5 DIY Secrets to Fixing Common Pet Problems

From 1001 Do-it-Yourself Hints and TipsUpdated: Mar. 20, 2019

From digging up the garden to missing the litter box, we’ve found the do-it-yourself solutions to your most common pet problems.

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Problem: Your Cat Has Accidents Around the House

Solution: After cleaning up a cat “accident,” wipe the area with a cloth moistened with ammonia. The pungent odour will kill the smell of cat urine and will prevent the cat from returning to the same spot to relieve itself.

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Problem: Your Cat Keeps Digging Up Plants in the Garden

Solution: Stockpile orange, grapefruit, and lemon rinds in the freezer over the winter. In the spring and summer, poke the rinds into the soil of flower and vegetable gardens, then cover them with a light dusting of soil.

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Problem: Your Dog Repeatedly Digs Up the Same Spot in the Yard

Solution: Scatter a crumbled cake of toilet freshener over the area-the smell will keep the dog away.

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Problem: Your Cat Jumps Onto All Your Furniture

Solution: Place strips of double-sided adhesive tape on tables and other surfaces that are off-limits to your cat. Cats hate the feel of the adhesive on their paws, and will soon learn to keep off.

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Problem: Your Cat Avoids the Litter Box

Solution: Dip a cotton ball into some lemon juice, then put the ball into a lidded tea strainer, and hang it where the cat has chosen to urinate-the smell should discourage the cat and send it boxward.

Originally Published: June 14, 2012