The Cat Fanciers' Association put out a special media release to vilify her. Newspapers, magazines and television news shows are hot on her trail. And thousands of people have called, written or e-mailed her from all over the world to tell her -- often in crude and threatening language -- what a terrible person she is.

It's the hottest pet story around, and Vickie Ives Speir of Marshall, Texas, is at the center of it, because of her interest in breeding deformed cats.

She calls them "Twisty Kats," and the animals take the controversial short-legged munchkin cat one step further, with legs that are not only short but bent, with paws the breeder described as "vestigial" -- and in some cases missing. The mutation arises when two of her polydactyl -- a fancy name for "extra-toed" -- cats are bred. The animals that result can't walk normally, and bounce instead like kangaroos, using their front elbows for balance as they move.

Is a handful of cats in Texas worth the furor? Emotions aside -- and these cats surely do trigger emotions -- it's hard to say.

It can be argued that all this anger and energy aligned against the breeder could be better put into the bigger problems that cats face in our society, primarily homelessness and overpopulation. Like the munchkin breed before it, the "Twisties" will always be rare, and the total impact of the breeds will always be small compared to the larger numbers of needy cats. What's even a few dozen problem cats compared to the tens of thousands killed as "surplus" every year? Why don't we care more about them? Pedigreed cats in general make up a tiny fraction of the general cat population, less than 10 percent by some estimates. If Speir launched her breed full-force, few of us would ever find ourselves in the company of a Twisty, and few Twisties would ever end up in shelters.

Maybe the furor is a bit overblown, and certainly those who have threatened Speir have no business doing so. But what she is doing is most certainly wrong.

As animal lovers -- and Speir claims that she is one -- we have a pact with those animals in our care. It involves proper stewardship, making sure their physical and emotional needs are met, and they are protected from harm. But it also involves respect, and the arrogant act of meddling with an animal's functionality shows very little of that.

A cat's very nature is about movement, graceful and smooth, on four good legs. It's one of the things we love about them, one of the things that makes them what they are. Running, jumping, stalking: These are natural to a cat, and anyone who would deny them these behaviors is no friend to cats, and no animal lover.

Speir is welcome to care for her deformed and crippled cats for the length of their natural lives, and by all appearances she cares for them well. But when they are gone, let us hope they are the end of a line, and that we will have heard the last of one woman's twisted idea. Let us hope, too, that some of the people who are so vocal against her will be equally pro-cat when it comes to the larger issues.

PETS ON THE WEB

One cat-lover has put together a thorough site covering the Twisty Kats controversy (www.delmars.com/kitcats/twisted.htm), complete with links to newspaper articles, letters, humane groups and other related Web sites. The site also contains the breeder's own original -- and now defunct -- Twisty Kat Web site, with pictures of the animals. The Veterinary Information Network's weekly online pet-care poll (www.vin.com/poll/pub.html) will be on the topic of these cats the week of Jan. 10.

PET TIP

If you're dealing with a house-soiling problem, be sure you clean up any accidents promptly and thoroughly; otherwise, the smell will attract repeat business. Use products designed for dealing with pet messes. These liquid products contain enzymes that break down waste and neutralize odor. For fresh urine, one part white vinegar to four parts tap water is another effective smell neutralizer. Whatever you do, don't use ammonia-based cleaning products on pet messes. They smell like urine to pets, since ammonia is one of the by-products of decomposing urine. Instead of making the area smell clean, ammonia makes a mess site even more attractive to your problem pet.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: We're expecting a new baby in a couple of months, and we're worried about our cat, Pumpkin. She's been our spoiled child, and we want to make sure she accepts the baby. I understand this won't be easy. My mother-in-law is even saying that cats are dangerous around babies and that we should find a new home for Pumpkin. We don't want to do that, but obviously we don't want to put our child in danger. -- N.P., via the Internet

A: You don't need to find a new home for your pet, no matter what well-meaning relatives and friends may say to the contrary. Cats do not maliciously smother or suck the breath out of babies, as the myths hold. Still, to best protect your baby, you do need to be aware of the facts and exercise a little caution.

It's fairly easy to see how this myth started -- with a cat's natural curiosity to investigate a new addition to the family coupled with a crib death (a mysterious tragedy about which even today relatively little is known). It wouldn't take much for someone who had seen a cat in the crib -- perhaps sniffing at a baby's milk-scented breath -- and later found a dead child to try to find an explanation for the loss by linking the two events together, even though we now know such a link is not based on fact.

Still, common sense dictates that no animal be left unattended with a small child. The Humane Society of the United States, which keeps statistics on injuries inflicted by animals on people, knows of no documented case of a cat smothering an infant by resting on the child's face. Other experts, however, point out that such a scenario, although unlikely, is feasible and suggest taking precautions, which makes perfect sense. You don't want your baby to be the first to be harmed in such a way.

Some parents have gone so far as to install a screen door on the nursery to keep pets out, a simple and relatively inexpensive solution that should soothe your mother-in-law.

As for Pumpkin herself, she should be fine. Cats thrive on familiarity and routine, so work at getting the household settled down as soon as you can. Put aside a little time for her every day, for petting, grooming and interactive play, such as with a string toy. Some cats stop using the litter box when under stress, and if that happens, set her up in a small bedroom -- with litter box, food and water, and toys -- to retrain her and let her chill out for a few days. Then gradually expand her territory.

Q: We want to breed our Lhasa-poo, because she is so wonderful and we want another one just like her. We're having a hard time finding a stud, and hope you can point us to someone who has this breed. -- D.F., via the Internet

A: A Lhasa-poo isn't a breed; it's a mix, a combination of a poodle and a Lhasa apso. The distinction is important, because chances are even if you did find another Lhasa apso-poodle mix to breed with, you may not end up with puppies like either mom or dad.

A breed of animal is one that has had its "type" set through selective breeding, in which people home in on the traits they do want and select out the traits they don't, until what's left is an animal that will breed true when mated with another of its type. If you breed a poodle to a poodle, for example, you won't be expecting short noses and straight hair. But if you breed Lhasa-poos to each other, you could get any combination involved in each of the two breeds they came from.

The popular crosses -- cockapoo, peke-a-poo, terr-a-poo and so on -- are wonderful pets, with a wide variety of body types and personalities. They are each individuals and should be celebrated as such. Spay your girl for her health and to fight pet overpopulation, and if you want another dog, keep an eye out at your local shelter. Mixes of all kinds -- and purebreds, too -- end up there every day.

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

In January, the magic of Christmas wears off quickly. The bills come, the decorations must be hauled down and put away, and if you're among those who adopted a puppy, you're now wondering: How soon will this baby be house-trained?

Puppy-parent, meet the crate. In recent years, the use of a shipping crate, available at any pet-supply store, to house-train puppies has become standard among knowledgeable trainers and breeders. Puppies need to relieve themselves after they wake up, eat or drink, or after a period of play, and they naturally prefer to do it away from their eating and sleeping areas. Use this knowledge to set up a schedule for molding proper behavior:

-- First thing in the morning: Take your puppy out of the crate and coax him to follow you outside to the spot you have chosen for him to relieve himself. If he starts to relieve himself on the trip outside, tell him "no" firmly and take him to the part of your yard that you've chosen as the "relief zone." Choose a command -- "hurry up" is what I use -- and praise him for going. Take him inside and give him food and water, then go outside again immediately: A full tummy puts pressure on a puppy's bladder. Then give the command and praise him when he goes. At this stage he's not really minding your command, but you're associating the act with the words, which will come in handy in the future.

If you're going to work, put him back in the crate. If you're not going to work, let him play for a couple of hours, but don't give him full run of the house. Close doors or use baby gates to keep him where you can see him, such as in a kitchen/family room area. After an hour or two, take him outside again, and repeat the command and praise. He'll be ready for a little nap, so put him in his crate until lunchtime.

-- The midday break: Take your puppy out of the crate and head outside for another round of command, relieve and praise for a job well done. Then take him back inside for food and water, then back outside.

If you're home on your lunch hour, play with him a little before you put him back in his crate. If you're going to be home with him, leave him out to play where you are, under your watchful eyes. Take him out in midafternoon, and then crate him for his afternoon nap.

If you cannot come home for lunch, try to get a friend or neighbor to handle the midday break. If that's not possible, set your puppy up in a safe area like the kitchen, and realize you'll be cleaning up a mess when you get home. Don't punish your puppy for the mess, because he can't help it.

-- Dinnertime: Same as midday. Take him out, feed him, take him out, and let him play. Leave him out for play and socializing in an area where you can watch him. Offer him a little water a couple of hours before bedtime, but no more food.

-- Bedtime: One last trip outside. You may be tired and cranky at this point, but don't let your puppy know it. Be consistent. Give your command, and after your puppy does what you want, praise like the dickens. Then bring your little angel inside and put him in his crate for the night. If he didn't go in a few minutes when he was outside, put him in his crate anyway. You'll be up again, soon enough.

-- Middle of the night: For the first week or so, you may also have to add a wee-hours outing to the schedule. If he wakes up and fusses at 3 a.m, put your shoes on -- you're taking him out.

If you're patient, positive and consistent, your puppy will start getting the idea right away, even if his body won't allow him to be "perfect" for a few months. If he doesn't seem to be getting the idea, talk to a trainer or behaviorist to figure out what the problem is and get the two of you back on track.

PETS ON THE WEB

The Dog Owner's Guide (www.canismajor.com/dog), an online newspaper for dog lovers, features dozens of excellent articles, many on raising, socializing and training puppies. The Web site is updated every other month.

PET TIP

Avian veterinarians say parrots do best on a diet of pellets, combined with a daily helping of fresh vegetables and fruits. My friend Dr. Carla Weinberg, a veterinarian and bird lover, passes along a tip to make providing vegetables easier for the cooking-impaired: Use frozen mixed vegetables. Bags of vegetable mixes with corn, peas, beans and carrots are easy to find and easy to store, and it only takes a short spell in the microwave to bring them up to room temperature. Little shopping, no chopping and no rotting veggies in the refrigerator -- what could be better?

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I just recently got my computer and was looking up things about boxer rescues. When I first got on the subject, I read a warning regarding those who charge to rescue or adopt an animal. Someone wrote me saying that adoptions usually cost between $70 and $200. I could go buy a dog from a breeder for that amount. Is this a scam? -- B.L., via the Internet

A: No, it's likely not a scam. The growth of the volunteer, grass-roots breed-rescue movement has been one of the real bright spots in the fight against pet overpopulation. If you're looking for a purebred and are willing to accept a grown dog instead of a puppy, then choosing a breed-rescue group is a good deal and a good deed.

Breed-rescue groups work with a single breed, such as the boxer, or a couple of related breeds, such as shelties and collies. The groups range from one-person operations placing a few dogs a year to a few nonprofits with their own sheltering facilities, boards of directors, and a well-organized volunteer network all dedicated to stepping in when one of their particular breed needs a hand.

While such diversity of policies makes it impossible to describe a "typical" breed-rescue effort, probably the closest description of one would be a group consisting of two to four volunteers who work together to foster and place dogs of their chosen breeds and are both affiliated with a local breed club and loosely tied to a national network of rescuers for that particular breed.

They typically offer dogs that have been vet-checked, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered, and the adoption fees they charge cover these routine veterinary expenses. Some expenses simply cannot be covered by adoption fees, such as veterinary bills to treat sick or injured animals. In addition, transportation and fostering costs usually come out of the volunteers' pockets, and they can be significant, as is the amount of time involved.

As for groups asking for money when you give up a dog, that's probably legitimate, too. No decent rescue group would turn a dog away because the owner won't pay, but a little extra money from the person who is, after all, causing the problem by giving up the dog goes a long way toward helping keep these important volunteer programs funded.

Q: I am sick of hairballs! Is there a way to keep my cat from throwing them up? And why do they always throw up where I'm sure to step in it? -- H.D., via the Internet

A: Dealing with fur ingested as a cat grooms himself and then vomited back up in clumps is a normal part of living with a cat. If the problem is severe, however, your veterinarian may suggest the use of a mild laxative preparation or an increase in fiber in the diet to help the hairballs pass through your cat's system. Canned pumpkin is a good way to increase the fiber in your cat's diet.

Don't let your cat become a laxative junkie, however, as daily use may tie up and decrease the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Hairball remedies should not be used more than twice weekly except on the advice of your veterinarian. Instead of changing your cat's diet, consider combing him more frequently to remove excess hair.

As for why they throw up where they do, I have no answer for you except this one: because they're cats.

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

It's a New Year's tradition around my home, one that has outlived a generation of dogs, but it still works to help ensure the safety of the animals I live with now.

No, not resolutions, although I always make those too, vowing, among other things, to exercise the dogs more, take more time for their training, and do more for the animals who are not as lucky as mine are.

The tradition I'm talking about is far easier to accomplish: I call the dogs over and check their necks.

I always do my "neck checks" around the first of the year. It's easy to remember that way, especially for me, a person who has a hard time remembering much of anything when it comes to appointments: heartworm and flea medications on the first of the month, neck checks the first of the year, annual exams and vaccinations the first of July. Any variation and I'm hopelessly lost.

Call your dog over and play along. I'll walk you through it. It's easy. We're looking for wear and fit, and legibility on the tags.

Consider the collar first. A properly fitted collar is important, but so, too, is the right type. 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" collar. These are for training and walking only, and pose a severe hazard if left on an unsupervised dog. Choke collars can catch on objects and even the teeth of other dogs in play. In such cases, the dog's natural instinct to pull away can lead to his death as the chain pulls tight. If your dog is wearing such a collar, take it off now and consider yourself lucky as you head to the pet-supply store for a buckle or snap-on replacement.

If you have the right kind of collar on your dog, look at 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 the collar soon. I've had only one collar break on me, and it could have been a disaster. Andy flew after a squirrel, and the broken collar allowed him to chase it right into a busy street -- empty at that moment, thank heavens. He treed the squirrel and bounced back happily when I called him. We were lucky, I know, and I've never let a collar get that worn since then.

As for those tags, they need checking, too. A license is fine, 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 one. I never put the pet's name or my address on the tags. Instead, my dogs' tags say "REWARD!" with a collection of phone numbers. I want to get the point across that I want my pets back quickly.

Last year, I also added the tags of a pet-retrieval service called 1-800-HELP-4-PETS after they helped a friend get back his lost dogs. The service is available 24 hours a day, and can also authorize veterinary care with your credit card if your pet is injured and you cannot be found. The service is $40 for the first year and $20 per year after that. (More information is available by calling the 1-800 number.)

How did I fare with our neck checks this year? Not too badly. The collars are in fine shape, but Benjamin's missing his ID tag. I'll be ordering one this weekend.

Don't delay in fixing any problems you find with your pet's neck check. Problems with collars and tags are easy to fix, and they are the cheapest insurance you can buy against loss or accidents.

A final note: A microchip is another form of identification well worth considering. The tiny transponder, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted by a veterinarian over the shoulder blades of dogs and cats and serves as a permanent identification that cannot be slipped off or removed. If you have a microchip implanted in your pet, it's not possible to check for the chip as part of your New Year's neck check. But do make a mental note to ask your veterinarian to scan for it the next time your pet visits. Most veterinarians have hand-held devices that can detect the presence of a chip, and can determine if it has stayed put in a spot where it can be found by shelter-workers, should your pet ever stray.

PETS ON THE WEB

I laughed when I got a note from a reader asking me if I knew where to find fabric with a Welsh corgi design for a gift she was hoping to make. What was so funny? I'm a home economics failure who hasn't progressed much beyond reapplying buttons -- and I knew the answer off the top of my head! The explanation? My friend Reina, quiltmaker extraordinaire, had one day shown me the Hot Diggity Dog Web site (www.hotdiggitydog.com), which sells fabric in more than 120 dog-breed designs, plus designs with cats and a handful of others critters such as llamas, wolves and tigers. The company also sells completed products made of the fabric, including quilts and throw pillows. The Oceanside, Calif., company can also be reached by phone (800-780-3136).

PET TIP

Annual physicals are even more important as a pet ages, and they need to be more extensive than when the animal was younger. Your veterinarian may suggest blood and urine tests, for example, to determine what's normal for your pet, so that subsequent changes in test values are more apparent -- and problems can be caught and treated early. These "well-pet" appointments are also a good time to address your concerns about your pet's aging, and the health and behavioral challenges that result. While the decisions on what, if any, treatments to pursue are yours alone to make, encourage your veterinarian to discuss freely any problems that are discovered and all the available options for care.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: My cousin sent me something that's been apparently going around concerning what to do if your dog eats something sharp, such as glass Christmas tree ornaments. The instructions say to keep cotton balls in the cupboard and half-and-half in the freezer. If your pup gets into anything, thaw the half-and-half, dip the cotton into it and feed it to the dog. This is supposed to collect all shards and allow them to pass safely through. Is this legit? Is it safe? -- G.F., via the Internet.

A: The Veterinarian Information Network's Dr. Roger Gfeller, a board-certified specialist in emergency and critical care, says this trick has been around for years and it does work, to a degree. I showed him the document and asked what he thought.

"The cotton trick is a good one that has been passed down through the ages," he says. "Does it really improve the chances that the foreign material will pass without harm? No one has done the study to know, but it has been shown that the cotton does wrap around sewing needles, fishhooks, etc."

Gfeller, who practices in Fresno, Calif., cautions against putting too much faith in the procedure and adds a further refinement of his own. "I'm not certain I would use the statement, 'Even the teeniest shards of glass will be caught and wrapped in the cotton fibers, and the cotton will protect the intestines from damage by the glass,' as this is a bit too close to a guarantee. I also would not use such a high-fat "dip" as the half-and-half. This is not good for dogs or people. I'd stick to chicken broth or some other lower-fat substance."

For my own pets, I wouldn't be too keen on using a home remedy for something as potentially deadly as glass in the intestine -- I'd want to be working with my veterinarian from the very beginning. And that brings up a good point: Do you know what to do in an emergency? Give your veterinarian a call now and find out if the hospital is available for after-hours help. If not, locate the nearest emergency clinic and keep the number handy. You never know when you'll need it.

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