Most cats are no longer wanted because of behavior problems, such as urinating outside the litter box. There are things you can do to help. Please consider giving your cat away as a last resort!

1. Take your cat to the vet! One of the most common causes of not using a litter box is a urinary tract infection (URI). The medicine to treat this is very cheap (under $10), so the first thing you should do is take your cat to a vet and have it tested. The cat will recover in days and begin using its litter box again.

2. Don't use scented litter. It might smell great to you, but strong perfume-type smells can turn off your cat. Use plain litter.

3. If you use a hooded litter box, take the lid off! Most cats don't like going in there, the hood holds the smell in making it unbearable for the cat!

4. Clean the litter box regularly. Nobody likes to use a messy bathroom. Scoopable litter is great!

5. If your cat is large, buy a storage tote and take the top off. You can cut a hole 6 inches from the base if you want to make it easier for your cat to get in and out. Larger cats like more room. Initially your catlitter will cost a litter more than filling a regular sized litter box, but after that, it is no different. The storage totes are cheaper too, a few dollars compared to a hooded catpan. It's also easier to clean since no urine will leak out the sides (for the cat that sprays to empty!) You can use the lid as a catmat to keep the litter from tracking!

6. Your cat may urinate outside the box because of stress, such as a new baby in the house, other pets, a change in your daily routine, etc... Try Bach Rescue Remedy Drops to take the edge off a nervous cat. You can simply add them to your cats water supply. If you have other cats that might share the same water source, than you can use the enclosed dropper to put a couple drops directly into your cats mouth. It's only needed twice a day, to start with, and then once a day for 2 weeks. It is not recommended for long-term use. I have a cat who urinates outside the litter box every time another pet comes home from the vet! I have to give him a few drops and wash the vet smell off the other animals! Good grief! But I wouldn't want to give up my sensitive, touchy cat who also has an affectionate side, like giving neck rubs, if I can help it. Bach Rescue Remedy is great! It also works for cats who get nervous in the car, loud holidays like the 4th of July, and trips to the vet. It can be purchased at most health food and vitamin stores.

Good luck to you and your cat. We hope you use these suggestions, as many have worked for me and my cats, as well as my volunteers and their cats!

Dogs
We take in any breed as long as the dog has not bitten and/or is not aggressive. We are not equipped to handle these situations. However, if your dog just isn't good with kids or has other behavorial problems, we have foster homes who may be able to help with behavioral issues.

When surrrendering a dog, we request that the dog be up to date on shots, heartworm tested, and already altered. If it is not, but you are willing to make a donation toward getting it done, we can have the procedure done at our vet. Any vet records you have for the dog should be brought with you also.

Please be as honest with us as possible about the needs of your pet. This helps us determine the best home for it and the best course of action for its vet care.

If you have a dog with a terminal condition, or is older and wouldn't do well away from you, please tell us this also. We may recommend euthanising the dog. If you cannot face doing it and would like to pay for the euthanasia, but can not actually be there to do it - myself or one of my volunteers can take it on for you. We took in a dog that we believe had severe Cushing's disease. The owner never told us and we found out from their vet. We donated our time and compassion by giving the dog one last good meal and then brought it to the vet and held it while it passed to the bridge. There are things worse then death that happen everyday. I found out when I put my Abbie down that it is a very hard step to make and we know that not everyone can handle it. Unfortunatly, sometimes it is the only thing that can be done. We are willing to help you with it.