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

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

The tradition I'm talking about is far easier to accomplish. I call the pets 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 on each pet's birthday. Any variation and I'm hopelessly lost.

The neck check is easy, taking a few minutes to check for wear and fit on the collars, and legibility on the tags.

Consider the collar first. A properly fitted collar is important, but so 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" or prong collar for everyday wear. These are for training and walking only, and pose a potentially deadly hazard if left on an unsupervised dog.

Cat collars aren't widely accepted because some people fear the collars will get caught on branches and trap the cat. Other people argue that their cat stays indoors and so never needs a collar. If you're sure your cat will never, ever get out, then fine, no collar is necessary. But if your pet has ever slipped out, or might, you ought to reconsider a collar and tag. As for cats being caught by their collars, this is resolved by the simple piece of elastic in most cat collars that enables the pet to slip free of the collar in a pinch.

If you have the right kind of collar on your pet, 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.

As for those tags, they need checking, too. 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. I never put the pet's name or my address on the tags. Instead, my pets' tags say "REWARD!" with a collection of phone numbers. I want to get the point

across that I want my pets back quickly.

On my pets I also have the tags of a pet-retrieval service called 1-800-HELP-4-PETS. 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 $25 per year (www.help4pets.com.).

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 these items are the cheapest insurance you can buy against loss or accidents.

PETS ON THE WEB

Lost and Founds Pets USA (www.lostandfoundpet.com) doesn't offer anything fancy, just a simple form to enter information and a simple search tool to look for lost or found pets. The information is divided by state and then by city, so if you're not in a metropolitan area this free service may not be much use to you. But it never hurts to add just one more tool to the mix if you've lost a pet, along with posting fliers, checking shelters and veterinary hospitals and placing classified ads in local newspapers.

THE SCOOP

A microchip is another form of identification well worth adding to the collar and tags for dogs and cats, or as a stand-alone ID for birds. The tiny transponder, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted by a veterinarian over the shoulder blades of dogs and cats (or into the breast tissue of birds) 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 on your next visit. Most veterinarians have hand-held devices that can detect the presence of a chip, and can determine if it has stayed in a spot where it can be found by shelter workers, should your pet ever be lost or stolen.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: A while back you asked for ideas on making housekeeping easier. I have put together a doggie potty that enables my older dog to relieve herself indoors. In short, it is a shower pan, lined with a grid mat and placed over a cistern. Initially I trained her to "go" upon request. Then it was just a matter of introducing this convenient place to go as the designated spot. A friend has a purse-sized dog, and she trained it to go in the shower (no water running) lined with a mesh-like grid.

People might think it's unhygienic, but this method could enable a senior in a high-rise building to not have to go out after dark. –- R.L., via e-mail

A: Small dogs have been using indoor potties for years, and as long as you clean up thoroughly afterward (don't forget the disinfectant!), I don't see a problem. Your solution is probably more hygienic than putting newspapers down on the floor, after all.

Indoor bathrooms for dogs have really gained ground in recent years. While the volume of waste produced keeps indoor facilities from being a viable option for large dogs, little dogs can use space indoors with few problems.

I received another letter from a reader who sets up a small plastic wading pool for her small dog to use. In the middle, she has anchored a small upright cat scratching post for her male dog to lift his leg on, thereby keeping him from the sides of the pool, where he might squirt urine over the side. She lines the pool with plastic and fills it with a shallow layer of cat-box filler. It's an ingenious solution, albeit one that requires more room than many people care to give up.

You don't have to make your own canine potty, though, because there are commercial alternatives, most notably one from pet-industry giant Purina. The so-called "secondnature" system includes a litter tray and paper-based filler designed to be acceptable to dogs. You can find out more about it at www.doglitter.com, or by calling (800) 778-7462 during normal business hours, central time. The Web site, not surprisingly, pushes the Purina product, but does include tips that should help with training no matter which kind of indoor potty you have.

Q: I read your column regarding cat fencing, and I wanted to let you know that I just completed my yard with a cat fencing I purchased in a kit. You can see this product at www.catfencein.com. It comes with complete instructions and all material needed.

Cat fencing is not so simple. There must not be any gaps or openings, and I cannot imagine anyone attempting to do this without a kit and instructions. Around gates is especially tricky.

I lost a cat last summer, and it devastated me so badly that I had to find a way to let my cats outside, but not out of the yard. Now the only thing to worry about is the bottom portion of the fence, i.e., broken or missing boards. I walk my yard frequently to check for broken boards. -- D.E., via e-mail

A: Thanks for your letter. I've mentioned Cat Fence-In before, and agree that for many people a kit is a better option. The company can also be reached by phone toll-free at (888) 738-9099. Do-it-yourself or kit, cat fencing is a great idea, keeping your cats from being neighborhood nuisances while protecting them from most of the dangers or roaming free.

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

One of my best friends doesn't practice preventive care with her dogs. She also lets her cats roam the neighborhood (disappearing at the rate of about one a year). She does just about everything with her pets contrary to current advice, right down to feeding her cockatiel nothing but sunflower seeds.

She truly loves her pets, but she insists on following pet-care standards that are at least 20 years out of date.

The bird likes seeds, she says, so what's the harm? Children like candy, I tell her, but you don't let them eat it all day. And then, we agree to disagree, on this point as on all others pet-related. Sometimes you not only can't change the world, but you can't even influence your friends.

If birds love seeds -- and most crave them -- doesn't it follow that they should be eating what they want? Avian veterinarians are pretty consistent in arguing against seeds these days. An all-seed diet will make most birds sick over time, the experts say, denying the pets the nutrients they need for long-term survival and weakening them to the point where other diseases might be able to take hold.

The trend in recent years has been toward pelleted diets, and pet birds are healthier as a result. Pelleted diets are readily available from many reputable manufacturers and can be purchased from any bird shop or from many veterinarians who work with birds.

Pelleted food is a blend of grains, seeds, vegetables, fruits and various other protein sources. Manufacturers mix the ingredients and then either bake and crumble them or extrude them, ending up with pellets of a proper size for any given species (large pellets for large birds, small pellets for small birds).

This process produces a food that is superior to the "smorgasbord" way of feeding -- the bird cannot pick out his favorite foods and ignore the rest. Pellets also are convenient for bird owners. These commercially prepared diets are easy to buy, relatively inexpensive and store nicely in a cool, dry place.

Pelleted foods should be the foundation of your bird's diet -- some 70 percent to 80 percent -- but they're not a good diet on their own. Your bird also needs a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with other "people foods" such as pasta, eggs, breads, rice and unsalted nuts in their shells. Excessively fatty foods or overprocessed foods should be avoided, since many pet birds are perch potatoes, prone to obesity. A good rule of thumb: If it's healthy for you, it's good for your bird, too. Do keep pellets and fresh, clean water available at all times.

In addition to rounding out a commercial diet, fruits, nuts and other people food gives your bird something to keep him occupied and entertained. To that end, leave fresh food in as natural a form as possible. Clean it, of course, but make your bird work some to eat it. Corn left on the cob is a great example of good food that also offers a fun challenge to eat.

Do you really need to deny your bird a treat as appreciated as seeds? The phrase "all things in moderation" definitely applies when it comes to seeds. Given in small amounts, seeds are a wonderful way to help teach your bird tricks or to reward him for good behavior. But seeds should be a treat, not a staple, to ensure proper nutrition for your bird.

Birds love seeds, and it's fine to give them now and then. But as a diet for these pets, they are strictly not for the birds at all.

PETS ON THE WEB

Pet birds do not live by food alone -- they need to be kept occupied. The Birdbrain (www.thebirdbrain.com) is one of the best sources for toys and other things to keep your bird busy. Proceeds from their sales go to one of the best bird charities around, the well-respected Colorado-based Gabriel Foundation (www.thegabrielfoundation.org).

The Birdbrain offers all kinds of parrot-related items, from perches to food containers to cleaning supplies, but the toy selection is truly outstanding. The shop breaks them down into categories such as "noisemakers," "foot toys" and "destructible," and will even suggest toys for birds with disabilities. I visited the Gabriel Foundation/Birdbrain in Colorado a few years back, and took home a rather large collection of toys for my Senegal parrot. Great stuff!

THE SCOOP

Although you can find a special thermometer for pets in any pet-supply catalog or well-equipped pet-supply store, you can also use an ordinary glass mercury or digital-readout "people" device from your pharmacy. (If you want to pay more -- around $80 -- you can now get a digital thermometer for pets that reads temperature from the ear canal, very nifty!)

To take your pet's temperature, lubricate the thermometer with petroleum jelly or a water-based lubricant, such as K-Y. Gently and slowly insert the thermometer about one or two inches into your pet's fanny.

Leave the thermometer in place for a couple of minutes. In a normal cat or dog, the temperature should be between 100 degrees and 102.5 degrees, and the thermometer should be almost clean after it's removed. Anything much above or below that range is cause for concern, as is any blood or other matter on the thermometer.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I recently had to board my dog. I'm looking at keeping him there for at least three months until my new home is finished. Is that too long? Also, the boarding facility has stated that because of the possible stress, I should keep my visits to the very minimum. Do you agree with this? -- T.R., via e-mail

A: I would rather see your dog with a family for that duration, such as with a friend or relative. Is it possible for someone to do that for you, if you paid the bills? Three months is a long time in a kennel, but if that's your only option, you really haven't much choice.

As for visiting, my advice would depend on the dog. Some dogs have very adaptable, love-the-one-you're-with personalities, and such a dog would probably be fine with visits. The one who'd mope and carry on for days after you left would probably be better off settling into the kennel routine without visits.

I'm dealing with a similar situation, having moved out of one house and waiting for the escrow to close on another. The three dogs and I were living with my brother, but I've had to send my 9-month-old toy spaniel to live with a friend because my brother's fences are old, with lots of places for a small, curious dog to escape. We patched the fence as best we could, but after Chase's second outing I decided it just wasn't safe for him to remain with me now. (My big dogs are neither interested in getting out nor small enough to squeeze through the gaps in the fence line.)

Chase is staying at his Aunt Tami's house for about six weeks in all, and I decided it would be easier on him if I didn't visit. He has settled into his temporary situation well, and I have no doubts he'll do the same when he's back with me in our new home.

Q: My calico cat licks any blanket she can find around the house until it is soaked with kitty spit. I've never had a cat who did this before. What's behind it? -- O.B., via email

A: This condition is called "wool-sucking." Although it's very common in Siamese or other so-called "Oriental" breeds, it's certainly not uncommon in the general cat population. Behaviorists aren't really sure what causes it and aren't sure how to cure it. The best I can offer is some "might help, can't hurt" suggestions.

You should definitely put away anything that's too nice to be damaged. Keep bedrooms off-limits by closing the doors to protect the blankets on the beds.

Set out some "decoy" blankets, and apply a deterrent such Bitter Apple, Tabasco, hot pepper oil, etc. This might break the habit, but maybe not. Spraying fabrics lightly with perfume is also a common recommendation.

Some experts believe that increasing the fiber in the cat's diet may also help. You can do that by adding a little canned pumpkin on a regular basis -- it's also good for hair balls. More activity is also recommended, such as playing with your cat regularly with a cat-fishing-pole toy or other lure object.

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

Recently I spent the weekend in the company of some of the most beautiful cats in the world at the Cat Fanciers' Association annual international show in Houston.

These show cats -- beefy British shorthairs, slender Siamese, kinky-haired rexes and silky Persians, and many more marvelous breeds –- have never known hunger or cold. And I doubt that any have ever felt much fear. Barring a disaster in the lives of their owners, it's hard to imagine that cats at this level of competition will live out their days in anything other than loving, high-quality care.

The CFA knows that such experiences aren't the norm for many cats and has always been good about supporting feline charities. The association is closely tied to the Winn Feline Foundation (www.winnfelinehealth.org), which sponsors important research into feline health. And among the booths at the prestigious international show, the CFA always welcomes volunteers and displays from shelters and rescue groups.

I was feeling pretty good about pretty cats and healthy charities until I bumped into a person who works for a nonprofit animal shelter in a large city, a group with an international reputation for innovation. I asked him how things were at work, expecting to hear of another exciting program in a long string of successes.

He did not offer good news. "We're having layoffs," he said. It wasn't the first time I'd heard such a thing in the last couple of years. Times are tough for charities, even the relatively healthy and wealthy ones. The reasons are many. Some large donations in the '90s came in the form of stocks that are now worth a fraction of their original value. Then, the flood of giving in the wake of the terrorist attacks was concentrated on relief efforts, and money was diverted from thousands of other groups at local, regional and national levels. And now the sluggish economy hasn't exactly spurred charitable giving.

I always suggest that in this season of giving, animal lovers remember to include those groups that care for pets who are not as lucky as our own. That's especially true this year, when so many of these nonprofits are struggling.

Money is always welcome when it comes time to give, of course. You can make a simple donation, or you can buy a membership as a gift for an animal-loving friend or family member. But you don't have to write a check to help.

Groups can often use items you might be throwing away, such as old newspapers or frayed towels. You might also consider buying large bags of pet food or cat litter on sale and donating those. Some groups have thrift stores or occasional tag sales, so you can donate almost any used and still usable -- item for them to sell to raise money. Also appreciated are office supplies such as paper, notebooks and pens.

Some organizations need relatively new computers, scanners, copiers and other office equipment; call to see what their needs are. And while you're at it, ask if they have a "wish list" of big-ticket items they're hoping to get donated, such as building materials or vehicles. Tracking down such items is a wonderful way of volunteering for those who are too tender-hearted to work at the shelter. Depending on your powers of persuasion, you might be able to get needed items donated just by making a phone call or two to area businesses.

It doesn't take much from any one of us to make a big difference. It just takes enough of us to take the time to give, just a bit.

PETS ON THE WEB

Small local charities, with their low overheads and more hands-on programs, usually do more with your donation than large national organizations. With the big boys, you're too often giving to support high salaries and fund-raising programs -- luxuries smaller charities can't afford. (Some national charities pay executive management salaries in excess of a quarter-million dollars, and six-figure salaries are common in some well-known national groups.)

One of the best resources for researching charities large and small is Guidestar (www.guidestar.org), a Web site that puts the financials at your fingertips for free, so you can make an informed decision before writing that check. Hundreds of animal charities are in the Guidestar database, from one-person rescue groups to some of the largest national advocacy groups around. Don't give a dime until you know that you agree with the policies of any group, and are comfortable with how the money is being spent!

THE SCOOP

Recently I got an e-mail from a reader whose dog died a couple of days after being hit by a car. She was grieving for the dog but was also feeling guilty because a veterinarian said her pet probably wouldn't have died if she'd brought him in right after the accident.

The dog had seemed fine just after the accident. He'd taken a hit to his abdomen off the side of a front bumper. He was rolled by the impact but came up wagging his tail. He continued to seem OK for a day or so -- a few cuts and scrapes but nothing that appeared urgent enough to require veterinary attention. What she didn't know: The dog had internal injuries that needed medical attention. By the time she realized there was a problem and got her pet to the emergency clinic, it was too late to save him.

It's surely of little comfort to her to know that such stories are common. But maybe it will help some to save the life of another pet by spreading the word. So remember: If your pet is hit by a car, it's essential to have him checked out by a veterinarian right away.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I have a 10-year-old female yellow Labrador/golden retriever mix. I am strongly considering adopting a male cat at the animal hospital where I work. He is timid, and my dog can be rambunctious. I hope the sex difference won't be a problem. What do you think? -- K.D., via e-mail

A. I don't think gender is an issue at all, but personality types might be. The pairing of a shy cat with a rambunctious dog could work out fine, but it might be a bit of a rough road at the start.

With so many adult cats needing adoption, you might instead consider finding one with a more gregarious personality who is comfortable living with a large dog. Shelters and rescue groups often have the background on those animals they are trying to place, and in lieu of background, may perform personality tests to get an idea on what kind of family will be a good match for any given animal.

If you do go ahead with the timid cat, make sure you take lots of time to help ease him in. Do not force the animals together. Start the cat off in a room of his own, door closed, with food, water, scratching post, litter box and toys. Visit him frequently, but leave the dog out. The cat will be more than aware of the dog's presence through the door.

Eventually, you can replace the closed door with a baby gate. Let the cat choose the speed of exploration: If he wants to stay in the room (or even under the bed) for a month, so be it. Work on keeping your dog in control, with sits, downs and stays, and keep her on leash in the cat's presence during the introduction phase. No chasing allowed, not even in play!

I'd leave the baby gate up for a long time even after the cat ventures out of the room, so he always has a safe place to go where the dog can't follow. You might be able to remove it down the road, when cat and dog settle in and seem comfortable in each other's presence.

Q: My 1-year-old beagle has had all her shots. We just picked her up from a one-week kennel stay. Now she is sneezing all the time. Is this something I should be concerned with? The sneezing has been going on for about five days. It usually happens when she starts to sniff with her nose. -- S.B., via e-mail

A: I'd surely have a veterinarian check things out. Among the possibilities: A foxtail may have gotten up her nose. If you catch a foxtail early, it's a snap for your veterinarian to treat. Let it go, and it can be a daunting proposition for vet, pet and pocketbook alike.

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