Dear Matthew: I am writing you in regards to the newest member of my family. I have adopted a 2-year-old neutered black Lab. I also have a 4-year-old yellow spayed Lab and a 10-year-old neutered cat.
The new black Lab (Buddy) is really laid back, like the rest of my animals. Buddy is doing well with his training, but my problem is he and my cat (Meow Mix) don't get along.Every time Buddy sees the cat, he chases after him. Or when he knows Meow is in the house, he goes to the room Meow is in and barks. He is not doing this aggressively, but it does upset Meow to the point where Meow growls at him and swats him.
Meow and our other dog, Emma, have always gotten along. We got Emma at 6 weeks and, yes, Meow swatted her for a bit, but he has always been very good with her and Emma has always been good with him. Meow even cleans Emma around her eyes and ears. But since Buddy has come into our lives (now 6 weeks), Meow basically stays under a spare bed or is outside.
Is there anything you could suggest to get these two seeing eye to eye? I thought about getting them into a bare room and trying to show them both that the other is very friendly. Please help me. -- Carolin in Vancouver, Canada
Dear Carolin: There are a number of reasons why Meow is reacting more visibly to the presence of your new dog. First, it sounds like Buddy is a bit louder than Emma was, and all the commotion is too much for Meow to handle.
Second, things are probably getting a little bit crowded in your house. Perhaps Meow feels the only place he can go to get a little privacy is under your bed.
Finally, Meow is older now and may be getting a bit crankier and less able to tolerate stress. As cats enter their golden years, it's important to keep things as calm and stable around them as possible.
The best way to fix this problem is to train Buddy to treat Meow as just another normal part of your home. This should happen over time, anyway, but there are a few tricks you can use to speed the process.
For instance, you should try putting Buddy on a leash and wait for him to run into Meow. When Buddy begins barking and chasing, give the leash a firm tug and say "No!" If he still isn't under control, try confining him to a crate for 10 minutes, then repeat the procedure.
Another possibility is to put your dog in a crate, then place your cat in the same room. That way, Buddy will be confined and unable to give chase, but he'll still be exposed to Meow and the process of adjustment can continue without scaring the daylights out of your cat.
Dear Matthew: I have an indoor, female, 4-year-old cat. She is in good health. What veterinary maintenance does she require? What should this cost? It seems that it varies greatly from vet to vet. Is there a standard?
How do I know if the vet we use is trying to get a fee for something totally unnecessary? -- Charles in Los Angeles
Dear Charles: A healthy adult cat only needs to visit the veterinarian for a check up once every year or so. If there's a problem, however, you should take your animal to the vet as soon as you can -- possible signs of illness are unusual lethargy, loss of appetite and hair loss.
As for the best way to find a quality vet, I recommend you ask any and all of your cat-owning friends who they use. Word of mouth is usually a great way to locate a good vet in a big city. Also, this is a good way to get a feel for what vets are charging in your area and what might constitute an excessive fee.
The most important thing, however, is to find a veterinarian you and your cat feel comfortable with. He or she should be someone who runs a clean, efficient office and demonstrates a love for animals. Spend a little time researching the possibilities in your area -- every bit of time you invest here will pay you back tenfold in a happier, healthier pet.
Matthew Margolis is the host of "Woof! It's a Dog's Life," a dog-instruction series airing every Saturday on your local PBS station. Read all of Matthew Margolis' columns at the Creators Syndicate Web site www.creators.com, and visit him at www.matthewmargolis.com. Write him at 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045.