DR BRUCE CHARD

contact@northharbourvet.co.nz A new neighbour has moved in next door and her three rex cats try to come into my house whenever the door is open. I have a chip-reading cat flap for my own cat but she is becoming anxious because of the invasion. How can I stop them coming over?

Investigate if there is a particular reason for them invading your section, such as access to your cat’s food. Speak to the owner before doing anything to dissuade their presence about your house. For instance, are they locked out of their own house for periods and could this be changed. If this contact does not lead to progress then use means of making them unwelcome. Block off easy access points between your properties. Try a motion-activated water sprinkler on the lawn outside your door. Otherwise greet them with a burst from a strong water pistol whenever they appear. An ultrasonic deterrent emits a high-pitched noise which startles cats and could be a solution.

I have recently become the owner of a 10-year-old retired cocker spaniel speyed breeding bitch, called Millie. Over the past two weeks she has occasionally urinated inside my house and I noticed some blood once. Can I get an antibiotic course from my vet for a possible urinary infection?

Certainly the most likely cause of Millie’s urinary problem is a bacterial infection of her bladder. However, there can be other causes such as bladder stones or a bladder growth. The first step is to have her investigated by your vet. Palpation of the bladder can sometimes reveal bladder stones. Initially your vet will take a sterile urine sample. The urine is examined in the clinic and sent for culture.