Frequently Asked Questions

I just got my new pet. Now what?

Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will give your pet a physical exam and inform you of any medical care needed, such as vaccinations and parasite prevention or treatment. Your veterinarian may also be able to help you with licensing your pet.
Get the essentials at your local pet store. It's time to stock up on everything from food and water bowls to toys. Ask your veterinarian to help you make a list of items your specific pet needs.
Take your pet home and get settled. The transition from your pet's old home to the new one can be stressful. Plan to spend your day comforting and bonding with your new best friend.

What's the best way to introduce my new pet into my household?

DOG:

Ensure all of your pets are healthy and current on vaccinations before introducing your new dog.
Introduce your new dog to other pets gradually, one at a time and in a neutral atmosphere.
Keeping your dog behind an expandable baby gate is a good way to supervise a first encounter.
Separate pets at any sign of aggression during the introduction.
Never leave your new dog unsupervised with any of your other pets until you are certain they get along well. Introducing your new dog to other pets can take time.
Contact your veterinarian for a referral to a veterinary behaviorist or certified pet dog trainer if aggression among your pets continues.
Reassure each pet of his or her importance by spending time alone with each one every day.
Keep smaller pets, such as hamsters, fish and birds, safe and out of reach.

CAT:

Ensure that all of your pets are healthy and current on vaccinations before introducing your new cat.
Introduce your new cat to other pets gradually, one at a time, and in a neutral atmosphere.
It is best to provide your cat a separate room from the other pets where he or she has food, water, litter, toys, scratching and climbing structures, and attention from you. This allows your cat to feel comfortable in one part of the house, while allowing other pets to continue to have the rest of the house as they get used to the sounds and smells of the new pet. It is not unusual for the new cat to need to be in this confined area for one to two weeks.
A cat's experiences early in life determine its social nature later on. Make sure that experiences are positive. Do not force your cat to be hugged or snuggled unless it's ready. Instead, sit calmly with toys or treats and entice your cat to come to you.
When existing cats and the new cat are curious, sniffing or playing "footsie" under the door, you can put your cat in a carrier so that the existing cats can smell the new cat without fear. Once the existing cats start rubbing on the carrier, you can introduce them with supervision.
If it takes longer than one or two weeks for your cats to get used to each other, start feeding on each side of the door to the room or playing with toys under the door to entice them.
During the introduction, separate pets at any sign of aggression.
If any signs of hissing or fighting occur, separate the pets by making a loud noise or using a squirt gun. Never get in the middle, because once angered, even a beloved companion could redirect the aggression toward you.
Contact your veterinarian for a referral to a veterinary behaviorist or cat behavior specialist if aggression toward your new cat continues.
Never leave your new cat unsupervised with any of your other pets until you are certain they get along well.
Reassure each pet of his or her importance by spending time alone with each one every day.
Keep smaller pets, such as hamsters, fish and birds, safe and out of reach.

How do I choose food for my new pet?

Special pets have special needs and their food should be special too to help ensure a long, healthy life. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation and click here to use our interactive tool that matches your pets needs with the right nutrition.

What's the right way to feed my new pet?

Use the feeding guide on the label as a starting point, and talk to your veterinarian about the optimal amount of food for your pet. Food amounts may vary depending on your pet's age, size, activity level, temperament, environment and health.
Avoid feeding scraps or other types of human food, as these can cause weight gain, sickness or even death. Be particularly careful not to feed your pet chocolate, onions, dairy products, bones from meat/poultry/fish, grapes, raisins or fat from meats.
Buy your pet ceramic or stainless steel dishes and wash daily to help prevent bacteria. Fresh food and water must be provided daily.
Switching your pet's food should be done over a week-long period by mixing increasing amounts of the new food with decreasing amounts of the old food until you are feeding 100 percent of the new food. This will ensure your pet transitions to the new food with minimal intestinal upset.
For a great-tasting and delicious meal your pet will love, try feeding the Science Diet^® wet food that corresponds with your pet's dry food.
Science Diet^® wet foods are precisely balanced, so they can be served exclusively or combined with the Science Diet^® dry food of your choice.

What does my new pet need for a good night's sleep?

DOG:

Give your new dog an environment of its own by encouraging it to sleep near your room in its crate.
Provide soft, washable bedding for your dog.

CAT:

Most cats sleep 16-18 hours per day.
Provide a stuffed toy to help your cat sleep better after leaving his or her mother and siblings.
Provide soft, washable bedding for your cat. Cats love soft bedding in baskets, small boxes, cozy corners or sunny spots.
If you want your cat to sleep with you, it is easier with an older kitten or adult cat. Remember that cats tend to be nocturnal. They can be more active during the night, which can disrupt sleep. Cats have eyes that are designed to track movement, and they see better in the dark than we do. A playful attack on moving feet and hands while you are sleeping is a normal behavior, but you should plan to prevent and control these attacks. Gently place your cat on the floor if it pounces on you. Reward desired behavior, remembering that a reward associated with disruption of sleep will encourage your cat to repeat that behavior.

How do I keep my house safe for my new pet?

DOG:

Don't let your dog play with items such as string, ribbon, yarn, sewing supplies, paper clips, erasers, staples, rubber bands, plastic bags, twist ties, coins, small board game pieces, fragile keepsakes and ornaments, medication, vitamins, pill bottles, dental floss, razors or cotton balls.
Keep household and automotive chemicals out of reach (pet safe antifreeze is available).
Remove toxic houseplants including philodendrons, mistletoe and poinsettias and toxic garden plants including lilies, azaleas, daffodils, tomatoes and hydrangeas.

CAT:

Keep kitchen countertops clean and clear of food items and sharp utensils, to prevent temptation or injury.
Keep your cat indoors and safe from extreme weather conditions year-round.
Plant wheat grass or fresh catnip in a stable pot indoors, to entice your cat and safeguard ornamental plants.
Don't let your cat play with or have access to things such as sewing supplies, paper clips, erasers, staples, rubber bands, plastic bags, twist ties, coins, small board game pieces, fragile keepsakes and ornaments, medication, vitamins, pill bottles, dental floss, razors, cotton balls, household and automotive chemicals (pet safe antifreeze is available), toxic houseplants (including philodendron, mistletoe and poinsettia) or toxic garden plants (including lilies, azaleas, daffodils, tomatoes and hydrangeas).
Provide pet-safe toys to keep your cat occupied.
All strings, threads and other such materials should be put away after use so that your cat cannot eat them.
Use covered trash cans in your house and garage.
Store household chemicals and poisons in a cabinet that has a lock or child-proof latch.
Keep toilet lids down so your cat can't fall in or drink from the bowl.
Keep washer and dryer doors closed.
Keep electrical cords and wires out of sight or secured to walls.
Secure dangling blind and curtain cords.
In winter, rinse your cat's paws with warm water and towel-dry after outings to rinse off snow and melting chemicals that irritate the footpads and mouth.

How do I prepare my pet to leave the house?

Always have an ID tag and proper registration information (rabies, license, etc.) attached to your pet's collar.
Collars should fit with slack, but not loose enough to slide over the pet's head. Allow two finger-widths of space between the neck and collar.
Safety collars for pets are available that pull away easily or break open if the collar gets snagged.
Ask your veterinarian about microchip insertion to help you find your pet if it gets lost.

How do I safely transport my new pet?

Dog crates and cat carriers are the safest and most comfortable way to travel with your pet. Talk to your veterinarian about the appropriate crate or carrier size for your pet.
To make traveling easier, familiarize your pet with the crate or carrier by storing toys in it or making it a cozy place to nap.

What do I need to know about a litter box?

For single-cat homes, you need at least two litter boxes for easy accessibility. Place at least one litter box on each floor of your home in a quiet, convenient place that is easy for your cat to find and that you will remember to clean. In multiple cat homes, have one more litter box than number of cats; for example, a home with two cats should have three litter boxes.
Fill your cat's litter box with 11/2 inches of natural clay or clumping litter. Scented corn, wheat, pine and other litters feel unnatural to cats.
Scoop litter boxes twice daily. A clean litter box is one your cat is most likely to use. The litter box should be at least 11/2 times the length of the cat from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail.
Most cats prefer uncovered litter boxes, except in rare instances of very shy cats. Covers keep the smell in and the odor may be offensive to the cat.
Most cats don't like liners because they don't like how it feels when they scratch (even declawed cats). It's best not to use liners.
Litter box locations should be quiet. Keep the box away from high-traffic areas of the house, and from places where your cat could be ambushed in the litter box by the family dog or other cats.
Never interrupt your cat in the litter box. Don't try to catch or medicate your cat while in the box.
Cats like routine and don't like to have their litter box moved to a different location.
Always contact your veterinarian if your cat goes to the bathroom outside of the litter box. Veterinarians are trained to help with these problems. Commonly, medical problems are the source of this behavior. If there is not a medical problem, your veterinarian should be able to help you or refer you to a behavior specialist.
If an accident occurs outside the litter box, clean it with an enzyme cleaner. Cats have a sense of smell far superior to ours. Regular household cleaning or other products will not prevent a cat from being attracted back to the spot.
Change litter completely once a week. Wash the box with a mild detergent and dry before refilling.

How do I know if my new pet is sick?

Here are some common warning signs:

Diarrhea: this common ailment can be caused by bacteria, viruses, internal parasites, toxic substances, too much food or psychological upset. Call your veterinarian if stools are bloody, if there is a large volume of watery stools, if your pet is thin or potbellied, or if the diarrhea continues for more than 24 hours.
Constipation: like diarrhea, constipation can be caused by the ingestion of substances like hair, bones or foreign materials, by disease or by insufficient water intake. Your veterinarian may recommend blood tests, radiographs or other tests to find the cause.
Vomiting: frequent or persistent vomiting is not normal. Call your veterinarian if vomiting occurs more than five times in a few hours, if large volumes are vomited or if vomit contains blood or is accompanied by diarrhea or abdominal pain.
Abnormal urination: straining to urinate or bloody urine may indicate a painful infection of the urinary tract. Contact your veterinarian immediately.