Q: My dog likes peanut butter in a Kong toy when I leave the house. Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
A: Oh goodness. That’s a good question.
From everything I’ve been able to find, crunchy peanut butter really is no different from creamy peanut butter except for the chunks of peanuts. Wow, was that the most obvious sentence in the world or what?
If you’ve got a little pup, you might want to watch using chunky because it’s possible he could choke on the pieces if they’re big enough. If your baby likes creamy peanut butter and you’re leaving him alone with the Kong, you might not want to try the crunchy. Only do it if you can monitor him at first in case the chunks are too much for him.
Charlotte came into the shelter as a stray and she was very underweight when she arrived. She’s a super sweet girl who still needs to gain a little weight, but she’s ready to find her new home. Charlotte is a 10-month-old terrier mix who is super playful and loving. She does seem to have some sensitive skin, so she is on a novel protein food here at the shelter and is doing so much better skin wise! Charlotte must meet all family members that reside in the home. Do you have the right spot for this sweetheart?
Truly, if you use peanut butter a lot, it’s a good idea to go completely organic — literally a jar listing dry roasted peanuts as the only ingredient. There can be a lot of fat in processed peanut butter and I’ve read stories where pups have gained a lot of weight if they’re given a lot of peanut butter.
You actually wouldn’t believe all the recipes for what you can put in a Kong toy. Frozen yogurt (plain, unsweetened, lowfat and unflavored) could be a great change of pace in the summer. I know a lot of folks who find success with stuffed Kong toys, so thanks for giving your guy something to do when you’re not at home!
JoJo is a 2-year-old tabby girl with orange, brown and white coloring who is super nice. She came into the shelter as a stray and just wants to be near people. JoJo would love to know what a forever home is about! Could you show her?
Q: Why does my cat urinate in the sink?
A: Man, if I truly knew why a cat did anything, I’d have written a book by now. I had a cat that did this, too. It was very frustrating.
I first would be remiss in not suggesting a checkup by the vet. When a cat urinates outside the litterbox, it can be a physical issue, like crystals in his urine or a bladder infection. If it hurts the cat to urinate he might start to associate the litterbox with pain and that’s why he’s seeking another outlet.
If it’s not a physical issue, we then have to turn to the psychological, which is so much more difficult to figure out because a cat can’t tell us what he or she is thinking. Making sure your litterbox is clean could help reduce his urge to go elsewhere. Maybe put a litterbox in the room with the sink to give the cat another option.
Some cats, believe it or not, have surface preferences on which they will urinate. Some like soft, some prefer slick. Cats who have lived outdoors like dirt.
One recommendation is to turn your litterbox into what he likes. If he wants dirt, put some dirt in with the litter. If he likes slick, put very little litter in the pan.
Also, make sure you have enough litterboxes. There are some cats that prefer to urinate in one litterbox and defecate in another.
Ahh, the wonderful world of the feline. Hopefully some of these solutions will help keep your cat out of the sink.
Cat meds: Ask the Shelter: If I think my cat is in pain, can I give him aspirin?
Help control the pet population: Ask the Shelter: I feed stray cats near my house. Do I need to get them spayed, neutered?
Ask the Shelter is a weekly feature aimed at pet education. If you have a question, contact Jennifer Vanderau, public relations coordinator for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, at cvascomm@cvas-pets.org or 263-5791.
This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Ask CVAS: Can I use crunchy peanut butter in a Kong dog toy?