Gina Spadafori
The New Year's "neck check" is a tradition around my home -- one that has outlived three generations of pets, but still works to help ensure the safety of the animals who share my life now.
I always do my neck checks on New Year's Day. It's easier to remember that way, especially for those of us who have a hard time remembering much of anything. The neck check is easy -- a few minutes to check for wear and fit on the collars, and legibility on the tags.
Consider the collar first. For dogs, a buckled or snap-together collar made of leather or nylon webbing is the best choice, and the proper fit is comfortably close, but not too snug. Make sure your dog's not wearing a "choke" or prong collar for everyday wear -- if you use these, they're for walking and training only, and are dangerous if left on an unsupervised dog.
For cats, a soft collar with an elastic insert and a slide-on tag will prevent a dangling ID from catching on anything.
Next look at the collar carefully, especially the holes and the fasteners. The collar is weakest at these spots, so if you see signs of excessive wear or strain, you'll need to replace it.
Then check the ID tags. A license is great, but since many lost pets are picked up by people in the neighborhood, it's a good idea to supplement the license with an ID tag that has a couple of phone numbers -- yours and the number of a friend or relative. Check to make sure the information is current and legible, and if not, order a new tag.
Your pet's ID tag is best supplemented by a microchip. Talk to your veterinarian about this permanent ID that has helped many a pet find the way home.
Our Pet Connection reviewers especially liked these collars and tags in 2010:
-- Beastie bands (Beastiebands.com). Our product-review coordinator, Ericka Basile, who has eight cats, has been a fan of these cat collars for years. They're soft, fit snuggly and comfortably, and have enough give to pull off in a pinch. As if all that weren't enough, they come in the most spectacular array of colors and patterns. Pair with a slide-on tag from Boomerang Tags (boomerangtags.com) and you're all set. Prices vary by retailer, with most selling the collars in the $5 to $7 range.
-- PlaySafe collar (Premier.com). Countless dogs have been choked to death in play when another dog's teeth caught on the collar. Breakaway collars that snap open under pressure (such as the KeepSafe, also from Premier) are ideal for some dogs, but other dogs need a collar that doesn't give as readily. The PlaySafe bridges the gap between a regular collar and a breakaway. Designed for doggie daycares and perfect for multi-dog families, the collar has two Velcro strips that allow you to remove the collar in seconds if you need to. My dogs are all wearing these now. Prices vary by size and retailer, with most around $10.
-- Dog Tag Art with virtual leash (Dogtagart.com). If the hundreds of styles don't suit you, you can design your own, or upload a picture for your tag. Our reviewer Jill Fisher Gibbs was charmed by these adorable tags, and impressed with the "virtual leash": If your pet goes missing, the finder can access a unique website that immediately sends messages to all your contacts simultaneously and in every available kind of way, including text, e-mail and phone. The tags are $11. The v-leash service is $1 a month.
Q&A
Tips for keeping
a cat inside
Q: I've had indoor-outdoor cats all my life, but after having two young cats disappear within weeks of each other and almost losing a third after she was hit by a car (the veterinary bills almost killed me, but she's worth it), I plan to shut the door on her for good. In the past, I have half-heartedly tried to keep cats in, but gave up when their yowling to go out drove me crazy. To add another twist: I'm moving next month, and I can put netting on the patio in the new apartment. Do you have any tips for me? -- via e-mail
A: Moving is absolutely the best time to convert a free-roaming cat to an indoor-only one. That's because when you move to a new home, your cat is completely uprooted from her familiar territory. What she's given in her new home is all she'll come to know, and she'll soon accept the new living space as her own.
But you must keep her inside, with no exceptions. If you let her out, she'll want out more -- and maybe take off looking for her old digs.
Because cats are so territorial, some cat lovers find that their free-roaming pets keep showing up at their old homes after a move. Converting your cat to an indoor pet is the best thing for her health and safety, but there's more to it than just keeping the door closed.
Make sure your cat has lots of things to keep her active and interested. Spend more time engaging her in interactive games by using a "cat fishing pole" and other toys that require your involvement. You'll both get more out of the fun!
Invest in a good cat tree -- a tall one with cubbyholes for hiding and platforms for looking down on the world. In addition to the tree, offer other opportunities for approved scratching, which is natural, healthy behavior for your cat.
Turn her into a huntress. Use "food puzzles" to add a degree of difficulty to eating, and offer small portions of food in places that require effort to find. Provide outdoor space safely. If you can't screen in a porch or balcony, provide a cat-sized perch near a screened window. Fresh air is always appreciated.
Boredom and obesity are the enemies of indoor cats. It doesn't take much more than imagination to turn your apartment into a jungle gym for your cat. Once you've done it, she won't miss the outdoors anymore -- and she'll live a longer, healthier life for being spared the dangers that lurk beyond the door. -- Gina Spadafori
THE BUZZ
Vision, not smell,
key to recognition
-- Dogs recognize their owners by facial features. A study published in the journal Animal Behavior showed that dogs recognize and pay attention to their owners' faces. When the owners' faces are covered, dogs have a difficult time recognizing them.
-- A weakened immune system makes animals susceptible to disease and parasites, but it doesn't mean they're being removed from the gene pool. A study published in the journal Science found that though a strong immune system helps female sheep live longer, it also is associated with a decrease in reproductive success. Sheep who died younger often reproduced successfully more often.
-- Sea lions on the Oregon coast are dying from leptospirosis. The disease is present in the sea lion's urine and could be transmissible to people and pets if they come in contact with contaminated sand or water, with results that can be grim. Authorities are warning people to keep themselves and their pets away from a beached sea lion or areas where the animals frequent.
-- Veterinarian ranks as one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States. Fortune magazine projects 36 percent growth in veterinary jobs by 2018. Other positions projected to grow rapidly within the next 10 years include nurses, network systems and data analysts, software and biomedical engineers, accountants and auditors. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker
ABOUT PET CONNECTION
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.