Pet Q&A: I adopted a dog recently and he had a strange habit of only eating cat food

A You need to take your dog to the vet to make sure there is no medical reason for his lack of appetite.

It may be due to a number of factors, such as a change of environment, or the loss of a person or fellow pet he was very attached to.

In most cases, with time and patience, the appetite returns. However, you may need to tempt your dog with tasty foods or even hand feed him.

If you have been offering dry food to your dog, you could also consider changing to moist food, which may ease the situation, but you should first discuss all of these options with your vet.

Q My rabbit has started to urinate inside the house. How can we stop this?

A This behaviour can be caused by several things, such as reproductive disorders or an infection of the urinary tract.

However, these problems may have other signs so it may be that there is a behavioural factor involved.

For example, a rabbit that hasn't been neutered may mark their territory by spraying urine on objects, and this can include the owner and the owner's friends. This usually begins at sexual maturity, so usually not before four months in females, but it can happen as young as three months. This behaviour usually decreases if a rabbit is neutered. I would suggest you get your rabbit checked by the vet, who will be able to give you advice about diet and also see if any treatment is necessary.

Q My parrot has long nails that need clipping but he is a very nervous bird. What is the best way to approach this?

A Generally, birds shouldn't need to have their nails clipped as they should wear down naturally. If they are growing too long, possible causes include perch design and/or an inappropriate diet (many parrots are fed a sunflower-based diet, causing vitamin and mineral deficiencies).

As your parrot's nails need clipping now, you should take him to a vet.