Outdoor Furniture, Outdoor Patio and Outdoor Gardens

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   Help with fleas and flea questions!!!!!!!?
   I noticed one of my cats itching frequently about 5 or 6 days ago, but didn't notice any fleas around the house or my other cat or 2 dogs itching, so I brushed it off as an allergy or skin irritation. A couple days later we noticed some fleas on our OUTDOOR dog. We've never had a flea problem before so this is kind of shocking. Once we saw the fleas on the dog I immediately gave the cats flea baths hoping to wash some off just for confirmation that they were even there... nothing. Just to be safe I vacuumed the house again. Then this morning I saw one flea on the other cat.. so this afternoon I went to the vet to get the pill that kills fleas within a day. I waited about an hour and gave them each baths with tea tree oil. I maybe got 5 fleas off each cat total, not very many. I've been checking frequently for more fleas and haven't seen any. I changed all the bedding, spread salt and borax throughout what little carpeting we have (rugs only) and vacuumed what I could reach without heavy lifting and changed the vacuum bag and washed their kitty boxes out. I've put on white tube socks and walked the house to see if they jump on the socks and found nothing. I am very disturbed by any sort of bug, so I am wondering what else I can do or if I should even be worrying as much as I am. And I am also wondering if "flea dirt" is feces or eggs? If the "flea dirt" is off their skin should I still be worried about flea eggs or was 1 week enough for the fleas to lay eggs?
   Any natural remedies for eggs and for spraying the back yard would be great, if not natural what ever has worked for you. Bombing my house is not an option, nor do I think it's necessary. Please only personal experiences or what advice from professionals you have received.
   One last thing- is it true that only 10% of the fleas in the house are on the pet? Because if I found 10 fleas total, that means there are 50 fleas elsewhere... and to me that just doesn't sound right.
   Thanks!

   • ANSWER:
     Don't know if the claim that only 10% of the fleas are on your pet, but I do know your math is off... You found 10 fleas total, so that would imply 100 fleas if the 10% claim is true... I do know from my own experience that flea eggs can live a long time on rugs and even in the cracks on hardwood floors, so keep vacuuming ....It sounds like you've caught the problem before a major infestation, but you are wise to try to conquer it before you do have fleas all over your home... Flea "dirt" is actually flea poop. Eggs are laid on your pets, but fall off in their bedding, along the floor boards, etc. In my experience with fleas, most topical commercial poisons that kill the fleas are so toxic that they made my cats sick... While I know products from your vet like "Frontline/ Advantage" that you apply to the animal's coat so it can get into its bloodstream/ system are not "organic", they are the only solution I have ever found that actually breaks the cycle... If you live somewhere that gets hard freezes, that helps, especially if you treat the pets up until the freeze..

2. QUESTION:
   labrador doesn't like stairs or hard floors?
   I have a 2 1/2 yr old choc. lab who will NOT walk on the hard floor or do stairs. He was an outdoor dog only when I got him from the breeder at 14 weeks old. I've NEVER been able to get him to do stairs, not so much of a big deal. The hard floor thing is KILLING ME!!! driving me CRAZY. I have rugs all over my floor because of this.
   Any ideas???

   • ANSWER:
     Poor thing. It's his toe nails that are causing him to slide all over the place when he walks over the hard floors. He's afraid that he will fall, there's no traction for him to keep stable. The stairs is a different matter all together. My lab was afraid of stairs for awhile and then she just got over it. I used to think my mother-in-laws basement was haunted because Reilly was terrified to go down there. Turns out, she just didn't like stairs. Have fun with your dog.

3. QUESTION:
   My horse is too thin!!!!!! please help!!!?
   I have a thoroughbred an x race horse, she is only 6 years old. But is like a DONKEY lol, she is sort as muck and i have too get her feed in order to waken her up as she is really slow and tired.
   She recently had Strangles and Colic, and both times she luckly pulled through even though both times she was close to death.
   She was thin then but now she is even thinner, she has no muscle and no weight. She is soo boney and everything stick out.
   Now to top i all off, today i went and bought her from the field and some horse had kicked her straight in the face, so it took all he fur and skin off and it was raw and bleeding. I felt sick it was so close to her eye. Now she is pretty headshy.

   She is in her stable tonight with 4 haynets, and had 2 small feeds (building her back up)
   she also has a thick stable rug on, and a massive outdoor rug with neck peice.

   What can i do to build her back up?
   Or anything i can give her?

   Also do you know of any herbs good for horses?
   Thankyou xx
   Yes im in the uk and also i feed her
   Buildup mix, sugarbeet, chaff, molasses, honey, garlic, oil, carrots, and salt.
   Would this be ok? also we had the vet do a full examanation but he said she was fine just thin xx

   • ANSWER:
     1. Worm her, every 6 weeks after the initial doses. Ask your vet to prescribe.
     2. Get the dental vet to check her teeth in case she is not masticating properly
     3 Keep her safe from anxiety, ie other bullying horses. Speak very softly and be patient.
     4 Give her homeopathic Gelsemium and Ignatia in case she is distressed
     5 Spend time with her soft grooming and giving encouragement, asserting your protection
     6 Feed her slowly in small quantities, add oil but not too much protein. Your feed regime looks fine, watch out that the molasses dont make her coat fall out if she gets too hot. Max 4lbs x 4 feeds (one pound per hand in height per day) Smaller lighter feeds better if you can manage it, up to 16lbs. Ad lib hay.
     7 In the snowy weather she needs only a short spell outdoors, and plenty of box rest and relaxation.
     8 Wilted nettles with boiling water poured over are a good source of Vitamins. Your vet can inject a high vitamin shot to kick start the process.
     You are a good owner, caring and kind. I do hope she picks up!

4. QUESTION:
   should i give my cat up? she WON'T go in her box!!!?
   I got an older cat from the shelter a year ago. took her to the vet, no problems. she will NOT go in her box! i had to have a rug & the tile under it pulled up. replaced the floor. kept her in the bathroom, she went in the box, as soon as she's out, goes all over the floor. i've tried more than 1 box, & different litters. spoke to animal control & a woman who fosters cats, both said they couldnt see her getting adopted out with this problem. they both said she may have to be put down. my real question is can i keep her as an outdoor only cat? can i get her a house for outside, maybe put hay in it? i'm a single mom, cant afford to replace floors, and quite frankly am tired of cleaning up cat poop & pee. suggestions, other than how i'm selfish from all you cat fanatics out there?
   i've tried with and without liners, still no good. she's been mostly outside for about a month now, i let her in if it's gonna rain. i'm just wondering about the winter months. she actually prefers outside, never leaves the property, styas very close by.

   • ANSWER:
     Has she ever been checked for a urinary tract infection? That's what this sounds like. The initial vet check would not have picked up on this (unless he ran a blood test for some reason) and the classic symptom of it is inability to use the litter box.

     It can generally be cleared up with a round of antibitics, but it's very painful and does not go away on its own. And the vet should be able to diagnose it by running a white blood count, which is less expensive than a full blood panel.

5. QUESTION:
   Field turnout question.......?
   I have recently bought a 15.2hh Irish Sport Horse mare, she was stabled all the time with her previous owner apart from when she was being ridden. I am lucky enough to live on a farm with plenty of fields for turnout. My question is - is it ok to turn her out for a few hours each day even when its raining? I have an outdoor rug for her and she is stabled at night anyway. It's just because she's not used to being out and I'm not sure what to do! I also give her a flake of hay in the morning before she goes out and another at night when she's brought in. She does't get any hard feed as she is only being ridden for about an hour 4 / 5 times a week at the minute. Am I doing the right thing??

   • ANSWER:
     I would definately turn her out for at least a few hours everyday, rain or shine. Face it, horses are outside animals. In the wild, they don't come into their warm stall at night. She will be fine, but I would probably keep a rug on her if the weather is a little cold a rainy. That makes it easier for her to adapt to the outside weather.
     Also, you can usually tell whether or not a horse likes to be outside or wants to be in their stall. Just keep an eye on her for the first little while and make sure that she isn't going to do anything silly outside, and she should be fine. Letting her be outside for a few hours a day should keep her healthier, too! It lets her be a horse for a while.
     Good luck with her!

6. QUESTION:
   does my cat have problems? HELP ME?
   my cat use to use the litter box but know he uses rugs and dirty laundry hes neutered and only uses tidy cats litter even when we put that in the box he wont go in it weve tryed getting coverd and un coverd putting it in dark places bright places and even in the laundry room were he trys to go so now he has to be an outdoor cat

   • ANSWER:
     At least call a vet and describe what is going on, and listen to their opinion if the animal should be seen.

     p.b.

7. QUESTION:
   What should i do about my peeing cat??!!?
   My 7 year old male cat has started peeing all over our home, he's never done this in the 6 years we have owned him. Only on fabric things such as a laundry baskets, towels on the floor, rugs and even a bean bag. I just don't know what to do anymore... I love him very much but I can not have him distroying our things and smelling the house up like cat pee!!! As you all know smells HORRIBLE!! So now that you know whats going on this is what I have tried to get him to stop: Kept the house clean leaving nothing fabric on the floor ( that led him to pee on my furnature!) took him to the vet to have his urine checked to see if he had a UTI, crystals... ect results came back with no abnormalities, bought a feliway diffuser. NOTHING has worked, we CAN NOT let him outside for one because he's never been an outdoor kitty and two our home is right on a busy 4 lane road. Way to dangerous.. I'm running out of options, next step is to get rid of him if I can't find out what to do! nothing is changed in our household, I haven't seen any new cats around the house?? I have no clue what to do now.
   Oh and I have cleaned his litter box out everyday so that it doesn't get full just in case thats why he was peeing in other spots.. I thought maybe he was being picky about his littler box being to full or something... no luck
   Yes he is neutered.... yes I am pregnant but I am only 2 1/2months pregnant and he's been doing this now for about 5 months... Yes I have taken him to the vet and he's had multipule urine tests, blood work.. you name it he's had it.

   • ANSWER:
     Any chance YOU could be pregnant, or taking hormones? When a female ( human ) is producing or taking hormones, it upsets the cats in the family. They'll start to react in the manner which you're describing.

     **** I just read your profile, and it looks like this COULD be the problem with your cat. Talk to your vet and ask if there's ANYTHING he can suggest to counteract the behavior, now that you THINK you know the cause.

     Cats ( male and female ) will pee on ANYTHING that has YOUR ODOR on it......clothes, furniture, etc.....because your body is excreting hormonal odors that YOU may not be able to detect, but the cat CAN.........

     So, CALL your vet, explain the situation ( since nothing else seems to be the problem ) and see what he suggests.......

     Hope you can solve this problem......I'd hate for you to get rid of your cat, just because you want a baby !!!!

     Good luck..................

8. QUESTION:
   How to stop my cat from pooping in my things?
   I have an older cat, 9-10, but he is very healthy, and like hes always been. anyways, last year he developed a bad habit of peeing on our tings, particulary rugs, or clothes or things of that nature. pretty sure it was a territorial problem cause of our outside cats. anywyas, my parents were fed up with it and kicked him out.
   i am allowed to only let him in my room now, because he has no claws and cant compete with the outdoor cats, so i let him in to feed and sleep for a bit. however, where i live, the winters are cold, so i have been letting him in for a lot longer, and i normally do pretty good letting him out to go to the bathroom and such.
   but every once in a while, he will poop!
   and its so gross, he like buries it in my clothes, or if my room happens to be clean, just on the carpet lol.
   how can i make him stop/? im not allowed a litter box in my room, and everytime i let him out he acts like he doesnt have to go, and just wants back in. (tho i will see him squat and pee)

   its happened twice in the past few days! and im sick of cleaning! but its so cold out i feel bad leaving him out, hes a wussy lol.

   any advice for cleaning a pooped on sweater? i got it new, and my mom will be mad if she sees, so can i just stick it in the wash? its like a pile of brown mush. please help, im getting despearte, and i do lov emy cat!

   • ANSWER:
     You should read these websites. To see what declawing really is. It’s not a simple surgery of removing the claw. It’s an amputation of 10 digits.

     Most of the problems with declawing has nothing to do with the actual surgery. Most cats that do have problems are not visible. Most of it has to do with their back muscles. Cats need their claws in order to stretch properly. That would be like a human not being able to stretch when they wake up it the morning. Imagine how stiff you would be. That results in back problems their whole life. And because cats are VERY good at hiding pain/sickness you can't really tell.

     Also you should know that when a veterinarian declaws a cat without trying everything else possible they are breaking the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) guidelines: Declawing of domestic cats should be considered only after attempts have been made to prevent the cat from using its claws destructively or when its clawing presents a zoonotic risk for its owner(s).

     Here are a few items you can use to stop a cat from scratching:
     A bottle/can with something noisy in it
     Air (I use a balloon pump)
     Aluminum foil
     Anything citrus smelling (spray/rub in on whatever they’re starching)
     Double sided tape
     Gingerroot
     Scratching post
     Softpaws
     Spray that stops them (there all different kinds)
     Trim their nails back once a week
     Water bottle spray

     Also if you have a scratching post & your cat is not using it you can get some catnip & rub it on there or they sell catnip spray. Also it might not be big enough. A scratching post needs to be as tall as that cat (about 32”).

     Also people think it’s better if they get it done laser. NOT TRUE. Watch this video. It’s long, but worth it. The part about laser is 10:44 into the video
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaEx-qe2wBw

     All of the stuff below is from research & the websites listed below. Not written by me.
     The Cat’s Claws: Unlike most mammals who walk on the soles of the paws or feet, cats are digitigrade, which means they walk on their toes. Their back, shoulder, paw & leg joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments & nerves are naturally designed to support & distribute the cat's weight across its toes as it walks, runs & climbs. The claws are used for balance, exercising & stretching the muscles in their legs, back, shoulders & paws. They stretch these muscles by digging their claws into a surface & pulling back against their own clawhold-similar to isometric exercising for humans. This is the only way a cat can exercise, stretch & tone the muscles of its back & shoulders. The toes help the foot meet the ground at a precise angle to keep the leg, shoulder & back muscles & joints in proper alignment. Removal of the last digits of the toes drastically alters the conformation of their feet & causes the feet to meet the ground at an unnatural angle that can cause back pain similar to that in humans caused by wearing improper shoes.

     The cat's claw is not a nail as is a human fingernail, it is part of the last bone in the cat's toe.

     Many vets deliberately misinform & mislead clients into believing that declawing removes only the claws.

     Many cats also suffer a loss of balance because they can no longer achieve a secure foothold on their amputated stumps.

     Among 218 cats relinquished to a shelter, more (52.4%) declawed cats than non-declawed cats (29.1%) were reported by owners to have inappropriate elimination problems.

     Psychological & Behavioral Complications:
     Cats who were lively & friendly become withdrawn & introverted after being declawed.

     In some cases, when declawed cats use the litterbox after surgery, their feet are so tender they associate their new pain with the box...permanently, resulting in a life-long adversion to using the litter box.

     Other declawed cats that can no longer mark with their claws, they mark with urine.

     Many declawed cats become so traumatized by this painful mutilation that they end up spending their maladjusted lives perched on top of doors & refrigerators, out of reach of real & imaginary predators against whom they no longer have any adequate defense.

     Unlike routine recoveries, including recovery from neutering surgeries, which are fairly peaceful, declawing surgery results in cats bouncing off the walls of the recovery cage because of excruciating pain.

     Removing the claws makes a cat feel defenseless. The constant state of stress caused by a feeling of defenselessness may make some declawed cats more prone to disease. Stress leads to a myriad of physical & psychological disorders including supression of the immune system, cystitis & irritable bowel syndrome

     Some veterinarians are now promoting laser declawing as a "guilt-free" procedure. While laser declawing can reduce the bleeding & perhaps diminish, to some extent, the agonizing pain, the procedure is the no different, only the means of amputation.

9. QUESTION:
   Cat peeing.?
   I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions about eliminating cat peeing. I live in a multi cat household and there are 3 male cats and 4 females and one male always outdoor cat. The eldest cat is around 11-12 years old and he urinates on cloth items. Not marking but completely soaking it up with urine, he will urinate on clothes that are either on the ground (boyfriend doesn't always pick up after himself), rugs, carpets, jackets, towels, dish rags pretty much anything lying on a flat surface that is made out of cloth. We have tried feliway but it doesn't seem to help much and he seems to be the only one doing it. the cat litter is cleaned every day and he does still use the litter box. All cats are spayed/neutered and there is one indoors that does mark but none of the cats bother oliver, he is pretty much the king of the castle. Any suggestions?
   thank you for the info urban. Right now we are living with his parents on a farm and they are the type of couple that take in animals that others don't want. So it's really not up to me if they decided to rehome some of the younger cats ( and i think they are attached to all of them ) I will let them know about your suggestion about a UTI however and the other info
   oh and we use the spray not the diffuser. and yes its a daily battle to try to get him to put his things away lol

   • ANSWER:
     We have 8 cats.
     Before anything, you might take kitty to the vet and check for infection, as this behavior is sometimes symptomatic of that. If the vet gives him a clean bill of health, then here is what you need to do:
     First of all, where are you putting the cat's food and water?
     The first rule of kitty elimination is that cats hate to eat where they "go" and they hate to "go" where they eat. If you have the food and water next to the litter box, you have committed the most common mistake that cat owners commit, which is the single biggest cause of kittys going elsewhere. A kitty would rather risk going somewhere else than risk contaminating their food, so your best bet is to move the food and water either to the opposite side of the room from the litter box, or, even better, to a different room altogether from the litter box. Then make sure you have at least 2 - 3 inches of litter in that litter box and that you keep it scooped and clean. Kittys also hate not enough litter, and they hate dirty toilets. You wouldn't like going in a dirty, smelly toilet. Neither do they.
     Your next step is to get a cleaner that has a chemical in it that breaks down the enzyme that causes an odor from the urine that you may not be able to smell - but your cat can - and clean the spot where kitty has been "doing it" with it thoroughly. Such a cleaner is available at most pet stores, and will help the kitty not to be attracted to that spot. Petco and Pet Smart have "Out" odor remover and "Nature's Miracle". I haven't tried Nature's Miracle but have heard a lot about it. You might ask the employees for their recommendation.
     Then remember the first rule of kitty elimination again: Cats hate to eat where they "go" and hate to "go" where they eat. Your kitty needs to be reprogrammed with positive reinforcement for proper elimination behavior. You do this by getting small bowls of food and putting them on top of any and all spots where your kitty has been "going" (as long as those spots are NOT by the litter box!). In this case you should keep those bowls consistently filled with a dry "kibble" cat food for the next few weeks. This will communicate to the kitty that this is a happy, secure place (which cats associate with food) and not a place for improper elimination. (This may seem messy and inconvenient, but it works!!!) After a few weeks, you should be able to remove the bowls and the kitty will may longer be attracted to those spots for improper elimination.
     Keep in mind that these tricks WILL NOT WORK if you have not made sure that the food and water is far away from the litter in the first place.
     We have 8 cats, have had up to 11 - at ages all the way up to 19 years old, all are indoor kittys, and this method has worked like a charm. All respect litter box rules.
     One last note: Kittys seldom respond to punishment. They are unable to associate punishment with behavior - especially if it is after the fact. They do, however, respond to positive reinforcement.

10. QUESTION:
    My horse - having technical issues xD?
    Anytime I start brushing him, we suddenly get an electric shock and it shocks us both to pull back really quickly - sometimes it doesn't phase him but it hurts me! Today I touched my hand to his muzzle and ZAP... So this is a really weird question and probably belongs elsewhere, but seriously does anyone know how to stop it? It happened today 5 times while grooming him, usually only once or twice.

    Also -- it only used to happen as soon as I pulled his fly rug off, but even now when he isn't wearing one it happens.
    Would exersising him in hand stop it or something? D:

    Suggested::
    Sports > Outdoor Recreation > Hunting
    :/
    Sorry I worded it wrong, it isn't a problem with the brushes I just meant when I start grooming and touching, I get electric shocks with my hands...

    Thanks so far for the answers

    • ANSWER:
      I have this problem in the dry winter. I do a couple of things to help with it, as one of my horses will pull back and break things when he gets shocked; he really hates it.

      I have a can of Static Guard that is used for clothing to eliminate static that I spray on my brushes before I use them, and also on my blankets. This really has cut down on the problem. I also switched mostly to horse hair brushes from plastic bristle brushes, and that helps too. You can also rub dryer sheets on your brushes, blankets and even the horse to decrease the static. You have to do this each day, but it just becomes part of the grooming ritual.

      add--but is the humidity low in your area? If the air is very dry, then the conditions are right when plastic and fur rub together. My dad's a retired electronic's teacher, and he always started the teaching year out with making static electricity by rubbing a hard plastic rod with a rabbit pelt and shocking everyone within reach. Kinda sadistic, but very demonstrative that certain materials conduct electricity, even plastic if it is the right kind. So you need to ground yourself out somehow. Change from boots with hard plastic soles to tennis shoes or boots with gum/rubber soles and see if that helps. Rubbing your hands with a dryer sheet would do the trick before you touch or handle your horse. Dampen the ground or footing before working with your horse and that will help too. It's the atmosphere, and you can do things to affect it.

11. QUESTION:
    My rabbit wont wee....?
    Ok I have a 2 year old rabbit called Smudge. It's great because we bring him into the house everyday for a couple of hours and he NEVER wees inside. It's great. He does poop some times but not much. He has a nice big hutch outside.
    Ever since christmas eve because of the cold we have brought him in pretty much every night (especially the past week). He 'sleeps' in a card board box in the utility With food and water,it has a bit cut out of it so he can mooch around the room if he likes but I don't think he does because he doesn't like tiles,
    anyways that's off the point,
    ever since we have been doing this we would bring him into the sitting room and only outside for a couple of hours. I have noticed the cardboard box is not wet and there is hardly any poops (compared to his hutch) I have a feeling he is holding in his wee like he does inside normally. And he has been doing A LOT of poops in the sitting room. Today he actually weed on the rug! 1st time ever in 2 years!!
    (though that could have been nerves as he heard the hover and is very afraid of it.)
    He also did loads of poops with the wee. I fell he was holding it in so long and the fright he got just made himself pee. And 10 minutes ago i sweat he did about 50 poops,they were all over the rug,no exaggeration!

    What should I do if my rabbit is not weeing in his box inside? I saw little wet patch but once again nothing compared to how it normally is in his hutch!
    He is an outdoor rabbit but his water bottle froze outside last night so we simply can't keep him out!
    Of course he has newspaper,saw dust hay and straw in the box,exactly the same as his hutch!

    • ANSWER:
      Try getting some of his bedding/hay or whatever was in his hutch outside and put it in a tub in the utility room like a litter tray. He may recognise this and go to the toilet in it (as well as make him more comfortable in the room)
      As long as food and water is available he isnt going to hold anything in so long that it makes him ill, so monitor his food and water intake; if he seems to be eating and drinking much less, getting slower and just generally not being himself then take him to the vets

12. QUESTION:
    Siberian Husky vs. Alaskan Malamute?
    I am planning on an outdoor dog. This does not mean I will chain it up and interact with it only at feeding time or whatever. We have a huge backyard plus high fence, so they won't be chained. I plan to spend a lot of time outside with them (we are outdoorsy, my family), so they won't be neglected. However, I need the specifics:

    First, we want one of the northern breeds - specifically Siberian husky or Alaskan malamute. I went all over the internet but there isn't much helpful info about trainability, behavior, general living. Someone who kept them tell me which one is preferred.

    Second, what kind of doghouse, and how big. If we're talking a small shed size, I don't mind. Just tell me how big...and what kind of furnishings. Cushion? Rug? Lighting? Cooling (cuz these breeds will like the cold weather, just not the hot)?

    thanks/

    • ANSWER:
      I would do your research first, as in, read up about them on the internet, google them, go talk to a vet or something. They are no joke that's for sure. They are known for being escape artists, and no I am not going off by what people say, I am going off from what my dog did. (Luckily I caught him as I was fast too)

      If you watch these kinds of breeds on youtube and type in siberian husky escape, something like that, you can see that whatever they had to keep them inside did not even stop them from escaping, (digging under the fence, climbing over the fence, you name it)

      I have to house-train my husky so that he is inside at all times, but he is very energetic, and needs a lot of exercising all day, so you really need to put in a lot of attention in him or else he will be bored, and he will find ways to keep himself entertained, and usually their ways to entertain themselves aren't great. For example: tearing up your couch.

      No matter how much you train them, even if you believe you train them well, they should not be off
      the leash, I mean it, ever...unless you don't mind chasing after him or her from time to time.

      The difference between an siberian husky and alaskan malamute is, the siberian are a lot smaller but quicker to get around. Alaskan malamute are bigger and very much stronger.

      That reminds me, get ready to have sore arms from holding on to them when walking around on the leash, they tend to pull you around from their strong legs, oh and brush them maybe two or three times a day because they usually shed year-round depending on where you live and the climate.

      The doghouse needs to have some sort of a flat-top so that they can lay on top, they like to be on the top of the "world", and it doesn't really take much, but treat the dogs as if it's your family, don't have them sleep on mud if you get what I mean.

      I live in parts of the United States where it's humid year-round and usually in the 80's or 90's, I can tell you that he gets really hot fast when outside, but it should not keep the huskies from having a great life, we always kept him cool and lots of water always.

      I do hope you are very well informed and make the right decision, they are a lot of work literally, but don't get me wrong, I love my Casper very much and wouldn't trade him for the world. Good luck!!

13. QUESTION:
    Good flea shampoo for my cats?
    Well I'm living with my in laws due to money issues, and they have a dog that goes outside often. He has fleas I guess, didn't even KNOW, no one told me, yet I have 2 cats so AWESOME for me. I found out the hard way he has fleas, after my cats got them, too. My cats don't leave the room luckily, they stay in one room with me, the dog can't be around cats and the cats are scared of dogs, so it works fine. But somewhere in the meantime, my cats just got fleas a few days ago, and now I need something to kill them off. Now I know you are all going to say frontline, advantage or whatever everyone says, but I don't want to spend that much money on my cats, since they don't go outside. They aren't the carriers, the dog is, so if I washed them, they'd be fine. They are already treating the dog with frontline, cleaning the house often I'm guessing, and they give him baths regulary, so I guess it was a random thing for my cats to get them. I've been living here a year and this is the first time it has happened.

    So basically, I think I really only need to give them a bath, because they aren't ever near the dog, and they are already treating the whole dog and house. There is a rug in here I'm already going to get rid of, luckily the whole house has hardwood floors, so it's not as bad as anyone thought.

    All I have to do is wash bedding and I'm good to go.

    But do you guys know of any good flea shampoo? It seems I only saw like 3 fleas on the cat but I want to catch them before anything bad happens.

    I got Hartz stuff then read how bad it could be, so I'm scared to use it, so are there other good drops out there that are OTC? I know all are saying they are all bad, but I don't think that's true, it's just a protection issue really.

    Once again, it's not like I NEED the expensive stuff, since they aren't outdoor and everything is being treated from the dog.
    I have got cats because I love cats, and they never got fleas once in their 4 years of life. And that amount I don't understand, I'm from the U.S. it's different here.

    • ANSWER:
      I too have money issues and cats. I learned the hard way not to use any over the counter stuff for fleas.One of my cats got poisoned from a common one sold in the pet store. Thank God he did not die, I got him to the vet in time. I do not remember what brand it was. I would spring for the Advantage or Frontline as it is about as safe as u can get, and killing fleas is not just a one time thing. there could be even 1 egg left on the cat. The good products interrupt the life cycle of the fleas. You should not have to use it 4ever but just until the fleas are gone, I would go for a good 2 or 3 months. I hear what u r saying about the situation, but all it takes is `1 flea or egg to start the whole thing going again. The money I had to spend on the vet to make the cat survive was far more than a reliable product would have cost. Go on line, there are vet supply places that sell it cheaper. Yes u r so right not to use the Hartz, there was an exposure on tv some time ago saying how dangerous it was. The good stuff will keep working until theyre all gone. You will have to keep treating the dog as long as it goes outside as it is the host and will bring them inside again ;0( so good luck with it. I struggled with ineffective and/or dangerous flea products and finally decided it was so not worth it. Get in touch with the frontline or advantage folks and see if they have any coupons or discounts. Even at full price, it was sooo worth it to me. I finally got rid of the fleas after spending $$$$$$$$ on otc stuff that almost killed the cat and we STILL had the fleas. With the Advantage, the problem was solved. I keep a couple doses in the house in the Summer just in case. but havent needed them.. (It is very difficult to bathe a cat at home , traumatizes the cat and you can get badly scratched. The fleas will hide between toes and inside ears and eyelids(of course u dont want to get flea product inside the cats ears and eyes). Baths never worked for my cats and I still have scars on my arms from it. (My cat is not mean at all, she was just so terrified she got me good). She was foaming at the mouth with fear, it was not a good experience and the fleas lived on. If u r really tight for money and have friends or family that give u birthday or Holiday gifts, maybe they could help u with flea product in stead of a present... O and thank u for keeping ur cats as indoor cats. I also learned the hard way letting cats out guarantees they not only will get fleas but will get injured, diseased or killed... I work at a cat shelter and hear it all the time... My cats NEVER go out now and are happy. Of course cats are curious explorers and will try to go outside, or into closets. drawers, open paper grocery bags, etc etc... SO it does not mean they have a need to be outside. Thank you for caring so well for ur pets.. and sorry 4 ur flea situation... I wish u and ur pets and family both 2 and 4 legged, a long and happy life together.. ps dont be grossed out, but check ur cats from time to time for tapeworms, they show up as small whitish or tan segments that look like small grains of rice around the bum area. It does not mean that they definitely will get them but fleas do pass the tape worms which have a cycle, they are easy to see in that area so check kitty bums for a good long time after the fleas are gone. DOnt worry 2 much about it. The medication from the vet is not too expensive and works well. You could go on line and research it, dont use any home cures, they dont work and can be very dangerous.. ( I dont think the worms are transmittable to people). Good luck, and blessings. Take care.

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