Pet Stress and Pet Behavior Problems

Pets like predictable schedules. The ability to predict regular routines and times for meals, attention and exercise reduces pets’ stress by giving them a measure of control over their lives. (Read more at http://www.petstress.com/environment/home.php )

My cat Smokey has a rigid morning routine which requires him to walk on many counters and take over the entire kitchen. He starts every morning by blocking my access to the coffee maker. I measure the coffee around him while getting glossy dense cat fur in the filter and grounds on the counter.

Next he moves along the counter to sit in front of his food and give me the evil eye until I feed him.

He eats, and then does his big morning wash up on the kitchen bench while I wait an eternity for my coffee.

After the cleanup he wants petting, attention and scintillating conversation. I’d need x-ray vision to read the paper through him anyway so we nuzzle, we talk, we get fur in our eyes and I get an occasional sip of coffee.

We both enjoy this quiet time together, and when he tires of my attention, he falls asleep, on my paper. I can listen to the news on the radio later. The day has begun.

My cat Smokey knew all the signs of an upcoming family vacation such as suitcases on beds and bikes lined up ready to be loaded on the van.  He moved into action as a potential stowaway.

He packed himself in a suitcase,

and was not happy when I discovered him.

He packed himself in a duffle bag instead.

He attempted to get strapped in place on the roof rack with the bikes.

He looked for a stowaway spot in the back of the van.

He plastered himself on family members.

Smokey started to relax when he realized one of his favorite humans was staying home with him.

Pet separation anxiety is quite common and they really do miss you when you’re away. You can read more about reducing your pet’s separation anxiety at http://www.petstress.com/environment/anxiety.php

My friend Joan, her cairn terrier Rosco, and I took a hot and humid two hour walk this morning.

Rosco is always wonderfully enthusiastic about walks. Like other cairns, he is peppy, affectionate and curious. Many of the books about caring for cairns warn owners that they are active little dogs who need walks every day, because their need for exercise will not be satisfied by play alone, and inactivity will lead to stress-related behavior problems.

Rosco checks to see who has been around,

and marks everything (size is no obstacle), including the dry-docked boats along our route.

It rained heavily towards the end of our walk. Rosco would have been happy to stay out in the rain, but I had my camera so we headed to our favorite coffee place in town. He enjoyed resting near the doorway and greeting the morning coffee drinkers.

Cairns are great with children and easily become members of their human families. However, owners are often advised that cairns try to be the pack leader to all other dogs as well as humans, and need firm but gentle guidance to prevent them from becoming too dominant in their households. Personally, I love what big personalities they have in those small bodies!

Here's some advice about table manners for pets:

Waiting is good behavior:

Waiting patiently is better behavior:

Looking sad might be acceptable behavior:

Begging is less acceptable behavior:

Hiding behind the chopsticks won't fool anyone:

Stalking the younger humans could get you in trouble:

Or it could get you watermelon:

You can learn about how diet and nutrition can alleviate your pets' stress-related behavior problems at www.PetStress.com       

Unlike the other members of my family, my cat Smokey seems to love all aspects of laundry chores. A five person family can produce a daunting amount of laundry, and someone is always sorting clothes, vying for a turn at the machines, creatively negotiating other favors in exchange for laundry services, procrastinating, folding and piling, so there are many opportunities for cat involvement along the way. And as pet owners know so well, the companionship of pets always relieves the boredom and loneliness and increases the fun!

Smokey supervises during sorting and looks resigned when the teenagers mix the light and dark color items together.

The real fun begins once the clean clothes start coming up from the basement. Sometimes he finds the lightest colored clean clothes to nestle into and forces himself to shed some of his short grey hairs so everyone knows we’re cat keepers. (It’s a more polite form of marking and we appreciate his good manners.)

He helps the clothes achieve that careless but cool wrinkled look that's so popular. We can’t imagine how non-cat owners get the right wrinkles pressed into their jeans without a hot cat body sleeping on them.

Some loads incite a frisky reaction.

Other loads, such as boring table linens, inspire cat naps.

And it’s always nice to take a break from chores to experience quality cat time.