Dog preparing for a feast of "kitty roca"

WHY DO DOGS EAT CAT POOP, AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY INGEST CAT FECES AND/OR CAT LITTER?

What happens when a dog makes a regular meal out of cat feces? Let’s add to that what happens when litter, especially the clumping kind, gets into a K9′s intestines.

OK all you cat poop experts out there! This is your chance to chime in. Leave your response below!

I JUST LOVE GETTING THESE LETTERS!

Finding your site was a godsend! I’ve been struggling for years having both a cat and small dogs (mostly dachshund/poodle mixes) because the dogs just love cat poo. They get into the litter and dig away.

Putting the litter box in our closets got old real fast, and didn’t work even when we were doing that. Case in point: One day I came home from work and opened my closet door to put my coat away. There in the litter box sat my middle dog, Sadie. She was quite thirsty, but not at all hungry. Need I say more? She had snuck in that morning when I was getting dressed, and I didn’t catch that she was still there when I left. Leaving the door open just enough for my little cat to get inside meant that Sadie couldn’t get out either.

Later that evening, Sadie began to throw up violently. We rushed her to the vet where they did something to get the litter out of her stomach. I vowed I would find a good home for the dogs or the cat, but one species had to go. The vet tech at my veterinarian clinic gave me one of your brochures. I spent $1340 on the one vet bill, and then $170 on a MeowSpace.

The MeowSpace is definitely the bargain in this story! It’s working perfectly. The cat is happy, the dogs, well, they’re just out of litter luck, and me, I opened a savings account for my vacation fund with $1340, and I’m putting away at least $100/month, reminding myself that I could be spending it instead on sick puppies! Thank you so much for inventing a product that I should have thought of years ago. And good luck on its future success.

Ron from Roanoke, VA

Wow! Great story. Your 2nd MeowSpace® is on its way as I write this. (Ron now has two Magnetic System MeowSpaces – one for the litter box and one for the cat’s food.)

I’ve done a lot of research regarding dogs eating cat poop. The response from the experts seems to be a mixed bag. Some warn of the dangers of dogs getting worms and other bad creepy crawlies from the cat poop, and others say it’s no big deal. Most say it has something to do with the high protein content. But the one thing they all agree upon is the problem of the litter itself getting ingested along with the poo.  Whether clumping, clay, wood chips or sand, cat litter and doggie stomachs don’t match.

The MeowSpace® certainly takes care of the problem and saves time, energy and money in the long run. Thanks for your story, Ron.

Some Topics On This Page: how to stop my dog eating cat poo | why do dogs like to eat cat poop | my dog eats my cats poop | why do dogs eat cat poo

MeowSpace® + Automatic Super Feeder = Double Success!

One of the wonderful benefits of creating personalized connections with MeowSpace® users is that I am learning more ways that the MeowSpace® is being utilized.

One of our clients, who uses three RFID MeowSpaces, just told me that he has a kitty who is so hungry all day long that he purchased an automatic feeder. This feeder releases food in a timed manner so that his hungry cat gets a little bit of food several times per day. He placed the automatic feeder inside the MeowSpace®, strung the electric cord through the ventilation opening in the MeowSpace®, and out to the plug. Using the MeowSpace® and the feeder together, we humans can control:

1) what the cats eat
2) which cats eat which food
3) how much food each cat gets
4) how often each cat gets to eat
5) what times each cat gets to eat

What an ideal situation! So ideal, in fact, that I realized we needed the same solution for our little hungry girl. As of yesterday, Flopsie no longer bugs us to eat all day long because we have added an automatic feeder to her MeowSpace®. She loves it…sits and waits for it to drop her food, and has even come to know when it’s going to happen.

Thanks, Jon, for sharing your excellent idea with me! Our lives are now even less stress-filled around our kitties.

Some Topics On This Page: cat feeding | automatic cat feeder | what the cats eat | when the cats eat

“A name…the pressure of a name… ”
(from the 1980′s movie, “Pretty Woman”)

We are coming up on the third anniversary of the registration of the name, “MeowSpace,” and it has since graduated to “MeowSpace®” (note the circled ® at the end of the word).

We have our “other” son, Gabe, to thank for the name. By “other” son, I mean that our son, Corey, the builder of the first MeowSpace®, grew up best friends with Gabe. Both being raised as only children, their friendship deepened to the point of them considering each other brothers, and as such, Gabe became our “other” son. He has since provided us with an “other” daughter-in-law, Jordan, and most recently, our “other” grandson, Malcolm. But I digress…

Gabe, Malcolm & Corey with 2-hour old Malcolm. Two big guys fawning over a baby. Yay! We raised them well.

Berdell and I were having lunch with Gabe, Jordan, and Gabe’s mom, Kathy, at McMenamin’s Kennedy School restaurant, attempting to come up with a name for this difficult-to-explain-in-one-or-two-words invention. All of us were throwing around ideas, most of which elicited wrinkled-nosed, eye-squinting responses. Sometimes we groaned or snickered, and sometimes we even looked interested before morphing back into the wrinkles and squints. Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, Gabe shouts out “MeowSpace!” We all fell silent in a stunned moment of spiritual awe, and in that moment, the MeowSpace® came into its own.

In preparing to write about this remarkable moment, I thought about starting out with, “In the beginning, MeowSpace…,” or “Call me MeowSpace,” or “We hold the MeowSpace to be self-evident…” or “A MeowSpace by any other name…” or “A MeowSpace for all seasons…” I got a million of ‘em.

I have to admit that I cringe just a little when someone calls it a meowbox, or a catbox. I mean, isn’t a catbox pretty much a plain ol’ litter box? My 97-year-old mother keeps calling it “the cat cage,” even though there are no bars in evidence. Even worse, I think, is when people say they want one of those “cat thingies.” It’s getting so bad that the other day I caught myself telling a friend that we sold 4 “cat thingies” within 12-hours, at which point I covered my mouth in abject horror with both my hands and screamed a muffled “I han’t believe I hed that!”

Alas, slowly but surely, customers are calling and asking for a “MeowSpace” the same way they would ask for a “coke” or a “kleenex.” Yes, my friends, the MeowSpace® is becoming the standard name for a product that, up until Gabe’s “MeowSpace!” blurt, not only had no name, but didn’t exist. It wears its ® badge with pride, having been elevated from a simple TM, and because of what it does for felines and humans alike, the MeowSpace® is becoming synonymous with words like, “service,” “sanity,” “serenity,” and “savings.” So, despite the occasional dalliance into the world of “other” names, the MeowSpace® holds the greatest honor of being called, “The Multi-pet Household’s Best Friend.” And that’s good enough for me.

Some Topics On This Page: multi-pet household best friend | cat thingy | meowbox | catbox

Sam (diabetic cat) & Mala. Original watercolor by Berdell Moffett-Chaney

The Story of Sam & Mala

Sam had been around quite a few years when he was diagnosed with feline diabetes. Mala, a feisty, active and friendly girl, tolerated Sam but made it a point to let him know who was boss. Sam, also friendly but more subdued, let Mala think she was in charge, but held his own quite well, thank you very much.

Sam’s human mom, Rosemary, worked during the day, so when Sam needed to eat a special diet to control his diabetes, there were problems. Both cats refused to eat all of their food at once, so the food was left down while they were alone at home all day. It became apparent that Sam was chowing down on Mala’s food, and the results were showing medically. His diabetes symptoms continued to worsen, and Rosemary was at her wit’s end.

One day, while visiting us, Rosemary noticed our feeding station, now called the MeowSpace®. She asked if we would make one for her. Mala became the 2nd cat in the universe to use a MeowSpace®, and within 2 months, due to Sam not being able to access Mala’s food anymore, Sam’s diabetes went into remission. He stayed relatively healthy for a good period of time after that, though being a senior cat who had suffered for years with his feline diabetes, he eventually succumbed to it. Did the MeowSpace® help him to add time to his long life? Both Rosemary and their veterinarian (Southgate Animal Clinic) think so. And not only time, but quality of life.

The importance of food in the treatment of feline diabetes cannot be overstated. Feeding the correct food is paramount to success. Cats saddled with feline diabetes in multiple cat households are at the mercy of their humans’ abilities to keep control over what they eat, and when that doesn’t happen, the diabetic cat is the one who suffers.

The MeowSpace®, hands down, offers the best solution to controlling cats’ food habits in multiple pet homes. Rosemary recognized this the moment she laid eyes on our MeowSpace®, and with her help, support and encouragement, the MeowSpace® was refined and offered to the world via the internet. Sadly, Sam is no longer with us, but he goes down in kitty history as the first cat to have his life made easier because of his MeowSpace®.

Some Topics On This Page: feline diabetes | multiple cat households | cat diabetes | feline feeding

Toddlers Will Be Toddlers

I was talking with a new acquaintance today who said he was having problems keeping his twin toddlers from eating the pet’s food out of their bowls. The pets, both a cat and a small dog, were grazers. They also manage to eat each other’s food , but the main problem is the human element. The kids love the pet food, and it is difficult to keep an eye on them all day long, so eventually they get to the food at some point each day.

He’s thinking of getting a couple of MeowSpaces to keep both pets from eating the wrong food, and to also keep the twins out of the pets’ food without the adults in the family in constant anxiety. I’m thinking he would have to put the MeowSpaces under a table to keep the children from opening up the hinged lid of the MeowSpace®, or at least devise some kind of cover to put over the top of the MeowSpace® that would deter them from getting into it.

Any ideas out there?

Some Topics On This Page: eating cat food | kids eating the cat food | kids eating the dog food | keep children away from the pet food

A recent email from a visitor to our site:

I’m looking at your site, and I must be missing something. I have a little dog like the one in your video. He’s a long-haired wiener dog, and I can’t keep him out of my cat’s litter box. I can understand how a large dog can be kept out, but my dog would just follow my cat right into the Meowspace. Your endorsements are convincing, but what about small dogs?

Thank you for your question. The door of the MeowSpace® is a LOCKING pet door, and it is locked shut, so your dog cannot get inside. Your cat has a collar device (either a magnetic for the Magnetic Locking Door System, or an RFID for the Radio Frequency Identification Device system) that unlocks the door when your cat’s head begins to enter the MeowSpace®. Your dog, not having a device to unlock the door, cannot enter. And our Bully Barriers™ make sure your dog cannot sneak in behind your cat. No more doggie poopie mouth!

Dog preparing for a feast of "kitty roca." Put the litter inside the MeowSpace® and your K9 is prevented from ever eating cat poop again!

Some Topics On This Page: dog eat cat poop | dog eats cats poop | dog eating cat poop | how to stop a dog from eating cat poop

Jupiter, the overweight cat, contemplates a MeowSpace® break-in, to no avail!

Here is a picture of Jupiter, my overweight kitty trying to gain access! Mello, my underweight one is well on her way to gaining more confidence. Right now she needs a nudge to gain entry and is quite adept on how to exit. So far, so good.

Update: My overweight cat goes to the vet on Thurs and I’m going to give them one of your brochures.

Update: We had success this morning…I heard the CH sound and Mello was eating her breakfast!

Additional Update: Casey, we DEFINITELY have success in my household!

Kim J., New York, NY

Mellow eats while Jupiter watches. Finally, Kim has a way to get both cats to their healthy weight without having to police them at all.

Some Topics On This Page: underweight cat | overweight cat | cat confidence | confident cat

I received an email today from a person who originally bought two MeowSpaces®  for their cat named “Cat.” Seems they have several small dogs who love to eat Cat’s food, as well as Cat’s litter. One MeowSpace® holds the litter box, and the other holds his food and water. With that problem solved, another problem took center stage. Apparently the dogs take turns attempting to play and roughhouse with Cat, and all Cat wants to do is hang out with the family without being bothered by the dogs. If everyone’s in the tv room watching a show, Cat wants to be there, too, even though he would be left unbothered by the dogs if he chose to be in another room. No matter where Cat goes in the tv room, the dogs can get to him.

Cat’s family decided to try something creative. They bought another MeowSpace® and stocked it with Cat’s toys, blanket and even some catnip.

“Cat has developed his own routine each night after dinner. When we all move into the tv room, he goes into the Meowspace with the food and eats a bit. He then enters the litter Meowspace. Next thing we know, he’s lying comfortably in his blanket Meowspace, which we conveniently have between our two easy chairs. He loves being able to see what’s going on through the clear plastic, but also realizes he’s safe from the dogs’ attentions. It’s his own little flat of rooms. You might say it’s his own Cat Haven, and he loves it.”

“The best part of it for us is that there is peace in our home after dinner for the first time in two years. I think I’ve never seen a full uninterrupted tv program since we’ve had Cat, though it was never his fault. It’s still so new to us to hear the quietude that it’s the topic of conversation during commercials!”

-Bill T.

Thanks, Bill, for taking the time to share your story.

-Casey

Some Topics On This Page: house for cat | cats house | cat haven | cats haven

Isabel

Carol McBride did not grow up with cats. Her mother was Mrs. Clean, and animals did not fit the picture of cleanliness in her mind or home, so Carol remained pet-free until adulthood.

Zachary

Then one day, while Carol was going home from her job at the local tv station, she heard a cry. Carol found a pure black kitten, no bigger than the palm of her hand, mewing and nursing a bloody paw. She took him to the nearest veterinary clinic for treatment, and the vet techs placed a little blue bow on his head. Carol named her new gift, “Mr. Lincoln,” since he was found on Lincoln Park Dr, and took him home. He was her soul-mate and read her mind with amazing accuracy.

Suki

Rufus

For the next 3 years, “Linc” enjoyed the status of being the only cat. Then one day, while Carol was out biking on a highway, she happened upon a solid gray cat. She draped him over her arm, and the two of them biked home together. “Slate” was not well received by Lincoln at first, but within 5 days they were cuddling together in a chair. Thus began Carol’s cat dynasty, and from that moment on, her life, and the lives of many rescued cats would never be the same.

Slate (the cyclist)

Boots

Thomas

After finding Slate, cats just seemed to find Carol until she had 18 of them. Today, Carol is the mother of 12 elderly cats. She rescues because there are so many “beautiful babies out there who need homes.” “I love everything about my cats—but most particularly the way we connect—they talk to me all the time. I have most of them in bed with me very night. And if I’m down or do not feel well, they are well aware of this and make an effort to comfort me.”

A Family Affair
Carol’s husband suffered with Alzheimer’s and kidney cancer, and during his illness, the “babies” were excellent care-givers and companions. He loved them, and they would sit on his lap in multiples. As the result, her husband never wandered (due to the Alzheimer’s), and she was able to continue working as an office manager, watching him from work on a webcam.

Punkin

Even Carol’s oldest daughter has caught the cat bug. She runs a non-profit feral cat colony rescue in Oneida County, where they spay, neuter, and vaccinate the healthy cats.

Rascal

Carol & Cats Today
Carol McBride is technically retired but keeps busy as a traveling notary, working for signing services which act as outsourcing avenues for mortgage lenders who need notaries willing to go to people’s homes and close paperwork involved in mortgages. She also does site inspections to determine the genuineness of businesses before pulling credit reports or running credit cards.

Ms Cissy has feline Alzheimer's but still learned to use her MeowSpace®

Carol continues to rescue and foster adult cats, and has made legal provisions through a trust and a pet guardianship to be certain that her cats will be cared for should she cross the rainbow bridge ahead of them.

Ms Cissy in her MeowSpace®

Carol’s MeowSpace® Connection: Teaching a cat with Alzheimer’s to use the MeowSpace®
In caring for her cats, Carol has found it necessary to feed one of them, Ms Cissy, who struggles with kitty Alzheimer’s, an expensive wet food. She noticed the MeowSpace® brochure in her vet’s office and ordered one in order to keep the special food away from her other kitties. Ms Cissy learned to exit the MeowSpace® right away. But it took more than a month to teach her how to enter. When she finally did it, Carol was high-fiving everyone around her. Now, Ms Cissy likes to “play it cute” with Carol. She stands in front of the MeowSpace® and won’t go in until Carol freshens up the food and helps her in. But if Carol simply ignores her, Ms Cissy huffs a bit, then enters by herself.

Thank you, Carol for your love and devotion to your beloved felines. You are an inspiration!

Some Topics On This Page: feline alzheimers | cat alzheimers | multiple cats | cat rescue