Dear Steve: My puppy gets into the litter box and eats cat poop. How can I break her of this nasty habit? — B.S., Hot Springs, Ark.
Dear B.S.: To dogs, especially puppies, feline feces is like caviar; it’s a delicacy. There’s nothing you can do about that.
However, Amy Shojai, author of ComPETability: A Practical Guide to Building A Peaceable Kingdom Between Cats and Dogs (Three Rivers Press, New York, NY, 1998; $12), has several ideas.
Search for a barrier at a pet store or discount center that all your cats squeeze through but your puppy can’t (measure before you go to the store).
Place a small, sturdy table or decorative chair in the bathroom, and put the litter box on that — assuming all your cats are nimble enough to hop up.
Use a covered litter box, and position it in a corner in such a way that the dog can’t get inside. Warning: Some cats won’t use covered boxes. Now, you must teach the dog not to snack. First, hide around the corner so the puppy can’t see you. When he goes to snack, toss an empty soda can containing four pennies in his direction. It’s essential he doesn’t realize you tossed the can. Be sure the cats aren’t nearby, or they may develop an aversion to the box. You’ll probably have to repeat this exercise a few times until your dog realizes that when he goes snackin’, a terrible noisy thing falls from the sky.
Mix a recipe of two-thirds Tabasco sauce and a third lemon juice and spread it over the cat feces. If the puppy goes to snack once, he won’t do it again. Warning: You must totally clean the box before any of the cats go to use it. That concoction, if left in the box too long, will keep the cats away, too.
Dear Steve: What are the breeds of hypoallergenic cats? — S.T., San Diego, Calif.
Dear S.T.: A truly hypoallergenic breed does not exist. However, for many people, especially those with generally milder allergic reactions, rex breeds with a single wavy coat may be suitable, such as the Devon rex and Cornish rex. Also, the hairless Sphynx breed may be appropriate.
It’s not the hair itself people are allergic to but a protein called FelD1 found in saliva. Following self-grooming, the hair transports the saliva all over the home, which is why low-shedding breeds such as the Devon rex and Cornish rex and the hairless Sphynx may work for those with allergies.
My Pet World appears every Monday. Send e-mail to or write to Steve Dale in care of Tribune Media Services, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60611.
