Conversations with Animals: Cherished Messages and Memories Told by an Animal Communicator by Lydia Hiby with Bonnie S. Weintraub.

I liked this book. It was easy to read and there was a lot of useful information in the book for those owners who know that pets have feelings like us. They also know A LOT more than you give them credit for. Lydia tells about a cat, Boo, who had stopped using his litter box (as if none of us with cats had that problem, huh?)

Boo was using the bath mat in front of the litter box to urinate. The owner was of course frustrated and turned to Lydia to find out why this was happening. Boo said, “The bath mat is new and I don’t like the smell of the rubber backing.”

Now cats mark unpleasant odors with their urine. They will mark other ammonia odors, such as marking windows after they have been washed with Windex. Fabric softener sheets also have an unpleasant smell to cats, which is why clothes and bedding dried with these sheets are a favorite for urination.

Boo continued, “I like my new uncovered litter box. However, I liked my old litter better. The new scented litter gives me a headache.”

Helpful tips. Believe them. After 30 years of being in veterinary medicine, inappropriate urination is one of the most interesting and time-consuming problems I see.

Another tip is to advise new pet owners to take a picture of their pets right away and make a “Lost Pet” poster to keep in their pet’s health file JUST IF. What a good idea. Who has time to search through hundreds of images trying to find a good image of your pet when it is in a panic? I also think that the microchip is an excellent option. It is usually available through your local animal shelter for a very reasonable price, but many vets also chip in.