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Casey is a 14-year-old beagle who hates to be home alone. So she exhibits her displeasure in an unusual way — she stinks up the place. She gets mad at us, so she'll find a way to get into the living room and pee on the good couch," says owner Linda LeMay, of Hartford, Conn. "Sometimes she'll even do it if I'm somewhere else in the house, away from her, or take the other dog for a walk even though I'm coming back to get her." But Casey's misbehavior is just one example of the many different ways in which animals act out inappropriately, says John Wright, professor of psychology at Mercer University in Macon, Ga., and author of the book Ain't Misbehavin': The Groundbreaking Program for Happy, Well-Behaved Pets and Their People. As a certified applied animal behaviorist, Wright has a number of "patients" with issues similar to Casey's, along with some practical solutions. "There are about seven different causes of inappropriate elimination, but in this case it's a panic thing, separation anxiety," he explains. "Sometimes owners will make a big deal out of saying goodbye to their pet, but of course the animal doesn't understand words. And so as soon as you shut the door, they are left aroused and they need to get that energy out." The good news is that there is a solution. Wright suggests exercising the animal before you leave. Or if all else fails, call in the experts. "Like many other problems, this is treatable with behavior-modification therapy," says Wright. The symptoms can usually be stopped, or at least significantly reduced, in four to six weeks, he says. If that doesn't work, there's a new drug on the market called Clomicalm, which can calm the animal down, Wright says. Felines Just Want to Have Fun Cats exhibit their own unique misbehavior, for instance, showcasing their mobility by jumping on tables or countertops, which is fun for the feline, but unhealthy for the furniture. "Their natural behavior is to get up high," says Wright. "They have two retinas in the eye, one of which allows them to see downward. They like being on higher ground because they feel safer and it allows them to catch prey." Experts say a simple solution is to pick the cat up off the counter and place it down on the floor to break the pattern of behavior. Or if that fails, there are remote punishments, those in which the owner is not present. These include placing double-sided sticky tape on the counter where the cat tends to jump up. The idea is that it will frighten the cat so it won't jump up again. You can also hide an upside-down mousetrap under newspaper. When the cat steps on it, the trap will shoot up into the air, scaring the cat but not hurting it. Cats also like to have fun by unrolling the toilet paper in the bathroom. "It's entertaining for the cats, they really feel like they have control over the world when they do that," says Wright. Behaviorists advise owners to put the toilet paper roll in the opposite direction (counterclockwise) , so when the cat hits it, it rolls around the other way. Wacky Taste Buds No matter how well-fed they may be, many of our furry friends will eat things they shouldn't. Cats, for example, may sneak a bite to eat by munching on plants around the house, or grass outside. "Cats actually like salad, so it's not unusual for them to eat grass," says Wright. Owners can provide animals with a little grass and vegetables to help digestion, although he warns owners to place plants that are poisonous out of reach. Lucy the cat is a case in point. She loves to eat vegetables, her favorite being creamed corn. Her owner, Janet Raymond of Springfield, Mass., takes care of her 6-year-old Lucy's cravings by serving up vegetables right at the dinner table. "After we're done eating dinner, if there's extra she jumps right up on the table and eats the rest of it," says Raymond Another common complaint among pet lovers is the dog who sneaks "biscuits" from a cat's litter box. Wright says the reason behind it might simply be taste. "If you think about it from a dog's point of view, a day-old defecation may not seem too different than a dog biscuit, in terms of consistency," he ventures. "And it probably smells and tastes like undigested cat food, which they may enjoy." Wright recommends installing a "cat door" in the room leading into the litter box area, placing the litter box in an area where the dog cannot get to it, or booby-trapping the area. Thirst-Quenching? While it may sound unappetizing to humans, pet owners can attest that many cats commonly drink out of the faucet, while dogs prefer the toilet bowl. "Water in the faucet is fresh, and it's cool," explains Wright. "And dogs enjoy the water in a toilet bowl for the same reasons. If their bowl hasn't been washed in awhile, maybe the water is not fresh or mold is built up in their bowl." Mary Fisk, of Tewksbury, Mass, acknowledges that her 2-year-old cat Ace commonly drinks out of the commode. "Ace won't drink out of his bowl, but he'll drink out of the toilet. I'll be walking by the bathroom and see him holding out his paws on [the seat] to prevent him from falling in. There are many times I have to kick him out just to use the bathroom," she says. Experts say the easiest thing to do is rinse out the animal's dish daily, fill with cold water, and if all else fails, keep the toilet lid down
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