My Pet World: Confused bird needs a time out

Q: I have two cockatiels. Sugar we found on the roadside. She’s about 5 years old and rather skittish. After a couple of months, I thought she could use a companion, so we got Sweetie, also a female. The pair quickly bonded. Sugar has become more tame but Sweetie more wild. In the past year, I’ve noticed Sugar seems to want to mate. She postures and makes all sorts of noise. Sweetie seems indifferent, though. Is there something I can do? — E.L., Bear Lake, MN

A: “Sometimes a female may take the role of the male,” says Dr. Peter Sakas, a veterinarian in Niles, Ill., with a special interest in birds. “Sometimes, two females can both be laying eggs, despite no presence of a male. The hormones get stimulated while they’re in their hormonal cycle, the ovary develops follicles, the oviduct enlarges and eggs can develop. So fertilization does not need to occur for that to happen.”

Isn’t nature wonderful? But now what?

“Increase the birds’ time in darkness to 16 hours daily for two weeks, avoid too much stimulation from affectionate owners and remove stimulating toys or objects,” Sakas suggests. “Also, remove areas (in the cage) where a bird might nest. And rearrange the cage furnishings to throw the birds off a bit. If little changes, another option is hormonal control measures (hormone injections).”

Q: How do you catch a feral cat? I’ve tried leaving tuna and cat food inside a cat carrier to attract a neighborhood stray. The idea is to trap the cat, have him/her spayed or neutered and vaccinated for rabies and then release him (a process called trap, neuter, return, or TNR). But I can’t do that when the cat is smarter than I am. Any advice? — J.C., Henderson, Nev.

A: Tree House Humane Society in Chicago has been a national TNR frontrunner for many years, assisting other animal welfare agencies and TNR groups. Jenny Schlueter, director of the Tree House program, says, “First, speak to your neighbors. It might be they’re offering so much food to the cat that it isn’t enticed” to your carrier.

Next, leave a humane trap, rather than a standard carrier, out with food inside, offering a meal at the same time daily for several days in a row, Schleuter suggests.Bait the trap but don’t set it, at first. Even open the “back door.” Just get the cat comfortable receiving a meal inside the trap. After about a week, and once you’ve consistently seen the food disappear and are fairly certain the cat and not another critter is taking it, set the trap, Schleuter explains.

You can buy a humane trap or try borrowing one from an animal shelter or the office of animal control in your community.

“Good for you for doing the right thing,” Schleuter adds, and I concur.

Q: My daughter’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is calm and easy to walk — until we encounter another dog. Then he goes berserk, jumping and barking. We’ve tried spraying him with water and vinegar and have used a shock collar. No luck. Any advice? — J.A., Eau Claire, Wis.

A: “Obviously, this dog is reactive to other dogs,” says certified dog behavior consultant dog trainer Sarah Hodgson. “Right now, the cortisol level (hormonal response to stress) increases when your dog sees another dog. Add to that being sprayed, or worse, shocked, and the level (of cortisol) goes up even more. In other words, your best intentions are making matters worse.”

Hodgson, Westchester, N.Y.-based author of “Puppies for Dummies,” suggests you seek hands-on help from a veterinary behaviorist or certified dog behavior consultant who can demonstrate how to desensitize and counter-condition your pup using food or a toy. Over time, this system will decrease the dog’s cortisol levels.

Positive reinforcement “can work like a charm,” Hodgson says.

When walking your dog, stay — as best you can — just beyond the point where he gets upset around other dogs, maybe a block away or perhaps half a block. Simultaneously, distract your dog with whatever he prefers, such as treats or toys. Gradually, decrease his distance from other dogs. In addition to calming your pet, this process also teaches him to pay more attention to you than to other dogs and encourages him to associate treats or toys with seeing other dogs. A professional could offer more advice on how to actually accomplish this.

Q: What the heck is a poodle cat? Were dogs and cats ever bred to develop a breed that exemplifies the best attributes of both? — C.Q., Montreal, Canada

A: That’s impossible, at least so far, and I’m not sure the world is ready for barking cats or dogs that purr.

However, sometimes Cornish Rex cats are referred to as “poodle cats” because their short, wavy coat sort of resembles that of poodle varieties. In Germany in 1994, a new kind of Rex breed was developed by crossing a Devon Rex with a Scottish Fold to create a wavy-coated feline with short ears called the Pudelkatzen, or poodle cat.

Cornish Rex are typically sleek-looking cats — dubbed the greyhounds of the cat world. They’re fairly active and very interactive with people.

STEVE DALE hosts the nationally syndicated “Steve Dale’s Pet World” and “The Pet Minute” and is a contributing editor to USA Weekend. Send questions to [email protected]. Include your name, city and state or visit stevedalepetworld.com.