TheVetsWillSee YouNow

The Vets Will See You Now

ANSWERS TO YOUR HAIRIEST PET QUESTION S

By S ara h G ross b ar t

BUGGINGOUT

My landlord is sending an exterminator to spray for bugs while I’m at work. Is it safe for my cat to be in the apartment?

It would be best to remove your cat from the situation, says veterinarian Andy Roark. While a good exterminator “should use chemicals at a low enough dose that it won’t be a problem,” he notes, “get your cat out to be on the safe side.” If that’s not an option, ask the exterminator what compounds he uses and search the Pet Poison Helpline’s poison list (petpoison helpline.com/poisons) to see if they’re safe. (Among the most toxic to cats, says veterinarian Ann Hohenhaus: organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethrins, and pyrethroids.) Keep your cat in an untreated area until the spray dries, and be on the lookout for signs of a toxic reaction— they can appear within an hour of exposure or up to four days afterward. If you notice twitching, tremors, or seizures, head straight to your vet. (DON’T)CHEWONTHIS

Is it ever OK to give my dog bones? I’ve heard raw bones are safer than cooked ones. Is that really the case?

Cooking bone-in meat—like chicken or pork chops—softens the bones, making them more likely to splinter and potentially puncture your dog’s esophagus or intestines. And with raw varieties, your pup can easily fracture a tooth. “I tell clients, ‘You give your dog a bone, you need to give me $2,500 to do a repair in their upper fourth premolar,’” says veterinarian Donna Solomon. For safer chewing, toss him a Kong (Kong Extreme Goodie Bone, $7; chewy .com) or a flat, compressed rawhide, which is softer and more tooth friendly. (Try Pet-Ag Chicken Chew Chunky Chip, $10; jet.com.) Just keep an eye on hisprogress. If he gobbles up the treat too quickly, it could lead to intestinal blockage, says veterinarian Gayle O’Konski: “Rawhide chunks can take a very long time to digest. And sometimes we have to go in surgically.”

FunFind

L U RVI G CAT H OUS E Finally, a stylish piece of furniture for your cat! This modern side table boasts an interior cushion, a built-in scratch pad, and rubber feet to prevent it from slipping. TO BUY: $55; ikea.com-us. NAILINGIT

No matter how many cat scratchers I buy, my kitty continues to use the upholstered furniture as a scratching post. How can I deter her and save my furniture?

A simple change of location may spare your sofa. “The biggest mistake people make with scratchers is hiding them,” says O’Konski. “Wherever your cat is most often, that’s where the scratcher should go.” So place it next to the upholstered furniture and make the scratcher more enticing by giving your cat treats there or sprinkling the post with catnip. Make your settee less desirable by spritzing it with Claw Withdraw scratch-deterrent spray ($13; chewy.com) or lining the nearby floor with double-sided tape (like Sticky Paws Tape, $9; petco.com). “You want her to think her usual scratching place isn’t as attractive,” explains Roark. If that doesn’t do the trick, try placing her food and water bowls near the sofa; according to Solomon, cats tend not to scratch where they eat and drink.

OU REXPERT S

ANN HOHENHAUS, DVM, ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER, NEW YORK CIT Y GAYLE O’KONSKI, DVM, MORRIS ANIMAL HOSPITAL, GRANGER, INDIANA ANDY ROARK, DVM, CLEVELAND PARK ANIMAL HOSPITAL , GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA DONNA SOLOMON, DVM, ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER OF CHICAGO, CHICAGO