Something wrong...

So, I was performing the evil but necessary task of changing the kitty litter. I noticed something: the litter pan liner was not destroyed!

Here is the back-story: Jack used to rip up the litter pan liner. The truth is I thought he was doing it because my litter box is not always the cleanest. So, I thought he was wiping his paws. Now, what I have learned is that he was actually working out his frustrations! He was in pain because of those dang crystals.

This taught me the lesson that anything that seems odd could quite possibly mean that something is wrong.

Recently, with Jack's illness, people have asked me: how did you know that he was sick? Let me explain.

First, there is no replacement for you knowing your pet. Once Summer got a fever, and I knew that because I knew her. She did not respond to food the way she normally would. So, I took her to the vet. But, that's another story.

For Jack, I knew he had problems when he started going to the bathroom more often. Also, pay attention to when you're changing the litter. For cats with urinary problems, you may notice blood in the litter. In addition, pay attention to the cat's posture. If he is curving his back like he is pushing, that's bad.

Lastly, this is yet another advantage of having two pets. You have the opportunity to compare behaviors. I could compare Jack's behavior with Summer's. This way, I can notice anything that may be different. So, go ahead and adopt two cats! :)