All About How A Dog Uses Cat Litter Box

by Amy Shojai | Nov 1, 2013 | Ask Amy Videos, Cat Behavior & Care, Dog Training & Care | 4 comments

When cat and dog people get together, you never know what to expect. We had an interesting discussion about when a dog uses cat litter box, among other things. Can you train a dog to use the litterbox? Yes!
I originally wrote this post while at the Cat Writers Conference in Dallas. At these events, we have a ball attending expert writing seminars and schmoozing with lots of cat (and dog) lovers. At the opening event there were lots of BOO-tiful costumes displayed during the bag-stuffing party. Yes, had to don my wings!

Dog Uses Cat Litter Box

Such a gathering of pet professionals often results in some terrific discussions. We often talk about the most common cat behavior issue–cat litter box problems. I wonder how many dog trainers hear questions about training dogs to use cat litter boxes? Or how often dogs teach themselves to use the cat litter box! It sure did puzzle the pet owner!

How about you? Have your dogs ever shown unusual interest in the cat’s litter box? No, I don’t mean THAT WAY as in yucky treats from the litter box, but wanting to potty there? Oh, and be aware that cats might object to the dog claiming their potty! Learn more about cat litter box training here.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!

Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!

4 Comments

Kristi Brashier on November 3, 2013 at 7:47 am

Amy,
You mention that one of the best moves you made was switching from the “free” WordPress to a self-hosted site. Can you please elaborate on WHY that was a good move for you? What were the benefits? Pros and cons?
Also, have you posted your poll for canine & feline character names yet? That’s always so much fun and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing it somewhere.
Reply
- Amy Shojai on November 3, 2013 at 3:47 pm
  
  Hi Kristi, It varies from person to person depending on what you want out of your blog. The “free” wordpress works very well for hobby writers and some pro-writers who don’t blog a great deal. The benefits…it’s free! The cons…well, you don’t have all the control that you might want. It’s hosted by WordPress itself so you won’t have any upkeep. But you also can’t “monetize” the blog (sell ads, earn money), and you can’t customize with plugins.
  
  But if you self-host (on your own server) you have more control over the NAME of the blog, you can have a larger amount of space for data (pictures, video, audio, etc), and typically there are more options for designing the blog with a unique/brand-able look. Here’s a great info-graphic that compares the two side by side.
  
  The surveys for NAME THAT DOG and NAME THAT CAT will post this week! I’m just now home from a weekend conference so haven’t had a chance to put them together yet. Thanks for asking! (you had some great suggestions 🙂 )
  Reply
Elvira Mistress of Felinity on November 2, 2013 at 9:00 am

Daddy Kiril says he wishes he could have made it, and hopes you have fun!

Among other things he’s busy putting ointment on my dainty behind where I have a major boo boo!

How embarrassing!

For BOTH of us!!
Reply
- Amy Shojai on November 3, 2013 at 7:10 am
  
  Ooooh, Elvira, sorry about the boo-boo. Hope to see your Daddy Kiril next year!
  Reply

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

Litter Box Problems? 8 Reasons Cats Snub the Box & What To Do - […] to find other places to “go.” And a few dogs want to copy-cat the behavior and the dog uses…

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Categories:

Recent Posts

10 Stages of Puppy Development: Birth to Two Years

Puppy development is fascinating, and one of the most popular dog topics. Every time we get a new puppy, I learn new things about new puppy development. Did you know that the adult incisors (next to the canines) erupt at age 16 weeks? That’s a way to help age your new baby dog.

Along the way, puppies tend to get into all kinds of things–we laugh, but then we might cry if they hurt themselves. On May 31st we celebrate Shadow-Pup’s gotcha day–he arrived in 2020 when we needed him most.

Did you ever wonder about the stages of puppy development? Some of this has to do with the dog breed, but all newborn puppies (whatever the breed) look surprisingly similar. They also develop along the same period of time. Look no further, I’ve got you covered! Oh, and enjoy the SQUEEE! cute puppy pictures, too!

Memorial Day & Honoring Military Dogs for National K9 Veteran’s Day

Memorial Day honors the American men and women who have lost their lives while serving in the military. It originally honored those who died in the Civil War, and now honors those who died in any war. It is also known as Decoration Day. This holiday differs from Veterans’ Day which honors all those who served in the military.

There is no Memorial Day for the brave military K9s who served and lost their lives, often heroically saving their human partners. I can’t imagine the bond that must exist between the soldier and his or her war dog—they share things and stand against danger to protect the rest of us against horrors we don’t want to think about. And because of them, we don’t have to worry about such things. Thank you.

I’m eternally grateful to those who sacrifice for our freedom. Losing a beloved animal companion anytime cuts deep. It must be horrific to lose a comrade-in-arms, including those with four feet and fur.

And since I focus on pet issues, I want to shine a light on the dogs of the military. There is a National K9s Veteran’s Day on March 13, too. But here’s an excerpt from my book DOG LIFE to shine a light on military dogs through the ages.

Keeping Hot Dogs & Cats Cool: Hot Weather Pet Safety

Hot weather pet safety around here is a matter of life and death for cats and dogs. I live in N. Texas where it’s not unusual for weather to have everyone hot under the collar. Just imagine how pets feel with a fur coat. Older dogs have more sense and aren’t as prone to overdo. But our rescue pup Shadow acts clueless, and we have to physically confine him or he’d never stop playing even in 100-degree weather.

Cats and dogs risk sunburn, pad burns, and life-threatening heatstroke without proper precautions. Never leave your pet unattended in a hot car. These tips can help you prevent problems, or even save your pet’s life.

P’ETiQuette Column Farewell–and Hello to New Readers!

For 30 years, the Herald Democrat editors and readers have been part of my extended family. I only rarely missed a deadline, those times of illness or holidays. So, it surprised me to learn that the column hadn’t published in several weeks despite my having sent one each week for Tuesday publication.

Blame technology, and nothing else. But I owe y’all, my extended family, an explanation of why the column disappeared…

Pet Rescue Breathing & CPR Saves Cat & Dog Lives

May 19 is “Rescue Dog Day” and how better to celebrate than to learn about Pet Rescue Breathing and pet CPR? You can save your dog or cat’s life by knowing how to do pet CPR and how to perform rescue breathing. Pets suffer brain injury and death if oxygen is cut off for only a few minutes. When minutes count, rescue breathing can save your pet’s life.

Cat in Heat Behavior, What to Know About Feline Estrus

What to Know About Feline Estrus

Recently, a friend contacted me about her cat in heat. She wanted to know about a cat in heat behavior, how long are cats in heat, if cats in heat feel pain, and what to do to relieve the cat’s discomfort until spay surgery. Cats in heat signs include several distinctive behaviors common to feline estrus (the technical term). In fact, her newly adopted girl, although she looked too young, had already had kittens (they didn’t survive), and now loudly proclaimed Kitty’s determination to repeat the process.

I planned to refer my friend to one of my blogs—and instead realized I hadn’t specifically addressed cats in heat behavior, feline reproduction, and what to know about cat estrus. Yes, I write about this in my Complete Kitten Care and Cat Facts books in more detail, and now you get the kitty Cliff’s notes here.

CAT & DOG SHEDDING? 6 TIPS FOR WHEN THE FUR FLIES

Pets shed in both the spring and fall. Shadow-Pup leaves mini-drifts of fuzz I sweep up daily, all summer long. Karma-Kat’s URK-factor (hairballs) increases with pet shedding season. Yuck! The fur flies about the same time as allergy season begins. If you suffer from allergic reactions to your cat or dog, check out these pet allergy tips.

Dog Shedding Time!

Cat and dog shedding may be a big hairy deal—but it is normal. Magical-Dawg used to leave drifts of black fur everywhere. Although Shadow-Pup’s medium-coarse fur, and Karma-Kat’s short light fur isn’t nearly as noticeable, they also shed.

Year-round floating fur increases the challenge of keeping dry cleaned apparel in a Fido-free zone. You can’t stop pet shedding. Unless you’re a passionate pet lover who considers pet hair to be a condiment, understanding how to tame the hairy mess will keep your pet’s coat and skin healthy and simplify housecleaning…

How to Prepare for a Disaster: Pet Preparedness & Tips

With the latest awful weather and more on the way, it’s time to revisit your pet disaster plan. You do have one, right? Everyone should understand the importance of disaster preparation.

I posted this in June for National Pet Preparedness Month. September is Disaster Preparation Month. And today is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day. Hurricane Ian drives home the importance of having a disaster plan not only for yourself when Mother Nature throws a tantrum but also to keep your pets safe. Whether you must deal with tornadoes, floods, landslides, typhoons, wildfires, or other emergencies, there’s a rule that we must always PLAN FOR THE WORST.

And then pray it doesn’t happen. Learn more in the post…

Fearful Fido? Know the Signs of Dog Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS)

May 7-13 is Dog anxiety Awareness Week, and June is Pet Anxiety Awareness Month. Do you have a fearful Fido? Do you need help with the fireworks and loud thunderstorms happening this time of year that makes dogs scared? It seems silly, but some dogs feel stress when their human wears a hat! I wanted to share some resources for recognizing and understanding signs of canine fear, anxiety, and stress.

While it’s normal for dogs to be cautious and not run head on into traffic, too much stress and anxiety isn’t healthy. Fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) also affect the immune system, impacting both physical and emotional health.

Up to 20 percent of dogs will be born prone to introversion and fear. Proper socialization improves puppy confidence, but abuse or poor socialization can result in anxiety-ridden adults. Pain or illness also can cause anxiety so these dogs associate certain kinds of handling with discomfort. Ongoing anxiety, stress or fear may lead to fear aggression.

Extreme fear interferes with learning, making it even more difficult to help dogs overcome the angst. Fearful dogs quickly recognize that escape behaviors or fear aggression makes the scary situation go away, so they learn to repeat these behaviors…

Author Audio Books: How to Self Publish Audio Books

Do you love audio books — and thrillers? Yep, I also self publish audio books, including my nonfiction and my thrillers. And since my latest thriller DARE OR DIE released yesterday on all Ebook platforms, plus paperback and hardcover, I’m now planning the audiobook version.

And, that’s MY voice reading the story. How (and why) am I the one reading the book? And for authors out there, how can you do it? What mic do you need, what software…and if you want to hire someone, where do you find the perfect person to “voice” your book?

Read on! Here are the highlights. And if you want or need more step-by-step details, you can check out my on-demand webinar on the subject.

Visit Amy's Website

Amy Shojai CACB is an award winning author. You can find all her publications and book her to speak via her website.

Visit the website

On Demand Writer Coaching

AmyShojai.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com http://amazon.com/.