Solid, tabby or tuxedo, longhaired or short, a cat's coat is one of the most beautiful things about this special pet. It's also one of the most annoying, if you're fussy about fur.

How much do you know about cat fur? Enough to make a decision about what kind of coat type you could live with? Read on:

Cats have three kinds of hair in their coat -- down, awn and guard. The down is the shortest, finest and softest hair. The awn is the coarsest, and the guard the longest. Not all cat breeds have all three kinds of hair. The "hairless" Sphynx, for example, has only guard hairs, and not many of those. The curly-coated Cornish Rex has only awn and down. The makeup of the different hair types can differ, too. The awn hairs are usually shorter than the guard hairs, but when they're the same length, it makes for an especially thick covering known among cat fanciers as a "double coat."

Some cats, such as the Rexes, shed little. Longhairs seem to shed a lot, but that's partly because the hair they lose is longer. But all cats shed, and you need to take the amount shed into consideration when thinking about adding a pet to your household. Call it the "fur level" consideration, and add two others: aesthetics, and time and money.

Aesthetics is easy to sort out, for it's strictly a matter of personal choice. Some people love the sleekness of shorthaired cats, while others prefer a longhaired look. While personality and body types don't always match up so neatly in random-bred cats, it helps to know that in pedigreed animals, short hairs are often lighter, leaner, louder and much more active than the heavier longhaired breeds.

Even if you prefer the feel of a longhaired cat, you need to be aware they require more upkeep. Longhairs, especially the silkier ones such as Persians, mat easily and need to be combed out every other day or so as well as brushed out weekly. Hairballs are a bigger problem in longhaired cats and may require more veterinarian visits or medications. That means money, as does a professional grooming -- most likely shaving -- if the coat gets out of control.

Combing and brushing help keep both hairballs and shedding under control, but they won't eliminate either. Living with a cat is always going to be about dodging the urp-ups in your bare feet and picking hair off your clothes. If you're at the lower end of the tolerance level, invest in lint brushes and think shorthair, or the Rex breeds if you're considering a pedigreed. If you like glorious coats of the longhaired cats, invest in lint-brush stock and jump right in, but don't forget to put on your slippers first.

PETS ON THE WEB

Sometimes I could not be more grateful that I'm a writer, not a radio host, and this is one of those times. I won't have to embarrass myself by trying to pronounce Polski Owczarek Nizinny, an interesting breed of herding dog with a pretty good informational Web site (www.aponc.com). The PON, known in England by the far easier monicker of Polish lowland sheepdog (which is what Polski Owczarek Nizinny translates to), is a medium-sized dog looking something like a bearded collie -- lots of long hair and a fuzzy face.

Its fans brag that the breed is an intelligent dog with a good memory and an intense desire to please. The Web site offers a decent overview of the status of this breed in the United States, with pictures, show results and links to folks who own and show this interesting rare breed. Check out the story of the dog named Bob, who has made quite a career for herself (yes, Bob's a girl) in commercials.

PET TIP

If you have a cat, you ought to have a cat carrier. I've seen people trying to transport their cat in everything from bare hands to pillow cases, and nothing beats a cat carrier when it comes to safety -- for both you and your cat -- comfort and convenience. Skip those cardboard ones the shelters give you to take your new pet home; they're not designed for sturdy long-term use. Others to rule out include carriers with no privacy, or ones that don't clean easily, such as those made of wicker.

Your best bet is a carrier made of hard, high-impact molded plastic that has an open-grid door. Most models have the door at one end, but you may find it easier to deal with your pet if you instead find the kind with the door on the top. These make getting your pet in and out of the carrier much easier.

Another reason to own one: A carrier is an essential piece of any disaster kit, making evacuation easier in the event of an emergency and expanding the possibilities for temporary housing for your pet.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I have a 14-year-old Scottie who has arthritis. The vet has prescribed half a buffered aspirin twice a day. I've heard conflicting views on this -- from family, not professionals -- and I'm wondering what to do. She seems to be in some pain and definitely is suffering stiffness. - K.F, via the Internet

A: I'd go with the good doctor's advice. Buffered or coated aspirin is a commonly recommended medication for creaky dogs, as are some of the newer nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory prescription medications such as Rimdayl.

Give your relatives some credit, though: They're on the right track by suggesting caution when it comes to over-the-counter drugs. Drugs behave in different animals in different ways. Cats, for example, cannot handle Tylenol and can be killed by what you might consider a small, cat-sized dose!

Such dangers stress why it's so important to develop a trusting relationship with your veterinarian, one where you feel comfortable asking questions and discussing what's best for your pet without feeling you must keep an eye on the clock or your bank account. You and your veterinarian must work together to maintain your pet in the best health.

A final note: Ask your veterinarian about chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine supplements for your dog. These medications improve the fluid around the joints, making movement easier. Inquire, too, about skipping the name-brand supplement and buying a generic equivalent made for humans at a discount pharmacy or warehouse store. You'll need to work with your veterinarian on the dosage, though.

Q: My puppy is losing his teeth! We were playing tug-of-war the other day, and I noticed one of his teeth in the rope. I called the emergency clinic and they said it was normal. I'm still worried. -- P.D., via the Internet

A: Stop worrying. Dogs have puppy teeth just like we have baby teeth, and they start coming out as early as two months of age. The smaller teeth pop out earliest, with the bigger ones such as canines and molars hanging on for a few months. Your pup's shiny new adult teeth will be securely in place by the time he hits his seven-month birthday, most likely.

Sometimes, though, a puppy tooth will hang around even after it has been pushed aside by its replacement. Talk to your veterinarian if you see this. Your puppy's doctor will probably opt to pull it.

Time now for the advice you didn't ask for: Stop playing tug-of-war with your puppy. Tug-of-war can teach your pet to be aggressive, and I'm sure that's the last thing you want.

Here's how the game plays out, from the human and pet point of view:

You play a rowdy round of tug-of-war with your pet, until you get tired, bored or remember you have to call your mother. You drop your end. You think, "Game's over." Your pet thinks, "I won." Leaving a dog with the idea that he won is never a good idea. Dogs are opportunists: If you aren't a leader, he will be, and that's a road to trouble.

Teach your puppy to play fetch instead. It's better exercise, and it reinforces your role as a fun leader.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Write2Gina(at)aol.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

The sun's rays were still new and struggling through the mist when the "sighthounds" came to play on a breathtaking piece of land overlooking the ocean an hour or so south of San Francisco. Lure coursing may be a sport to the humans who put days like these on their calendars, but to the dogs who compete it is joy unleashed.

Sighthounds were designed to track game by eye, not nose, and to give chase, and their bodies reflect the work they were bred to do. Deep-chested and long-legged, with elegant necks and wise, narrow faces, the dogs danced at the ends of their leashes or waited impatiently in exercise pens. The humans who brought them in the smattering of vans and motor homes so common to any canine event might have had rules, titles and glory on their minds. For the dogs, there was but one goal: They came to run.

Like most dogs today, they don't get much chance to. We have meddled from the beginning with our canine companions, developing dogs to retrieve, to dig out and dispatch vermin, to pull sleds, to run down game. Few dogs do any of these things today, and it says a great deal for the strong bond we have with this species that most are content to spend their days alone in our homes and yards and their evenings in our company.

Some of the more dedicated dog-lovers are determined to provide more, which is how three dozen or so dogs and their owners ended up in such beautiful surroundings on a cool fall morning.

Lure coursing is sort of a compromise sport from the start. Hounds were bred for specific prey, but we have thankfully little stomach today for watching cherished pets tear the entrails from living creatures, be they rabbits, deer, wolves or even lions. The compromise is chasing a "rabbit" that is anything but: white garbage bags secured to a line powered by a small engine. The lure whips through the field just a bit faster than the dogs run, with a jerky rhythm and sudden turns meant to duplicate the run of startled prey.

The morning's runs were for the beginners, brought to the start by their owners and held firm until the "rabbit" ran.

The instinct to chase clicked in with dogs who had never been exposed to any opportunity to do as their ancestors had for centuries. They ran with intensity and joy so palpable that onlookers stilled to concentrate on the fleet-footed animals. The steam that rose from cups of coffee was the only other thing moving until each run was done.

Christie Keith, one of a pair of friends who had invited me to watch, has been in love with sighthounds for nearly 20 years. She has put coursing titles on many of her Scottish deerhounds, including two dogs who became both field and show champions. My other friend, Linda Batson, was new to the coursing but not to her breed: Her Rhodesian ridgebacks are some of the very best in the country at dog shows.

Their dogs did well, as did most of the dogs at the trial. Titles were won and prizes awarded. For my friends, though, that seemed like icing on the cake, with the treat being the opportunity to talk dogs with others just as fervent, and, of course, to watch dogs run.

"It's beautiful," said Keith, and despite the astonishing surroundings it was clear that she was talking about only one thing: The sight of a lanky dog stretched long with effort, running, running, running as fast as the winds kicking off the ocean.

"They love to run," she said. "And I love to see them."

It's a sight I cannot wait to see again.

PETS ON THE WEB

You can find information on lure coursing from the Web site of the American Sighthound Field Association (www.asfa.org), which sanctions field trials throughout the United States for 11 sighthound breeds. The site explains the rules, the titles available to competitors, and includes both information on upcoming events and results from trials past. The American Kennel Club (www.akc.org) oversees its own lure coursing events, and offers information on its trials, rules and titles on its Web site -- put "lure coursing" in the page's search engine to find the information fastest.

PET TIP

The popularity of reptile pets has more than a few public-health experts concerned about salmonella, a bacteria present in the intestinal tracts of pets such as iguanas. A salmonella infection can make healthy people violently ill and can be lethal to the very young or very elderly, or those with compromised immune systems. For those people, as well as pregnant women, reptilian pets are not advised.

For others who enjoy these exotic pets, common sense dictates careful attention to basic good hygiene. Iguanas should not be allowed to walk on counters where food is prepared or eaten, nor should they be given baths in sinks or tubs that humans use. After handling these pets or cleaning their cages, be sure to wash your hands in warm, soapy water. Since iguanas and other reptiles are often children's pets, be sure your children get the message, too.

Finally, keep things in perspective: Although salmonella infections traced to pets have risen along with the popularity of iguanas and other reptiles, reported cases are still low -- a few dozen nationwide every year. A few basic precautions are all you need to keep from being one of those statistics.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: Regarding your "tip" on using a "power tool" on a difficult animal's nails -- are you crazy? I've been a groomer for 10 years and would never think of using a power tool on a pet that is already petrified of this procedure. It would take longer, and the noise alone would scare any animal! -- C.P., via the Internet

Q: I asked my veterinarian's office about your recent note on using a grinder on dog nails. They said they'd never heard of such a thing. What gives? -- C.R., via the Internet.

A: Yes, I'm crazy, but not when it comes to grinding nails on dogs. So many dog owners, breeders and show handlers do it, the company that makes the dominant brand of pet clippers, Oster, also makes a pet-nail grinder. (I find the multipurpose Dremel a better fit for my hand, but that's just personal preference.)

I agree that it may not be the best tool for a professional groomer, who doesn't have the time to slowly introduce the animal to the grinder over time. (As for it being a "power tool," though, what an odd concern. What do you think clippers are?)

For patient pet owners, though, this is a nail-maintenance technique that can prove superior -- easier on both dogs and owners. When you grind nails, there's no guessing where the quick is, no bleeding when you cut too far. With grinding, the nail is shortened in tiny, tiny increments, which gives you time to stop before you get into any trouble.

Let me again stress the word "patient." Introduce the grinder to your dog by tapping his nail with the power off, and then by turning it on an arm's length away. Praise and call it a day. When the pet is comfortable with the sound, bring it close enough to touch a nail tip while on and no more. More praise, another lesson over. Eventually you'll be able to grind off the tip and smooth up the sides of each nail.

It took me a long month of small steps -- done while watching TV in the evenings, mostly -- to get my big retriever, Benjamin, used to the grinder. But he almost relaxes when his big nails are ground now, which is a big change from the hatred he had for getting his nails clipped. My friend Penny, who has been grinding nails on her massive Irish wolfhounds for years, says she hasn't the strength to cut through those monster nails -- grinding is the only thing that works for her.

If you and your dog are happy with clipping, by all means stick with it. I have been clipping my oldest dog's nails for a dozen years and have no reason to change. But if you are having problems, grinding is an option.

One final point: Wear a dust mask while you work. To get a good look at what you're doing, you'll be close enough to breathe in the dust from the grinding -- and it can be irritating.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Write2Gina(at)aol.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

As much as I hate foxtails, I have to admit that their design is nothing short of amazing. And besides, admiring them is much better than swearing when I'm gripping a comb and easing dozens of them out of the silky leg feathers of my three resident dogs.

Don't expect me to rhapsodize about fleas, though. My charitable nature goes only so far.

Dried to a tawny gold by a long, hot summer, foxtails are everywhere these days, their long, slender stems holding sticky seed carriers high, ready to catch a ride on a pant leg or a pet. The carrier itself is designed like a spike, with tiny hairs placed to keep the nettle burrowing forward through whatever material is in the way.

There's no problem when the spike falls to the ground, of course, where breezes help it to vibrate deep into the soil. But when a foxtail lands on an animal, all too often that burrowing trick is through flesh, and that can cause some severe problems. Foxtails dig deeply into every possible opening. Once in, they keep moving, sometimes causing significant damage. They can end up anywhere, and if left alone, may need surgical attention in time. Dogs may sneeze at them, but you shouldn't; they can put your pet in danger.

This is the time of year when the grasses are dry and foxtails rule the day. Be aware of these problem sites:

-- Feet. Limping and licking are signs a foxtail has found a home, probably between an animal's toes.

-- Ears. Because of the burrowing nature of foxtails, every head shake drives the pest farther down into the ear. A pet with a foxtail in its ear may develop a chronic, foreign-body reaction and infection.

-- Nose. Because dogs like to sniff, foxtails often lodge in their noses. The signs are obvious: sneezing, sometimes violently, sometimes accompanied by bleeding or discharge. A foxtail in the nose will cause an infection and can even work its way into the lungs or spinal column.

The best way to deal with foxtails is through prevention. Steer clear of areas dense with foxtails, if you can. Keep the fur between your pet's toes trimmed, and go over your pet after every outing from head to toe, catching the foxtails before they get a chance to dig in.

Be aware that once a foxtail is imbedded, it isn't going away. If you suspect a foxtail is in your pet's ear or nose, consult your veterinarian. Your veterinarian may still be able to grab the nettle before it can cause too much more trouble.

PETS ON THE WEB

Let's start with what you really need to know if you're going to go in-line skating with your dog. "This is not recommended if you are not 100 percent comfortable on your skates!" notes Caryn Shalita, dog-lover, skating fan and Web page keeper. Born with two left feet and a pretty pathetic sense of balance, I won't be taking any of my dogs skating soon. But if you want to try it, Shalita's "How to In-Line Skate With Your Dog" Web site (www.caryn.com/francis-blade.html) is the place to learn how.

Rule No. 1: Safety gear, for everything including your tailbone. For your dog, a long leash that restrains from under the armpits instead of the neck. The site includes instructions on training your dog as well as letters from other dog-loving skaters on what worked best for them. There are lots of links to sites about skating and dog activities, along with a few off-topic but interesting areas, including a tribute to Princess Diana, and Shalita's resume, acting credits and efforts to get herself cast on a number of top shows. She and her dog, Francis, did get a part in a film called "The Dog People" as -- and isn't this perfect -- in-line skaters.

PET TIP

Thinking about keeping your cat inside? Good for you. While the easiest time to make the conversion is when you and your cat move to a new home, you can make the change anytime, if you resolve to be firm.

Cats are highly territorial, and the day you reduce your cat's territory by cutting off the outdoor part is the day you're going to start hearing about it -- lots. Don't give in. If you allow the meows and stares to wear you down to the point of opening the door, you've taught your cat a lesson you'd rather he didn't know: "All I need to do is put up a fuss, and I get what I want." If you try to keep him inside again, he's going to be even more obnoxious.

Be patient but firm. Dissuade him from the door with a shot of water from a spray bottle and keep him occupied with toys, play sessions and lots of love. Within a couple weeks, your cat will settle in to his new routine, and you no longer need worry about the dangers he faces outdoors.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: We're going crazy with our puppy, a 4-month-old Labrador. He chews everything! How can we stop this destructive behavior? -- C.S., via the Internet

A: All puppies chew. So would you, if your gums drove you as crazy as theirs do, especially when adult teeth are coming in around 4 months of age. The trick is to redirect the behavior by keeping things you don't want your puppy to chew on out of reach. Don't allow your puppy the unsupervised run of the house, give him approved chews and praise him for using them.

Some objects, such as table legs, are not capable of being picked up and put away. Discourage chewing on these by applying Bitter Apple (available in pet-supply stores) to favorite spots. The taste is so horrible your puppy won't put a tongue on it again. Tabasco sauce is another safe pup-stopper.

When you catch your puppy chewing on something he shouldn't, don't make a big deal out of it. Clap your hands to distract him, give him an approved toy and cue him by giving him a word to associate, like "chewbone." Then praise your pup for chewing the right item.

Avoid toys that resemble things you'd rather have left alone. Rope toys resemble rug fringes, and old shoes are too much like new ones. Choose sturdy rubber toys in a variety of shapes, sizes and textures, but make sure one of your pup's toys is the indestructible Kong dog toy, truly a pet toy Hall of Famer. The Kong comes in a variety of sizes, is great for playing and chewing, and can even be stuffed with a little peanut butter to add to its appeal.

Be fair: Never leave your puppy in a position to make his own decisions on what is or isn't acceptable to chew. If you cannot observe your puppy, put him in a safe area -- a crate, ideally, but also a small area like a laundry porch with a baby gate across the door. Make sure you leave some of those approved chew toys behind to keep him busy.

The worst chewing will be over when your puppy's adult teeth are in, but dogs need and like to chew. You can't stop it, nor should you try. Teaching your puppy now what chewing behavior is acceptable - remember, they're not born with this information - will set up a long, happy relationship.

Q: I saw a beautiful cat at the veterinarian's office. The owner said it was a "sumally." Could you tell me more about this breed and where to get one? - G.H, via the Internet.

A. The Somali is indeed a lovely cat! The breed is a long-haired version of the pantherish Abyssinian, and shares many of the personality traits of its more-popular relative. Abyssinians and Somalis are both active, intelligent and playful, more interested in keeping tabs on what you're doing than spending the day napping in the sun.

The best way to find a Somali is to visit a cat show and talk to breeders. You'll find listings of upcoming events in magazines such as Cat Fancy.

The Abyssinian isn't the only popular breed with a different-coated relation, by the way. The Balinese has many of the characteristics of the Siamese, but with a longer coat. And for those who fancy the Persian's distinctive short face and heavy body type but don't want to deal with all that fur, there's the Exotic/Exotic Shorthair (same cat, different names depending on the governing body).

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Write2Gina(at)aol.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600