out of the cat box again.

My second cat-cookie loving dog, was dissuaded by this trick for a few weeks at a time, but it was not a long-term or permanent fix with her.

Maybe worth a try for you, especially if you already have a bottle of Bitter Apple on hand.

(The reason I put the tainted cookie on the floor was that I worried the cats might not want to use the litter if I put a bitter-smelling poop into their box.)

jazzyp · Mar 12, 2017

Orange&White said:
Two out of three dogs I've owned thought that cat cookies were the "bestest" treats they ever tasted.

Here is how I broke one of the dogs from noshing on the sweet steaming morsels:

Clean the box and save one "cookie". Spray it heavily with Bitter Apple spray. Place the cookie directly on the floor (if you have ceramic tile...if not, maybe use a saucer). Place it about 8-12 inches in front of the cat box. The next time the dog goes cookie hunting, it will likely snatch up the forbidden treat without sniffing first. The dog probably won't like the new recipe and will spit it out.

One of my dogs had to try about 3 "spoiled" cookies over one weekend, and then never tried eating anything out of the cat box again.

My second cat-cookie loving dog, was dissuaded by this trick for a few weeks at a time, but it was not a long-term or permanent fix with her.

Maybe worth a try for you, especially if you already have a bottle of Bitter Apple on hand.

(The reason I put the tainted cookie on the floor was that I worried the cats might not want to use the litter if I put a bitter-smelling poop into their box.)

I do have some, as a matter of fact, so I will try that. Thanks!

jazzyp · Mar 12, 2017

Seventhheaven said:
Coprophagia Tips on what to feed so they will dislike the taste, some additives

are high in sodium (many things are) maybe short term solution-collar at the end good for training young dogs.

There are some interesting suggestions in the video, but most of them seem to address dogs eating their own poop, which is not the problem here.

Sort of a funny story...years ago, I had a dog who stole food from people's plates. We tried putting Tabasco sauce on some food and leaving it where we knew she could get at it. The only thing that happened was that she developed a taste for super-spicy food. She did eventually get over the habit, but not because of the hot sauce.

I'll probably try the bitter apple another poster suggested, as I have some stashed away in a drawer that I had all but forgotten about.

jazzyp · Mar 12, 2017

lalagimp said:
PetSafe Pawz Away Indoor Pet Barrier

I hated to do it but I set it up so much dog couldn't get within 3 feet of the litter box. She kept making herself sick and had to go to the vet and then get crated a few times. We walked around with it on our arm to see how strong it was. We had it on her a few months before I let her go live with my parents where they had only dogs. She lived with them almost 4 more years until she died just before Tom was hospitalized last month.

It's an idea, for people whose living space will accommodate that kind of "no-go" zone. Unfortunately, mine will not, as the boxes are too close to things my dog needs to be able to reach.

SeventhHeaven · Mar 13, 2017

JazzyP said:
There are some interesting suggestions in the video, but most of them seem to address dogs eating their own poop, which is not the problem here.

Sort of a funny story...years ago, I had a dog who stole food from people's plates. We tried putting Tabasco sauce on some food and leaving it where we knew she could get at it. The only thing that happened was that she developed a taste for super-spicy food. She did eventually get over the habit, but not because of the hot sauce.

I'll probably try the bitter apple another poster suggested, as I have some stashed away in a drawer that I had all but forgotten about.

   That's not what I heard @ 1:05 you need to have an open mind poop is poop you asked about What to feed a CAT??

check out Meat tenderizers must be low sodium http://www.mycathatesyou.com/forums-old/5/t-28299.html scroll to 7th entry

The product called Forbid is also fed to cats....Do what ever works!

   Good Luck

jazzyp · Mar 13, 2017

Seventhheaven said:
   That's not what I heard @ 1:05 you need to have an open mind poop is poop you asked about What to feed a CAT??

check out Meat tenderizers must be low sodium http://www.mycathatesyou.com/forums-old/5/t-28299.html scroll to 7th entry

The product called Forbid is also fed to cats....Do what ever works!

   Good Luck

Okay, thanks! I did search, but didn't find anything that said it was okay for cats, and I never give them anything without making sure it's safe. I'll check these out.

jazzyp · Mar 13, 2017

It looks like the bitter apple is going to do the trick. I tried it, and when Bandit picked up his little snack, he immediately dropped it and walked away with a very offended expression on his face. He hasn't been to the box since, although I suspect it may take more than once to really break him of the habit. As an added bonus, this may also stop him stealing and shredding dropped paper towels and Kleenex, as I put the cat cookie on a paper towel before I sprayed it down. "Sanitize" cycle on our dishwasher aside, I really couldn't bring myself to put cat poo on a saucer.

orange&white · Mar 13, 2017

JazzyP said:
It looks like the bitter apple is going to do the trick. I tried it, and when Bandit picked up his little snack, he immediately dropped it and walked away with a very offended expression on his face. He hasn't been to the box since, although I suspect it may take more than once to really break him of the habit. As an added bonus, this may also stop him stealing and shredding dropped paper towels and Kleenex, as I put the cat cookie on a paper towel before I sprayed it down. "Sanitize" cycle on our dishwasher aside, I really couldn't bring myself to put cat poo on a saucer.

I'll never forget the look on my dogs' faces when the poo "gift" was unexpectedly sour. Priceless isn't it? lol

Hope it works for you long run.

My little terrier would get over it every few months and start stealing cookies again, but at least it wasn't every day.

A dog question that is ultimately a cat question.

jazzyp

TCS Member

Thread starter

lalagimp

TCS Member

SeventhHeaven

TCS Member

orange&white

TCS Member

jazzyp

TCS Member

Thread starter

jazzyp

TCS Member

Thread starter

jazzyp

TCS Member

Thread starter

SeventhHeaven

TCS Member

jazzyp

TCS Member

Thread starter

jazzyp

TCS Member

Thread starter

orange&white

TCS Member

Latest Posts

Connect with us