Pet Health

My eight-year-old tabby, Sid Vicious (it’s a long story. He’s really a sweetie pie), has suddenly started peeing outside the litter box. Not every time, but often enough that it’s becoming a problem. What should I do?

Last week you talked about dogs in cars and that was all well and good, but what about cats in cars? I would love to take my cat, Bernie, to Florida with me in the winter, but if I even put him in the car for a few minutes to take him to the vet he howls the whole time as if I was torturing him. If there a way to get him to enjoy or at least tolerate car trips.

Now that it’s almost summer, I wonder if you could say something about all the dogs I see riding in the back of pickup trucks. Sure, it looks like they are having a good time, but it can’t be safe. Is it even legal?

I am an enthusiastic gardener, but also a pet lover and I worry all the time that the “stuff” I use in my garden, even though I try to use mostly organic products and controls, might harm them. But they are always outside with me and roaming around and investigating every new smell and I just worry. Do you have any advice?

I just adopted Marcie, a lab/shepherd mix of some sort. My mom suggested that before it gets really hot I should have her shaved down so her fur is shorter. Is that a good idea? I can’t imagine wearing a fur coat all though the summer.

I just adopted my first cat, Tonya. She’s about four years old, pretty and playful when she’s awake, but it seems like she’s hardly ever awake. How much should cats sleep? Should I be worried about her?

Every so often we ask you to get involved with a legislative issue in New York or at the federal level. We know that many of you do because you share the responses (or sometimes non-responses). So this column will tell you about some of our favorite resources for knowing what legislative or agency-related campaigns are out there and how you can help.

When do I start using flea preventatives for my cat and dog, Lulu and Sparky? And once I start, how do I actually apply them? No one has ever really explained that to me.

I just adopted a puppy, Bongo, about six months old, a greyhound/retriever/maybe a little Jack Russell mix (or something like that) and boy is he full of energy! I am working hard on basic training but I would like to get him involved in some dog sports as soon as he is ready.