(Part 3) Top products from r/AskVet

Vet student and cat lover here. Undersocialized kittens, kittens separated from their mom too early, and Bengals can all make challenging pets, so I'm not surprised you're having some trouble with that combination!

It sounds like your kitten has play aggression. Basically, he's bored and under-stimulated, and his pent-up energy is being directed towards you. Here's some information about play aggression from the SF SPCA, a well-respected behavior consultant, and VCA hospitals. I hope you'll find it useful!

My cat used to be play-aggressive, and here's what's worked for me:

• Lots and lots of play. Aim for at least two sessions of 10-15 minutes per day of active play, and try to wear him out!
  
  
• Try lots of toys! Kittens will have different preferences and may get bored over time, so switch things up. I'm giving some links of toys that, in my experience, cats go crazy over. They're not affiliate links, I don't work for the companies, and you can find them in pet stores as well: Cat catcher, Cat Charmer, Da Bird, and Cat Crazies A lot of cats also go crazy for foil balls and drinking straws if you throw them around. Try to have a variety of toys- wand toys, sparkle balls, bouncy balls, big catnip toys your kitten can kick, little catnip toys he can carry around, soft toys, plastic toys- you get the idea. If your cat is an ambush hunter, he may also like if you dangle a toy at one end of a cat tunnel so he can run through and grab it.
  
  
• Try to engage in play before you see any signs of playfulness or aggression, and definitely learn to recognize those signs and act on them! I've found that while redirecting with toys is the smart thing to do, at that point, it's usually too late.
  
  
• Cat tend to have a hunt-eat-groom-sleep cycle. Try to feed twice a day at regular times, and play for a bit first. Cats like being on a schedule.
  
  
• More cat trees and build/buy cat shelves if you're able!
  
  
• Wear shoes/boots in the house if you have to. Doing this saved my ankles, and I wonder if part of the reason he attacks you more than your BF is that you react more so it's more fun for him.
  
  
• Food puzzles! Here's a site with a ton of options, including super cheap or free/recycled ones.
  
  
• Look into clicker training! Good way to keep him physically and mentally occupied.
  
  I hope this helps! I realize I've just thrown a ton of info at you, and my main suggestion is to take just a couple little ideas and start incorporating them. Maybe find one toy he loves and use it twice a day, scatter his food over his cat tree or in an ice cube tray, and try to keep yourself covered so he can't hurt you.
  
  Also, definitely take him to the vet! I agree he can probably be neutered now or soon, it's always good to take new pets to the vet, and they may have behavior advice. Best of luck!

She's a pretty smart kid, but right now she's more fascinated by Harry Potter than anything. I'm hoping that maybe I can find something that she can have fun with now but might still be useful a couple years down the road. She likes drawing or coloring, so I'm wondering if something like this might be good:

Feline Anatomy: A Coloring Atlas

It sounds fairly advanced--some of the reviewers are actually veterinary students who say they like using it as a reference. I hope it's not too advanced for her, but her mom has a PhD in molecular biology, so she can probably help guide her.

Good to know about the wing trims! There is definitely an art to it - the more feathers that are left on, the better their flying ability. So you can get the first two or three flight feathers trimmed (if you like) which leaves a lot of flying ability intact (just not his full flying ability).

Harnesses are awesome, and get them sunshine which is very important if you can take them outside.

I would look into adding some perches like this, which are bendable so you can make different shapes (here is an example). In my experience birds really love these! Additionally, adding in some branches (cleared of foliage/debris and sterilized, of course, or store bought) would be good, because the width is varied and it provides some vertical climbing opportunities.

Sounds like you are on the right path! Awesome job. :)

Since you have trazadone I'm going to assume you have already talked to your veterinarian about your dog's anxiety. If that is not the case, please discuss it with your vet.

The behaviorists are pricy, but they're an excellent resource and worth the money. I'd definitely stick with either a Veterinary Behaviorist or an Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist over a regular trainer, anybody can call themselves a trainer while CAABs and VBs have tons of education and experience. They can tailor advice to your specific dog and your specific household in a way a book or video cannot.

I am by no means an expert (I'm a vet tech at a general-practice clinic) but my go-to recommendations for behavior books are Decoding Your Dog by the American College of Veterinary behaviorists, (it has a chapter on house training and a chapter on separation anxiety) and The Other End of the Leash (it's about understanding dogs and how they think rather than specific issues) by Patricia McConnell. Patricia McConnell also has books (booklets? they're short) about anxiety and separation anxiety. I've never read the booklets, but she's a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist with a Ph.D, so they're probably a better resource than random internet sites even if they're not as helpful as an in-person consultation with a behaviorist.

I don't know why you were down voted. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a well known method for eliminating fleas and other insects. I would (personally) avoid actually putting it on the pets, but can be used to treat carpets and bedding. However, you do want to clean it up by thoroughly vacuuming.

IMPORTANT NOTE: make sure you purchase food grade DE! It is safe for human & pet consumption and is actually different from Pool grade DE! You can get 10 lbs from Amazon for $20 (http://www.amazon.com/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grade-10/dp/B00025H2PY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top/178-9385678-3291707)

Also, keep in mind that some fleas have a 3-4 month life cycle, so you need to keep up on cleaning and treatments for a while. Go see your vet to get some capstar and get some Revolution or Frontline for monthly treatments until the fleas are gone.

You cAn also check for fleas in your carpets using a water trap (http://wikihow.com/Make-a-Flea-Trap).

If you are preparing for an interview to get into veterinary school, might I suggest Introduction to Veterinary Ethics by Rollin? Its a nice approach, and at the very least will help you organize your answers in a logical way. I particularly like how he breaks it down every ethical question into five key areas: what are my duties/responsibilities as a veterinarian to myself, my profession, the patient, the client, and society? By examining each ethical question in from these five perspectives you can be assured that you have probably explored the issue from every angle. My final recommendation would be to chose a final path. By all means explore the options, discuss pros and cons, but at the end say what you would do. They don't want to to be wishy-washy and then avoid coming to any final solution.

If you have additional questions regarding interviews they might be better answered on the sub r/veterinaryschool - although it can be rather quiet there.

This book was suggested to us during my toxicology class https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Plant-Poisoning-Animals-America/dp/1893441199


This website from UPenn looks useful too https://research.vet.upenn.edu/poisonousplants/PoisonousPlantsofPA/InstructionsForUse/tabid/5385/Default.aspx

Basically I googled "veterinary toxicology plants" and came up with some pretty good stuff. :)

I'll echo the suggestion to consider terminating the pregnancy and spaying your bitch, simply because there are probably a lot of mixed-breed shelter dogs who could be quite good companions for your friends (and allow them to get them on their own time - puppies aren't easy!)

If not - how have you determined she is pregnant? How far along do you believe she is? Have you talked to her vet about pregnancy/puppy care, by chance? Do you have money in case she has whelping problems? Dog breeding can be easy... as long as nothing goes wrong. When it doesn't go perfectly, it becomes an absolute mess.

I've not personally read them, but I've had these two books suggested as good resources for breeding/whelping.

Not a vet, but my cat used to chew cords until I coated them all with bitter apple spray. Haven't had problems since :)

A cuttle bone isn't really a toy, it's a dietary supplement. Do they have anything they can shred apart, like a paper pinata, wicker balls, or a bird kabob? Is their cage large enough that they can fly from one side to the other, or do they get around just by hopping and climbing? Do they get any time out of the cage to fly around? Budgies get naughty when they can't blow off enough energy, either by flying or chewing (or both).

BSAVA manual of reproduction and neonatology. Excellent quick reference book you can jump to during consults.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1905319193/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile

Your vet was encouraging you to breed your dog when you don't know what you're doing? That's...strange.

https://www.amazon.com/Whelping-Rearing-Puppies-Complete-Practical/dp/0793804973

The book Pet First Aid: Cats & Dogs by American Red Cross is a good paperback reference and will answer will your questions

It sounds like you just have one food bowl currently, is that correct? You may be able to remedy some of the problem by dividing their food amongst multiple bowls or food-dispensing toys (even better than bowls, especially for weight-loss!) in different areas of the house.

Otherwise, you may be able to get away with feeding Skinny inside a large rubbermaid-type container with either an opening cut just big enough for Skinny to enter but not big enough for Fatty to sneak in, or with a magnet activated cat door like this (just only put the magnet collar on Skinny).

If you don't already have the McCurnin's Tech text, buy it!

http://www.amazon.com/McCurnins-Clinical-Textbook-Veterinary-Technicians/dp/1437726801

They should have a list of companion texts, too. You may want to check some of the tech programs' websites - some list their course syllabi and text book lists. I started classes with AHAA's DEVTP through Dallas Community College, but stopped (as I am NOT a good online course student and the program was not what I was told it would be).

The Value of Believing in Yourself: The Story of Louis Pasteur.

All I remember is the terrifying dog, and the kid that totally deserved to get rabies (he teases the dog with a stick every day, one day the dog gets rabies, the gate is left open, he bites the kid, L.P. saves the day).