It may seem odd, but there's a parallel between abductions and dog attacks: Most children who are victimized aren't randomly selected; they're attacked by a person or dog known to them. Just as an abductor is more likely to be someone known to the child -- an estranged parent, say -- a dog involved in a serious attack is more likely to be an animal the child knows, kept by the family, a friend or a relative.

The profile on these dogs is well-known to experts. They're usually kept isolated from the family, often spending their lives on chains. This increases their sense of isolation and their desire to protect territory. They're often untrained and unsocialized, usually young, unneutered males who are just coming into their own as adults and starting to feel -- absent human assistance -- that in their territory, they reign supreme.

Any child who wanders into the reach of such an animal is in grave danger.

If you have such a dog, you must take action. First step: Neutering, to minimize hormone-influenced aggression and territoriality. Then, ask your veterinarian for a referral to a trainer or behaviorist who can help you train and socialize the animal. If you cannot rehabilitate your dog, you must be certain he is securely contained in an escape-proof area and muzzled while in public. Sadly, for some of these animals, euthanasia is the only answer.

Even if your family dog is a cupcake, your child may still be at risk for a bite. The Humane Society of the United States suggests teaching your children how to behave around strange dogs and how to react if attacked. With the start of school at hand, and with many children walking on streets that may have loose dogs, be sure your children know the following:

-- Never approach a loose dog, even if he seems friendly. Dogs confined in yards and especially on chains should also be avoided. If the dog is with its owner, children should always ask permission before petting and then begin by offering the back of the hand for a sniff. Pat on the neck or chest -- the dog may interpret a pat from above as a dominant gesture. Teach your children to avoid fast or jerky movements.

-- "Be a tree" when a dog approaches, standing straight with feet together, fists under the neck and elbows into the chest. Teach your children to make no eye contact: Some dogs view this as a challenge. Running is a normal response to danger, but it's the worst possible thing to do around a dog, because it triggers the animal's instinct to chase and bite. Many dogs just sniff and leave; teach your children to stay still until the animal walks away, and then back away slowly out of the area.

-- "Feed" the dog a jacket or backpack if attacked, or use a bike to block the dog. These strategies may keep an attacking dog's teeth from connecting on flesh.

-- Act like a log if knocked down -- face down, legs together, curled into a ball with fists covering the back of the neck and forearms over the ears. This position protects vital areas and can keep an attack from turning fatal.

Role-play these lessons with your child until they are ingrained. Dealing with the dangers in your own yard and teaching your children how to cope may spare your child a bite -- and even save a life.

PETS ON THE WEB

The Daily Drool (www.dailydrool.com) serves as the home page for an e-mail list that celebrates the basset hound. The Drool offers health and training information on this low-slung, low-key breed, as well as pictures and sound clips, information on how to find a puppy or adult basset, links to rescue groups, shopping and more. One of the most amusing pages features the basset-related license plates of some Drool members, such as "BASSTMBL" and "DAWGMOM." This site is as informative as it is entertaining. Anyone who has or is thinking about getting a basset hound will find much of interest here.

THE SCOOP

Whenever I need to pick up a little gift for a cat lover, I always go for one of Bob Walker's books, the first of which was "The Cats' House" (Andrews McMeel, $16.95). Walker and his wife, Frances Mooney, live in a modest Southern California house they've remodeled in a spectacularly clever and colorful way for the pleasure and comfort of their cats, with floor-to-ceiling cat trees leading to overhead catwalks that connect from room to room through holes cut in the walls.

The books, like the house, are like nothing else out there, bright and whimsical depictions of what must be some of the happiest cats in the world. I met Walker at a conference a few years back -- "just call me Bobcat," he said, merrily. I found him to be every bit as charming as his books. This makes me feel doubly good about supporting both his work and his happy cats!

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I've heard that head halters can cause serious injuries if used wrongly. A too-abrupt tug could jerk a dog's head causing neck or spinal injuries, couldn't it? -- A.K., via e-mail

A: Anything's possible, which is why I don't recommend using a head halter with one of those long, reel-type leashes. The force of a running dog hitting the end of a 30-foot line does have the potential to cause injury.

In truth, just about every piece of canine equipment has the potential for problems if used incorrectly. Slip-chain collars can choke a dog or injure his neck. Break-away collars, designed to release a dog who's caught on something, can result in a dog being off-leash when it's least safe, such as next to a busy street. And head halters can jerk a dog's head around.

If you don't know what's right for your dog or how to use it, find a trainer who can help you choose the appropriate equipment and show you how it works. Every piece of training equipment is right for some dogs, but no single item is right for all.

Q: We have a neighbor who is always getting cats and then will not feed them regularly or provide them with medical care. They are covered with fleas, mites and burrs and frequently become ill. Because they aren't altered, the males are very aggressive and the females produce kittens.

Our cats can't set foot outside, and we can't leave a door or window open without her cats coming inside to forage for food or attack our cats.

We have done what we can. We have taken three cats to the animal shelter, treated others for fleas, had a few neutered and found homes for some kittens. We've also paid for emergency medical care -- even surgery -- for injured animals, and have tried to keep the cats fed when they become desperate.

Communication with this neighbor is impossible. We have tried, as have many people before us. She knows her behavior is disruptive and couldn't care less.

We are at our wits' end. Is there anything that can be done about situations like this? We've tried to work with the local animal shelter, but they've made it clear they'd prefer not to have the problem transferred to them. -- G.J., via e-mail

A: You've already done more than most people would in trying to care for the neighbor's cats and, clearly, you and the cats (hers and yours both) need help with this situation.

Try again with local officials, talking directly to the humane investigators in your area, not just the front-desk people at the shelter. Let investigators know that the neighbor is neglecting even the most basic needs of the animals. Talk to municipal officials as well about the nuisance, noise and health problems the cats present. I'd also consider talking to an attorney, especially if her aggressive cats cause injury to yours on your property -- paying a few veterinary bills may get her attention. And see if you can get the neighbors involved: The more people who complain, the more force the complaints have, especially with municipal officials.

It may not seem fair to the cats to take action against the neighbor, since they may end up in the shelter if she's forced to clean up her act. But the best solution for all involved -- including her string of long-suffering pets -- would be if this woman is finally convinced to keep no animals at all.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com.

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

No nasty letters this time from the "it's just a cat" crowd.

My column from a few weeks back on the link between animal cruelty and crimes against people drew thousands of responses, flooding my e-mail for days with letters from everyday animal lovers as well as from social workers, therapists, teachers, law enforcement officers, academics, prosecutors, humane investigators, etc.

Many of these experts pointed out the numerous studies linking animal cruelty to crimes against humans, as well as relating gruesome cases they themselves had worked on, where the link was as large as a lumber chain.

"Your connection of animal cruelty with future criminal behavior is accurate," wrote Hiromi Paul Sanders, a therapist specializing in abused children and adolescents, many of whom have engaged in acts of animal cruelty. "Children are very emotionally scarred when parents use threats of or engage in animal cruelty to manage their child's behavior," he wrote. "Your statement that kids become hardened is also accurate because kids often model a parent's behavior, irrespective of its social appropriateness. Kids also utilize animal cruelty as a means of catharsis of pain and hurt, often when they themselves are victims of emotional, physical or sexual abuse."

Sanders notes that FBI profilers have identified three characteristics in children that predict a dangerous future, pointing toward serial murder: uncontrollable urination, fire-setting and animal cruelty. For such children, the therapist warns that intervention is essential.

"I agree that perpetrators of animal cruelty should be held legally accountable, but would add that for animal-abusing children, adolescents and teens, a therapy component ought to be ordered by the sentencing judge, so that the roots of this behavior are uncovered and treated," wrote Sanders. "My bias is that without such treatment, the minor's likelihood of recidivism will remain high."

Another correspondent touched on the either-or aspect of my column, on how some people seem to believe that if you care about animals, you don't care about people.

"I am always amazed at the sort of people you describe," wrote Paul Ernst. "They seem absolutely convinced that those of us who are concerned about cruelty to animals are incapable of feeling concern over cruelty to humans. Their logic is way beyond perplexing.

"These same people will sometimes fault others for donating to animal shelters 'while there are humans freezing and starving in the streets.' They ignore the fact that people who help animals are often the first to come forward to help their fellow humans. It amazes me that they seem to feel that concern for animals blocks out all other compassion."

Jennifer Bergovoy echoed those sentiments: "When the critics argue that I should be more concerned about what happens to humans, I always respond that I must be fortunate, because I have the capability of loving both humans and animals, and can mourn for both their losses."

The responses weren't all in agreement with me, however. Some felt I was saying we should care about animal cruelty only because it too often predicts crimes against humans. I gently reminded these readers that if I didn't care about animals on their own, I wouldn't have spent the last 20 years writing about them, with more than 1,000 columns, hundreds of articles and three books.

I guess that's the either-or argument in reverse: Some people think caring starts with animals, while I think caring includes us all, animals and people both. The overwhelming majority of those who wrote felt the same way.

Which reminds me of one of my favorite sayings (whose author I do not know, I regret to say): "Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as important to the child as it is to the caterpillar."

Thanks to all of you who wrote. While you may have overwhelmed my poor computer, you made my week.

PETS ON THE WEB

Over the years I have reminded readers that "Beware of Dog" signs are not that great an idea. By posting one, you're likely just trying to keep people out of your back yard, but should your dog bite someone, a "Beware of Dog" sign could be seen as an admission that you believed you harbored an aggressive animal. And that could lead to serious legal problems.

After reading a warning in this column, entrepreneur Rob Loomis decided to come up with a solution to the problem –- a sign that protects both pet and property without setting up the pet owner for bigger problems should a bite occur. His stylish metal "Dog in Yard" signs are made of high-quality materials, designed to fit in with any style of housing and not give the "junkyard dog" appearance of cheap signs. The wording alerts people to the existence of a dog without casting aspersions on your friendly pooch.

The sign is slowly becoming available at hardware and home-supply stores, but for now your best bet is to order directly from the Original Pet Postings Web site (www.bigdoorproducts.com). It retails for $14.95. You

can also order by phone, (847) 835-1100.

THE SCOOP

If your bird is bitten or clawed by a cat or dog, you need to get veterinary help right away. Bite or claw wounds are potentially deadly to birds, even if the injury appears minor.

Dogs and cats are able predators, and their jaws are quite capable not only of piercing the skin of a bird but also of crushing internal organs and breaking bones. Even a bird who seems to have escaped an attack with a small bite or scratch can fall victim to infection. Birds with no visible signs of injury can also end up dead without veterinary intervention.

If your bird is attacked, contact your veterinarian right away. Your bird may need to be treated for shock, infection or internal injuries, and very likely should be started on antibiotics as soon as possible.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: For ethical and health reasons, I don't eat meat or buy products made from leather or other parts of animals. I have three cats, and frankly it makes me sick to my stomach to open the cans of cat food and think of the suffering that went into them. Can you offer me a way to have vegetarian pets? –- C.N., via e-mail

A: I understand and respect the choices you've made for yourself. But if you want a pet who'll thrive on a diet without meat, you should adopt a rabbit or other herbivore. If you're going to have carnivores as pets, you'd better get used to the idea of feeding them meals with meat protein, because that's what their bodies are designed for.

Cats require more than a dozen nutrients including vitamins, fatty acids and amino acids, that can't be manufactured in a cat's body and must be obtained from an outside source -- that is, from animal tissues.

Q: Gina, would you please warn people that clumping litter is dangerous to cats? It can cause intestinal blockage and kill them. -– W.N., via e-mail

A. Sorry, but there's no evidence that clumping litter kills cats. The idea that it has is unsubstantiated by any scientific study and unsupported by the widespread clinical experience of veterinarians. I am regularly asked to warn people about the "danger," which suggests that these concerns have become another urban myth spread by well-meaning cat lovers.

It seems the idea that clumping litter is deadly comes from an article in a long-defunct magazine, in which a breeder reported on the death of some kittens and speculated that clumping litter was the cause. That article has more lives than a cat is said to, because I'm e-mailed a copy of it at least once a month.

If you look at the issue another way, it can be argued that clumping litter has, in fact, saved the lives of many cats. That's because studies show that some cats who have chronic problems with using a litter box may choose to do so if the filler is clumping litter. Since behavioral problems such as ignoring the litter box cause many people to dump their cats, any product that helps keep cats in their families is surely saving lives.

Don't be too quick to believe what you read on the Internet. Although there's lots of great information on pets out there, I've also read plenty that worries me -– advice on nutrition, training and medical care that's flat-out wrong and can even be deadly. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian or consult a reliable reference book.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com.

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

Do you pause when a black cat crosses your path? I sometimes do, and then I laugh at myself for being influenced by such a silly old myth, even for a second. But that's the funny thing about cats -– more than any other domestic animal, they are the subject of countless myths, legends and old wives' tales.

While some stories about cats are harmless, others are too dangerous not to debunk. Here are a handful of stubborn old myths about cats -- and the facts to counter them:

-- Black cats are bad luck. Black may be an unlucky color all right, but it can be for the cats themselves too. Humane society officials have warned for years that black cats are often the targets of those who practice rituals that include the torture and killing of animals. (Many shelters refuse to allow black cats to be adopted around Halloween, for this very reason.) Black may be an unfortunate color for another reason: visibility. Thousands of cats are killed by cars every year, and the difference between a hit or a near miss may be the driver's ability to see the cat darting across the road. At night, patches of light-colored fur are a distinct advantage.

-- Cats need to drink milk. Is cow's milk the perfect food for cats? Not at all! On the contrary, some cats (like some people) can't tolerate milk well. For these animals, a saucer of milk means gastric upset and diarrhea.

In the wild, kittens never drink milk after they're weaned, and domestic cats have no reason to either. On the other hand, if your cat likes and can tolerate milk, feel free to offer it as an occasional treat. Milk's a good source of protein and other nutrients for those cats who don't find it upsetting.

-- Cats purr when they're happy. Expert cat observers know that purring isn't just a sound of contentment. Cats also purr if they're injured, while giving birth -- even when dying. British zoologist Desmond Morris has observed that purring is "a sign of friendship -- either when (the cat) is contented with a friend or when it is in need of friendship, as with a cat in trouble."

As an aside: Big cats roar; little cats purr. On balance, I think little cats got the better end of that deal. Or at least we, as their companions, did.

-- Cats are a danger to babies. So many cats find themselves looking for new homes when a baby is expected that you could put it the other way: that babies are a danger to cats. But the fact is that you don't need to find a new home for your pet if you become pregnant. Cats do not maliciously smother or suck the breath out of babies, as the myths hold. That doesn't mean some considerations aren't in order, however. Pregnant women have to take special precautions when cleaning the litter box –- or have someone else do it -- because of the risk of disease. And even animal advocates remind new parents that common sense dictates no animal be left unattended with a small child -– for the protection of both.

-- A well-fed cat won't hunt. The ability to hunt is hardwired into all cats, but the level of desire varies by each cat's genetics and early experiences, not by the rumbling in his belly. The play of kittens –- pouncing and leaping on anything that moves –- is really hunting behavior. Observers of feline behavior believe that if the mother is an eager hunter, the kittens may be, too.

Although the desire to hunt may be undeniable, whether your cat kills his prey may have more to do with hunger than anything else, argues Morris. He says that the cat's much-observed tendency to play with its prey is really a matter of the animal's not being hungry enough to eat but still being instinctively driven to hunt.

PETS ON THE WEB

Those who love big dogs will get a kick out of the Web site of Morgan the Great Dane (www.morgandane.com), which celebrates the triumphs not only of Morgan, but also other Great Danes who compete in the sport of agility against legions of Border collies, shelties and other smaller dogs. The site is a labor of love for Morgan's owner and trainer, Keri Caraher, a Colorado-based Web designer and avid agility competitor. Be sure to check out the pictures and videos of Morgan and other Danes in action. For $25, you can also buy a T-shirt with the nifty "Air Morgan" logo on it -– until Nike gets wind of it, I'd guess.

THE SCOOP

Annual vaccinations are becoming a thing of the past for most dogs and cats as an increasing number of veterinarians are choosing to follow new recommendations that space booster shots years apart. The reason? New thinking holds that the immunity levels remain high for years longer than previously believed, and that the vaccinations themselves come with health risks.

Such cutting-edge thinking is reflected in the protocols of the University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, which does not offer some vaccines at all and limits others to every-three-year events, after pets have gone through a series of shots as youngsters. The complete recommendations are available at www.vmth.ucdavis.edu/vmth/clientinfo/info/vaccinproto.html.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I'm 63 years old, a widow, and I'm facing some surgery in the next few weeks. The surgery is routine, I've been assured, but you never know, do you? I worry about what will happen to my pets if something happens to me. Do you have some advice about what I should be doing to protect them? I have a 12-year-old cat and a 4-year-old dog, both in good health. –- W.O., via e-mail

A: Nobody likes to think about the "what-ifs," and you've done a very good thing for your pets in doing so. When someone is disabled or dies, the welfare of that person's pets is often not even a major concern of the people left to deal with the situation. The result: A lot of animals are promptly dumped on shelters or rescue groups.

Every pet lover, regardless of age or health, should have a plan for the care of pets in case of death or disability. Remember, even if you're young and healthy, something could happen to change that in a heartbeat. (Humane groups were part of the post-9/11 response effort, locating, caring for and in many cases finding new homes for the pets of those people who would never come home again.)

In most cases you'll be relying on friends and family to look after your pets if something happens to you. You can't leave money to a pet; instead, you'll be leaving your pet to someone else, and providing that person with enough money (if you can) to cover expenses for the rest of the animal's life.

In addition, every pet owner should also have some form of "durable power of attorney" ready, designating someone to make immediate decisions for your pet should illness or accident incapacitate you.

Your best bet is to talk about this subject with an attorney as well as with friends and family, to make arrangements in advance and keep them current. Never assume that a member of your family will take your pet as his or her own. Make sure you have found a willing adopter and that the details you've arranged are known to all. Also, talk to your attorney about how to structure any money you leave for care.

When I had surgery a couple of years ago, I made arrangements for my friends to take my pets if something happened, and had an attorney formalize the arrangements. In turn, I'm also the "what-if" person for the pets of at least a half-dozen other people, to either keep the pets as my own, find them new homes or (if age and illness dictates) oversee the saddest decision of all -– to euthanize the pet.

Q: What can we do to keep our cat and strays from getting on our cars? This has become a big problem lately with paw prints appearing almost daily. We want to keep our cat but we also want to keep our cars from getting damaged. -- K.R, via e-mail

A: While you can keep your own cat from walking on your cars by keeping him inside, you won't be able to do much about the neighborhood cats. Since you can't control the cats, control their access to the cars: Protect your vehicles by garaging them or by using car covers.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com.

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