Contact Us Home Web Policies City of Sacramento Department of General Services

Information
  

Behavior & Health Care Resources

Pet Care Tips

Poison Control!
CHOCOLATE, holly, poinsettias, water in the Christmas tree stand and antifreeze are all VERY POISONOUS. Keep these items away from your pets. If your pet accidentally ingests some, and is having a reaction, immediately call your veterinarian or the nearest animal emergency hospital.

Brrr, it's Cold!
If your pet is an outdoor-only pet, please provide a dry, warm house for them. This is especially important for older pets who may suffer from arthritis - cold affects them like it does us. Since most indoor pets sleep on or close to the floor, put a towel or rug across the bottom of the door to prevent drafts.

Floods!
If your home or yard is flooded, the City of Sacramento Animal Care Services will provide housing for your pets for free.

Not a Gift!
Please don't give animals as gifts. Holiday activity can overwhelm animals and their new owners. Instead, create a gift certificate stating you will take the lucky person to the shelter after the holidays to pick out a new pet, and attach it to a stuffed toy dog or cat!

A Lot About Cat Litter

The cat owner has a variety of litter choices, and there's surely one to fit your needs.

Clumping: Urine forms hard clumps to be scooped away regularly. Instead of completely changing the litter, you only replace what is scooped out. There is also less odor since the source of odor is removed. The softer texture and smaller granules is easier on paws, and it is less expensive because less is used and discarded.

Antibacterial: Stops the growth of odor causing bacteria present in cat feces.

Charcoal: Absorbs odors and locks them in to virtually eliminate odors. It is similar to how charcoal works in aquarium filters.

Scented: Fragrance is used to cover up odors and make the living area more pleasant.

Unscented: Some additives in unscented litter, like charcoal, are added to unscented litters to virtually eliminate odors without the fragrance.

No-Track/Lo-Track: Keeps cats from tracking litter all over the house.

Flushable: Can be flushed down a toilet and is biodegradable.

Paper: Paper litter looks and feels like regular clay litters, but is made with recycled paper, and is dust-free.

How Much Litter Should Be Used? You should use enough litter in the pan to allow your cat to sufficiently cover any waste it leaves. Cats don't like to feel the bottom of a litter pan when they're burying their waste. Give your cat at least a 2-inch base of litter.

How Often Litter Should Be Changed? Waste should be discarded from a litter box on a daily basis. This will keep odors and bacterial growth to a minimum. Most cats will not use a dirty litter box, and may resort to eliminating elsewhere if this is the case. Use of the litter box will be encouraged if it is kept clean and free from waste.

Cat litter information from PetSmart Web site.