Dear Matthew: My cat's litter box stinks. I clean it out regularly, but that doesn't seem to make a difference. My friends always comment when they come over to my house that they smell "cat whiff." Is there anything I can do to help contain this nasty problem?
- Jody in Arlington, Va.Dear Jody: Cat whiff, huh? That sure sounds embarrassing. Fortunately, I have some advice for you!
Make certain your cat isn't illicitly using another part of your house as a rest room. Perhaps the smell isn't coming from the litter box but near it.
Next, try putting some baking soda underneath your cat litter. That'll help absorb some of the moisture and odors. Consider buying a covered litter box (they look a little like dog houses). Once again, this'll keep the smell from spreading too far.
Finally, you might want to try changing your cat's food. Maybe her diet is the reason the litter box is so stinky. It's certainly worth a shot. If all else fails, buy a good can of disinfectant and some air fresheners, and clean the box daily.
Dear Matthew: My neighbor keeps telling me my dog's barking is keeping him up at nights. I've never heard my Dalmatian make more than a few barks, and that's only when the mailman comes over or when I have strangers come into my house.
The only time I'm not around Kelly, my dog, is at nights, when I work as an emergency medical technician at a local hospital. But how likely is it that she's making noise only when I'm gone, when she's quiet as a doormouse while I'm at home? I keep Kelly in a dog run outside while I'm gone, but the rest of the time, she's with me.
Is there any chance that my dog could be barking just while I'm away? If not, this neighbor sure as heck better get off my back. And if it's true that Kelly is occasionally making a little noise, what can I do to prevent her from keeping this up?
- Lauren in College Station, Texas
Dear Lauren: Dogs tend to be more inclined to bark when they're outside at night, so perhaps your dog is making noise after all. Whenever you're around, your dog is inside and away from all the squirrels, raccoons and whatever other strange creatures crawl out when the sun goes down. And anyway, why do you think your neighbor would be making up barking stories - unless he has another reason for disliking your dog?
So, your best bet is to keep Kelly inside while you work at night. That way, there's much less chance that she'll see or hear something that makes her want to bark. Just give her a nice, long 15- to 20-minute walk before you head off to work at night.
Or, if you prefer, have a friend come over and spend some time with her while you're away. Good luck!
Dear Matthew: My cat constantly begs for food whenever I sit down at the table for dinner. Sometimes, I put her in a separate room so she'll stop jumping on my lap, but then, she'll make the loudest meows you've ever heard.
I must admit that every so often, I've given her a scrap of food off the table, just to shut her up. But I'm desperate to find another way to discourage her, lest she get too fat. What do you suggest?
- Lo in St. Louis
Dear Lo: Why do people play the slot machines? They don't win every time, but the chance of a big payoff keeps them coming back. It's exactly the same thing with your cat.
You may think that breaking down and giving her a bite of food once in a while will shut her up, but it's actually only encouraging her to be more of a pest. She'll keep coming back, on the off chance that it might be her lucky day.
So, here's what you do. First, never, ever give her a scrap of food off the table - not once a week, once a month or once a year.
Next, buy a water gun or make a shake can by putting a few stones into a taped-over soda can. The next time your cat comes up, give her a good squirt or rattle your can. Do anything that you think will give her a good startle.
After a while, she'll learn to stop coming around when you're eating. After all, how many people would play the slot machines if, when they lost, they were sprayed in the face with water? I know I'd move on to the blackjack tables.