One major problem you encounter as a cat owner involves your cat's use (or non-use) of her litter box.
This is probably one of the most frustrating issues that arise in caring for your new cat. You buy a litter box, often an expensive one, fill it with good quality litter, and then find your cat defecating or urinating somewhere else in the house. Even more frustrating is when you discover that your cat "does her business" near the litter box, but not in it.
You have, of course, taken your cat to the vet who has pronounced her "healthy". So, you've ruled out any physical ailment. You've changed the litter; you've cleaned the box. You've made sure no other cat is going in her box.
And yet, she's still doing it - you still have problems:
· your cat is going somewhere else in the house
· your cat is going next to the litter box
· your cat is going half in and half out
The last possibility can often be solved by getting a larger box: something resembling a tub that your cat can still get into and out of without too much trouble but will confine the scat (not the cat) to the tub.
But the first two difficulties often remain.
The Invisible Culprit
What could be the problem? I'd like to pose a possible answer in one word: plastic.
Most litter boxes, no matter how elaborate or expensive, are made of one plastic or another.
Plastics are polymers…huge molecules made by chemically "stringing together" smaller molecular units. Sometimes the units are all identical, sometimes they vary in composition and recur with some regularity. However all plastics are "organic" compounds.
In case you've forgotten your high school chemistry, organic compounds are primarily made up of Carbon and Hydrogen, sometimes with other elements such as Nitrogen, Phosphorous or Sulfur thrown in.
The plastics used in constructing most cheap cat litter boxes are relatively flexible - they can be easily bent. When you pick yours up to clean it, you'll find it bending as you carry it out the door. It's composed of a flexible plastic.
Flexible plastics are made that way by the addition of what's termed "plasticizers". Plasticizers are small organic molecules, usually phthalate esters that are added to the polymer to increase its flexibility.
Other litter boxes, particularly the self cleaning ones, are not so flexible. Since they are self cleaning, they are not designed to be picked up, and are generally constructed of several smaller, harder, plastic parts.
Hard plastics are formed in molds (forms into which the plastic is poured, where it hardens and takes shape). The molds are first coated with a "mold release" agent to enable the removal of the plastic part from the mold - otherwise it would stick to it and stay there.
Both materials - the plasticizer and the mold release agent- remain as a residue on (or in) the plastic. And both materials can "outgas", that is, be released into the air, immediately after your litter box has been manufactured, and, in the cases of flexible plastics, from then on.
Even though you can't smell anything…
So, if you've tried everything to induce your cat to "go" in her litter box and nothing has worked, could it be that your cat is sensitive to the plasticizers or the mold release agents used in the manufacture of her litter box? Even though you can't smell anything, maybe your cat can.
Plastic is basically an unnatural material. It wasn't found in nature before Man arrived and started making disposable food containers and litter boxes, and it wasn't a factor in the evolution of cats.
Maybe your cat is sensitive to it, and is making you aware of that fact by defecating somewhere else, far from this source of annoyance. Or maybe the plastic is triggering some unnatural behavior in your cat, causing her to defecate half in and half out.
Don't tell your guests…
Try changing the material of the litter box. Try a glass litter box.
But, you say, there aren't any glass litter boxes for sale! Where can I get one?
I went to glass some time ago by converting a shallow baking dish into a litter box. My wife used it for baking scalloped potatoes, and I unwittingly grabbed it for a different use, much to her…uh…displeasure.
Granted, a baking dish is shallow and the litter is easily thrown out by a digging cat, but I place newspaper under it (not a plastic mat), to catch the thrown litter. I've owned two cats in succession now, and neither has had a problem "doing their deed" somewhere else.
So try it. Of course it goes without saying that once you convert the baking dish into a litter box, it's the end of using it to cook scalloped potatoes for your guests when they come over for dinner.
Or, at least, it's a good idea that, after they've eaten, to keep that fact to yourself.
John Young is a write with a scientific and programming background. Discover how to safely and smoothly adopt your new cat in the new ebook, "Your New Cat's First 24 Hours"
www.yourcatsecrets.com
and care for her thereafter.
Veterinary Career
Employment opportunities for veterinarians are expected to grow fast. Single adults have come to appreciate animal companionship. Pet owners may be willing to pay for more elective and intensive pet care than they have in the past.
In addition, new scientific methods of breeding and raising livestock, poultry, and fish as long as the continued support for public health and disease control programs will also contribute to the demand for veterinarians. Demand for specialists in many areas including toxicology, laboratory animal medicine, and pathology is expected to increase. Most of these jobs for specialists will be in metropolitan areas.
Veterinarians have an inquiring mind and good powers of observation. They generally have aptitude and interest in the biological sciences. Veterinarians also need an understanding of animals. Veterinarians should be able to meet, talk, and work well with a variety of people.
The primary reward for all veterinarians is the personal satisfaction in knowing that they are improving the quality of life for animals and people. Depending on the stage of a veterinarian's career, the type of practice, and the veterinarian's likes and dislikes, the pluses and minuses of a veterinary career may vary.
Veterinarians who are employed by government agencies, laboratories, colleges, and commercial firms often have responsibility for large health programs and may manage large numbers of people.
Veterinarians who work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and for state and municipal food inspection services protect the public from diseased livestock and unsafe meat and poultry. They ensure that food products are safe and wholesome. To prevent the introduction of foreign diseases, veterinarians employed by state and federal regulatory agencies quarantine and inspect animals brought into the United States from other countries.
Veterinarians in research seek better ways to prevent and solve animal and human health problems. Many problems, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, are studied through the use of laboratory animals, which are carefully bred, raised, and maintained under the supervision of veterinarians. Laboratory animal veterinarians help select the best animal models for particular research projects and ensure that the animals receive proper care.
In addition to developing ways to reduce or eliminate the threat of animal diseases, veterinarians involved in research have made many direct contributions to human health. Veterinarians were the first to isolate filterable viruses, slow viruses, the first tumor-causing virus and other pathogenic agents. They also helped conquer malaria and yellow fever, produced an anticoagulant used to treat some people with heart disease, and defined and developed surgical techniques for humans, such as hip-joint replacement and limb and organ transplants.
Veterinarians working in pharmaceutical and biomedical research firms develop, test, and supervise the production of drugs, chemicals, and biological products, such as antibiotics and vaccines for human and animal use. These veterinarians usually have specialized training in pharmacology, virology, bacteriology, pathology, parasitology, toxicology, nutrition, endocrinology, or laboratory animal medicine.
However, most veterinarians work in private clinical practice, which has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Veterinarians in private clinical practice gain satisfaction from helping owners keep their animals well and from treating sick and injured animals. Private clinical practitioners who own their own practices determine the nature of their practice and set their working hours. Because they are self-employed, most private clinical practitioners choose to work beyond normal retirement age.
Veterinarians in private practice serve a variety of animals. This is especially true in companion animal practice because of the increased popularity of pet birds, small mammals (like hamsters and gerbils), and fish. Today, a veterinarian may be treating llamas, catfish, or ostriches as well as cats, dogs, horses, cows, hogs, sheep, and goats.
The chief risk for veterinarians is injury by animals; however, modern tranquilizers and technology have made it much easier for veterinarians to work on all types of animals.
Large animal practitioners tend to work more irregular hours than do those in small animal practice, industry, or government.
Students interested in a career in veterinary medicine need to take a strong science, math, and biology program in high school. To be considered for admission to a college of veterinary medicine, a student must complete undergraduate preveterinary medical coursework, which usually includes three to four years of college study, with specific course requirements. General requirements include basic language and communication skills, social sciences, humanities, mathematics, chemistry, and the biological and physical sciences. Preveterinary coursework can be completed at many colleges and universities, including those at which the veterinary medical schools are located.Admission to veterinary school is highly competitive. Applicants usually have grades of "B" or better, especially in the sciences. Applicants must take the Veterinary Aptitude Test, Medical College Admission Test, or the Graduate Record Examination. Most colleges give preference to candidates with animal or veterinary related experience.
In most veterinary colleges the professional program comprises two phases. In the first phase, preclinical sciences, such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and microbiology are emphasized. Most of the students' time is spent in classroom and laboratory study.
The second phase of professional study is principally clinical. Students learn the principles of medicine and surgery in the classroom and through hands-on clinical experience. Students learn to apply their knowledge in a clinical setting under the supervision of graduate veterinarians on the faculty. Students treat animals, perform surgery, and deal with owners who use the school's clinical services.
In conclusion, students learn about many different animals and diseases, and become skilled in surgical techniques and many laboratory and diagnostic procedures.
After studies, veterinarians must acquire a license issued by the state they wont to work in. In research and teaching, a master's or Ph.D. degree is usually required. Veterinarians who seek specialty board certification in one of the 20 specialty fields, such as ophthalmology, pathology, surgery, radiology, or laboratory animal medicine, must complete 2- to 5-year residency programs and must pass an examination.
Approximately half the states require veterinarians to attend continuing education courses to maintain their licenses. New scientific knowledge and techniques are constantly being developed, and veterinarians must keep up to date by reading scientific journals and attending professional meetings and seminars.
Freelance writer for over eleven years
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Dog Earrings: For the Dog Lovers
Dog earrings are well loved by all dog lovers. If you are looking for a gift to get that dog lover in your life, you should give her earrings with dogs on them. If you can find earrings with a dog on them that looks like a dog she has, all the better. She will love getting them as a gift, and will love wearing them as well. As you know, there are many styles of dog earrings that you will find. Below are the most popular ones.
1. Dalmatian Dogs
Any dog lover would love dog earrings with Dalmatian dogs on them. The dogs from the Dalmatian movie are all so cute. Every time you put them on, you will think of the movie and wonder what you would do with 101 Dalmatians yourself. You will absolutely love wearing dalmatian earrings, and showing them off as well.
2. Sweet Dog Faces
There are so many different kinds of dog earrings with dog faces on them. Most of these earrings are hand made and really cute. Some are made from glass beads that are painted to look like the face of a dog. You will find that most are painted with a puff paint for their features, as this makes them really stand out. This style of earring with dogs on them, can either dangle or you will also find them in the stud style. Any little girl that loves dogs would love wearing a pair as well.
3. Adorable Front and Back Dogs
You will find that there are some really cute front and back dog earrings on the market for you to choose from. On one ear will hang the front of the dog and on the other ear will be the back of the dog. It looks as if the dog is coming on one side and going on the other side. These are really adorable earrings that every dog lover will love to wear.
4. Boxer Dogs
Who does not love boxer dog earrings? Well, any dog lover would love these earrings, and enjoy wearing them all of the time. A boxer dog has a distinguished nose that you can tell is a boxer on the earrings. The nose of this dog will give away that you love all boxer dogs as well when you wear these earrings.
5. Whole Dogs
While you are shopping for dog earrings, you might even come across a pair of whole dogs. These are adorable little earrings. The head of the dog will go through the hole in the front of your ear, while the body of the dog is attached to the back of the earring that you close it with. This will then make a whole dog that will look just adorable and any dog lover will love wearing these earrings.
6. Bull Dogs
Anyone that loves dog earrings will love the bull dogs as well. These bull dogs that are seen on earrings look so much like a real bull dog, you might think that it is. They are such cute dog lover earrings and you are going to love wearing them or giving them as a gift.
As you can see, there are many styles of dog earrings to choose from. You should have no problem finding earrings with dogs on them that you will love to wear and wear all of the time. Many jewelry stores will sell earrings with dogs on them as well, and you will have such fun wearing them and showing the world how much you love dogs.
About The Author:
Laci has been in the fashion industry for more than 20 years and has recognized several trends in the jewelry industry. She has recently decided to write about the many different earrings that can be found at her website, http://www.earwears.com which offers golden earring information.
