Problem: Article: Spraying is a natural mating behavior in intact cats. The easiest solution to problem spraying is to neuter or spay your cat before 5 months of age if you haven't already. Your cat's urge to spray should drop off dramatically. Changes in your cat's environment, such as a new cat or new baby, may seem small to you but they could feel upsetting for your cat. Try to address any new environmental shifts by providing slow introductions to new people and keeping your cat's routines as close to normal as possible. If your cat's urination problems persist despite its being neutered and your addressing environmental issues, you may want to take them to the vet. Some health problems, such as neutering complications or urinary tract infections, can cause your cat to urinate more frequently outside the litter box. Make a note of where your cat goes in the house, how often, and when your issues started so you can relate them to your veterinarian. Cats are naturally inclined to use a litter box, so if your cat is avoiding theirs, there may be a reason for it. Try changing the location of the litter box or the litter you use. If you have multiple cats, make sure there are enough litter boxes so that each cat has one. Certain repellent products, such as Four Paws Keep Off! and Nature's Miracle Pet Block Repellent, can discourage your cat from spraying in the house. Test your materials for colorfastness, and then spray the repellant thoroughly on the area your cat urinates.
Summary: Spay or neuter your cat. Address any stressful changes in the environment. Get your cat checked at the vet for any underlying health problems. Look for litter box-related issues. Use repellent products as necessary.

Problem: Article: You have three options for locating a Yorkshire terrier puppy: breeders, breed rescues, and general animal shelters. Each of these sources has its own pros and cons: Breeders: a breeder can provide the dog's lineage if a strong pedigree is important to you. However, breeders can be expensive, and unethical breeders might not provide the best care for your puppy in its earliest days. A bad breeder may also breed unhealthy dogs. Breed rescues: look for Yorkie-specific rescue centers in your area. These animals need good homes, so if you want to save an animal, a breed rescue is a good option. However, you will not have access to the dog's pedigree, and many dogs might be mixed-breed. You may also find more adults than puppies. General animal shelter: it will be hard to find a purebred Yorkie in a general animal shelter, and you'll likely find more adults than puppies. However, if the shelter's a kill shelter, you might save your dog's life. Furthermore, shelters are usually far cheaper than breeders or breed rescues. Many rescues and shelters have websites that are updated regularly with the new dogs available for adoption. Keep an eye on these websites for the puppy you want to rescue. If you don't see a suitable puppy on the websites, call the rescues and shelters to see if you can be put on a notification list. They may be willing to call you if a Yorkie puppy comes into their care. If you choose to buy your puppy from a breeder, you should conduct a thorough investigation into how ethical the breeder is. There is no license for breeding anyone with a litter of puppies can call him- or herself a breeder. You want to make sure you only buy a puppy from someone who takes the responsibility of breeding animals seriously. A quality breeder will let you ask questions even if they don't have any puppies for sale. They may be able to refer you to someone who does have puppies at the moment. Ask the breeders how long they've been breeding Yorkies, and whether they've seen any health issues in the dogs they've bred. Don't limit your questions you have for the breeder. You want to make sure your puppy comes from a responsible place. Do their dogs have a good pedigree, and will the breeder provide pedigree papers to ensure the puppy doesn't come from an inbred line? Do they dock, or cut off, their puppies' tails? Docking is an unnecessary cosmetic procedure that's illegal in some countries. This is a form of mutilation, and that breeder should not be encouraged in any way. If you want to raise Yorkies yourself, ask if the breeder requires you to spay/neuter their puppies. Do they have a return policy, in case your situation changes or you discover a health issue in your dog? Have they already begun the litter's vaccination program? What shots have they had, and what will you have to get them? A breeder can say whatever they'd like over the phone, but you should visit your top choices in person to see for yourself that they are trustworthy operations. A good breeder will socialize puppies from a young age so they trust humans. Though some puppies might be shyer than others, in general the litter should be comfortable around people. Ask to see the whole litter with its mother to make sure the family is kept together and happy, and that the puppies weren't weaned too early. Make sure the facilities are clean, and that each dog has comfortable living quarters with its own food and water bowl. You should not see more than 1 or 2 Yorkies crowded into a single kennel. Check that the dog areas are tidy and free of feces or urine. A good breeder will clean their kennels daily. If the operation seems unprofessional or questionable, cross that breeder off your list. Puppy mills breed and sell large numbers of dogs for a profit. Because they are more interested in money than the quality of the dogs' lives, they do not provide adequate care for the animals in their care. Puppies from mills often come home with giardia, parvovirus, and other diseases that would be addressed by a proper breeder. They often overbreed and inbreed their dogs, resulting in genetic health conditions that will reveal themselves as the puppy grows up. Because puppy mill breeders don't spend time with their animals, mill puppies are often unsocialized, and even fearful of humans. Puppy mills are inhumane. Do not, under any circumstances, support a breeder who treats his or her animals improperly.
Summary: Decide what kind of source you want to get your Yorkie from. Contact breed rescues and shelters in your area. Question breeders in your area over the phone. Visit each breeder who seems like a good fit. Do not support puppy mills.

Problem: Article: If unopened, canned cat food typically can be kept for quite a while. It is always best, however, to check the best by date on the can before giving the food to your cat. Throw out food that has passed its best by date, even if you recently bought it. If you just bought a can of cat food with an expired date, you can try to return it for a refund or exchange. Do not store the food in a location that exceeds 100F (38C) Exposing the cat food to too much heat and humidity can cause degradation in the food. Store the food in a location where it won't be exposed to sunlight or water. Putting the food in your cupboard or pantry is ideal. It is okay to store food in a very cold location. This will not lead to degradation of the food. Even if you've stored the food properly, check the container before storing it. If you see that the packaging has been ripped, it is best to throw the food away. You should also throw out containers of food with visible mold or dampness. It is best to keep the food in its original packaging until you open it. After opening the food and storing it in an airtight container, do not throw the original packaging away. The packaging contains information you will need if the brand of food is ever recalled.
Summary:
Check the best by date of the cat food. Keep the food in a cool, dry location. Throw away damaged containers of food. Keep the original packaging.