A great many cat lovers want more than one cat, but a great many cats would be happier alone. Or so think the cats, when a new pet comes home.

Introducing cats is a delicate operation, with many pitfalls along the way. Some resident cats hide under the bed when a new cat or kitten is introduced. Some stop using the litter box. Efforts to soothe others may be greeted with a hiss or a growl, or even a swipe with claws bared.

But most cats will eventually adapt to the change, and for some the addition of a companion is a wonderful idea.

If you don't have a cat yet, and know you'll eventually want two, it's easiest to adopt a pair at the same time. It might be even easier if the kittens or cats are siblings, since they'll already be familiar with one another. But even if you adopt two unrelated cats or kittens (or a cat and a kitten), bringing them into a new home together works well, since neither has established territory in the new environment.

That said, even an established adult will usually learn to accept a new cat or kitten.

Since the worst territorial spats are between cats who aren't spayed or neutered, your chances for peaceful coexistence are many times greater if the cats are both altered before any introductions are planned. You should also take the new cat or kitten to your veterinarian before bringing him home, to be certified free of parasites such as ear mites and contagious diseases such as feline leukemia.

Prepare a room for your new cat, with food and water bowls, toys and a litter box and scratching post that needn't be shared. This separate room will be your new pet's home turf while the two cats get used to each other's existence.

Then, start the introductions by pushing no introduction at all.

Bring the new cat home in a carrier and set it in the room you've prepared. Let your resident cat discover the caged animal on his own, and don't be discouraged by initial hisses. Let your resident cat explore awhile and then put him on the other side of the door and close it. When the new cat is alone with you in the room, open the carrier door. Leave the new cat alone in the room with the door closed.

Maintain each cat separately for a week or so -- with lots of love and play for both -- and then on a day when you're around to observe, leave the door to the new cat's room open. Don't force them together. Territory negotiations between cats can be drawn-out and delicate, and you must let them work it out on their own, ignoring the hisses and glares.

As the days go by, you can encourage them both to play with you, using a cat "fishing pole" or a toy on a string. If they're willing, feed them in ever-closer proximity, taking your cue from the cats as to how quickly to go.

Some cats will always maintain their own territories within the house -- I've known pairs who happily maintained a one upstairs, one downstairs arrangement for life -- while others will happily share everything from litter boxes to food dishes. Let the cats figure it out, and don't force them to share if they don't want to. Some cats will always need separate litter boxes, scratching posts, bowls and toys -- and providing them is a small investment if it keeps the peace.

Most cats will eventually learn to live together closely. When you see your two sleeping together, playing or grooming each other tenderly, you'll know the effort was worth it. And your cat will too, although he'll never admit you were right.

PETS ON THE WEB

The American Animal Hospital Association has a pet first-aid page (www.healthypet.com/Library/petcare-36.html) that provides a list of emergency symptoms and what to do about them. The site is very clear in stressing that first aid should never take the place of veterinary care, and is meant to help until a pet can be placed in the hands of an expert. It's a good page to read in advance, to familiarize yourself with symptoms and emergency treatment. If your pet is seriously sick or injured, though, don't waste time cruising the Web for information: See your veterinarian right away.

THE SCOOP

A lot of people won't collar their cats, fearing that the material will become caught while the animal's roaming. One solution is breakaway collars, which offer an elastic panel meant to allow a cat to wriggle free if snagged. The problem with that, in the eyes of some, is that their wandering pets are constantly coming home without the collar, which becomes a bother and expense to replace.

If your cat isn't collared, consider this: Less than 2 percent of all lost cats are ever found, according to the National Council of Pet Population Study and Policy. For a roaming cat, the best insurance policy you can buy is an ID tag and a collar to hang it on. Also consider a microchip ID, which your veterinarian can insert under the skin with little discomfort to your pet.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: Your article about getting a puppy "for the kids" was a real heartbreaker. I know it happens (quite often, I fear), as I saw it firsthand with some next-door neighbors we had a few years ago.

Could the problem have been avoided if the family had gotten an easygoing adult dog rather than a puppy? If so, that would be excellent advice for other people (and dogs) in similar situations. -- C.S., via e-mail

A: Yes, you're absolutely right: A well-chosen adult dog can often fit into families that don't really have the expertise or time to raise a puppy right. (If they indeed have the time to care for a dog at all, that is, and that's a mighty big "if.")

Problem is, a lot of parents won't even consider an adult dog, remaining stuck on the image of a puppy for the kids. And that's too bad, because a lot of adult dogs will die waiting for homes that never come, and many of these animals are exactly what these families need -- house-trained, relaxed and well past the chewing and general mayhem stage puppies go through.

Because some adult dogs come with behavioral problems that are too difficult for the average pet lover to fix, I recommend working with shelters or rescue groups when choosing an adult dog. The best of these organizations put their dogs through temperament testing -- and even some training -- before allowing the animals to go up for adoption. And then, they work to match a family's lifestyle with the dog who'll be right for them.

Q: Thank you for your wonderful article about adopting greyhounds. I have adopted retired greys for years, and have my fifth one now. All have been great companions.

One greyhound I had when I lived in Pensacola, Fla., was found in the woods by some hunters. She had been shot (I guess she must have lost a race), but was still alive. She was the best dog, and I was privileged to have her nine years before she died.

Well, enough of my reminiscing -- just wanted to say "thank you" for promoting adoption of my beloved greys. Next time, you might mention that greyhounds make wonderful "therapy pets" for taking to nursing homes, schools for children with special needs, etc., as they generally have such calm personalities. -- J.A., via e-mail

A: Too many racing greyhounds end up the way yours almost did -- with a bullet to the back of the head as a reward for trying their best and falling short. Thank heavens for rescue groups and people willing to adopt these mostly gentle and easygoing dogs.

Greyhound adoption groups are active even in states where racing isn't legal. That's because the organizations are loosely joined by a network of volunteers willing to move the animals from racetracks to areas with large populations of potential adopters.

One way to find a local or regional adoption group is to visit the Web site of the Greyhound Adoption Project (www.adopt-a-greyhound.org), which offers listings of dozens of such organizations. Greyhound Pets of America (www.greyhoundpets.org) also offers a toll-free referral number, (800) 366-1472. You'll also find lots of good information on what these animals are like on the Web pages, to make sure this breed is right for you.

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. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.

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

There's a prescription allergy medication on the market now that makes me smile every time I see it advertised. That's because the manufacturer makes a big deal out of promising relief from not just from allergies to pollen or dust, but also to pets.

That a drug company would consider it important to make this point suggests that the medical establishment is finally getting around to accepting the relationship many of us have with our pets -- even those of us who are allergic to them.

We don't care if we wheeze. We don't care if we sneeze. We're not dumping our pets.

This used to be a difficult point to make with some health-care professionals.

Once I was rudely dismissed by an allergist who insisted that eliminating pets from my life was a condition of his treating me. He told me if I wasn't going to follow his advice completely, he saw no reason why he should waste his time seeing me.

That was fine with me: I didn't want to see him, either. The pets stayed; the allergist went.

These days, my allergies and asthma are under good control, thanks to the advice of doctors who are more understanding and to some wonderful medications that have come on the market in recent years. I also have to give credit to my own dedication in following a few rules to reduce the impact of my pets on my allergies. Here are the basics I've followed for years now, with good results.

-- Limit exposure to other allergens. Avoid cleaning solutions, cigarette smoke and strong perfumes, and consider using a mask when doing yard work and housework, especially at the height of the pollen season.

-- Let someone else do the dusting and vacuuming, if at all possible, and if not, invest in a vacuum that filters the air it releases. I've had wonderful results with my Dyson vacuum, from a company that has a model actually designed for pet hair (it's called the "Animal"). The Dyson does an amazing job of picking up pet hair (and everything else), and not venting the allergens back out when I'm vacuuming.

-- Keep pets well-groomed. The dirt and pollen that pets pick up in their coats can be almost as bad as the hair and dander they generate themselves. It's essential for pets to be bathed frequently, and be kept combed and brushed. Ideally, a non-allergic member of the household should assume this responsibility. Even cats should be bathed, by the way: A weekly rinse in plain water has been shown to help people who are allergic to these pets better tolerate them.

-- Establish an "allergy-free zone" in the bedroom. Ideally, pets should never be allowed in the bedroom, so as to assure allergy-sufferers a good night's sleep. To be honest, I'm less than perfect in this category. During times when my other allergies are bothering me -– spring, primarily -– I kick out the pets. Other times, one, two or all of them are allowed on the bed.

I do, however, follow other bedroom guidelines closely, working to reduce allergy triggers by keeping the bedroom sparsely decorated and frequently cleaned. I also wash bedding constantly to combat dust mites, and my pillows are made of non-allergenic material, no feathers. During the height of allergy season, I run an air cleaner at all times.

-- Work with your doctor. Rather than argue over my pets, I avoided doctors for years after that run-in with the pets-must-go allergist. After I almost died from an asthma attack –- set up by a chest cold and triggered by a pet –- I got serious about getting help. These days, I work with health-care professionals who are willing to work with me, prescribing medications that allow my allergies and my pets to co-exist.

Like most allergy-sufferers, I find even the most beautiful spring to be a season of misery at times. But since I started following the good advice that's out there, I've been able to muddle through even the worst days without ever contemplating giving up any of the pets I hold so dear. Not that I ever would, of course.

PETS ON THE WEB

By no stretch of the imagination are racehorses pets, but I know I am not alone among animal lovers in admiring their grace, beauty and heart -- especially at this time of year, leading up to the Kentucky Derby. The Thoroughbred Champions Web site (www.thoroughbredchampions.com) celebrates several decades of great racehorses, from War Admiral and Whirlaway to more the more recent racetrack winners of Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Lady Secret. The biographies of the horses are wonderful, and for serious students of racing history, there are lots of pedigree and race stats to ponder.

THE SCOOP

Over the years I've collected plenty of grooming tools for my pets, but in the spring there's no doubt which one gets the biggest workout: the shedding blade. A simple loop of stainless steel attached to a handle, the blade has teeth that are ideal for grabbing the dead, loose hair that's so plentiful when winter coats start to be shed. A daily whisking of a pet with this blade will catch a lot of the fur that would otherwise end up in your house or on your clothes. A few minutes of daily effort makes your pet's coat look clean and shiny. Even better: Many cats and dogs love the sensation of being groomed with this tool. The cost: Less than $10 at most pet-supply stores, catalogs and Web sites.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I will be moving soon and have two cats who need to move with me. I am considering moving them first and securing them in a room in the new house. I want them to feel safe and comfortable in their new home, not traumatized. Is this the best plan? -– K.P., via e-mail

A: You're on the right track in providing your cats with a secure space for a transitional period. Set up a small bedroom in the new house with litter boxes, food and water dishes, scratching posts or cat trees, some toys and sleeping areas. Then decree that the room be off-limits to further activity as you continue with the rest of your moving chores.

Bring over your cats in carriers, set the carriers down and -– with the bedroom door securely closed -– open the carrier doors. Don't drag the cats out, but instead let them choose when to leave their carriers. Don't put any demands on the cats: If they want to spend an hour or two in the carrier or the first few days under the bed, let them.

Work around this closed room as you're moving into the rest of your house. Visit your cats in the room during quiet times, and if they're interested, pet them and play with them. But mostly you should vow to leave them alone in the closed room so they can adjust in their own time and on their own terms.

A week or two after you've moved in (when your cats seem more relaxed), open the bedroom door and let them have access to the rest of the house. Again, don't force them to do anything. They'll explore when they're ready, and not before.

Cats feel most secure in familiar surroundings, and in providing them with a transitional "safe room," you'll be helping them to feel comfortable in your new home in the least amount of time and with the least amount of disruption.

Q: My son gets annoyed when my small dog is around when he visits. He is coming up for a few days, and I would like it to be a good visit. Would it be OK if I were to keep my dog in his cage, which he never uses anymore, until my son says it's OK to let him out? -– M.G., via e-mail

A: I'm going to resist asking a question like, "What on earth is your son's problem with having your dog do as you want in your own home?" (Assuming your dog is neither vicious nor ill-mannered, of course.) But no, I won't ask that, nor will I add that in my home, if you don't like my furred, finned and feathered family, you are welcome not to visit.

Having resisted those less-than-polite urges, I will, in the interests of family peace, assure you that it won't hurt your dog to chill out in a crate or carrier for a couple of days until your company has come and gone. Another alternative: Do you have a friend who wouldn't mind taking your dog for the duration of your son's visit?

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

Sometimes you can see these things coming a mile away.

Last year a woman with whom I share a mutual friend called for advice on getting a puppy "for the kids." Involved parents, nice kids -- these are the sort of folks whose family picture seemingly wouldn't be complete without a dog. But after talking with her for a while, I pointed out that her concept of how much time it takes to raise a puppy was not based in reality. With work, school and all the sports and other activities in which the children were involved, the family was never home, and I warned her that if she went forward, her puppy plan would likely not turn out well.

I suggested that they put off getting a dog until their lives were more suited for it, if ever. But both parents had grown up with dogs and had remembered how wonderful those childhood pets were. Their children deserved the same wonderful memories, and they were resolved to provide them.

So the family went to the shelter, where the kids happily picked out a darling Lab-mix puppy.

When the woman called for advice on house-training, I suggested using a crate to house-train the puppy. They abandoned that effort as unkind and impractical when the puppy cried to be let out and the kids gave in. Later, when the long-debunked "put the puppy's nose in it and spank" method didn't produce reliable results, the puppy went outside for good.

Lonely and bored, the puppy started destroying the landscaping, digging holes and chewing shrubs. When the woman called again, I suggested more interaction, more exercise and some training. The father tried to walk the dog a few times, but she pulled so hard on the leash it wasn't fun for either of them, so he gave it up. In their frustration over seeing their beautiful yard ruined, the parents took to dragging her to the damaged areas and spanking her, even though she had no idea why they were angry.

Sadly, the kids who had begged for a puppy were becoming afraid of the half-grown dog she'd become. Not because she was vicious, but because she was so glad to see anyone she'd jump up and claw -- and sometimes knock down -- those who came into the back yard. When the woman called again, I made more suggestions, but I could hear in her voice that they weren't going to take any of them. It was just too much work, too much time.

When the parents first talked about finding a "new home" a few months after the puppy arrived, the children begged to keep her. Tears flowed, and the plan was shelved -- for a while. But clearly, the situation could not go on as it had.

I guess the woman was too embarrassed to call when they put in a run for the dog, a small chain-link enclosure in a shady corner of the property that kept the adolescent pup away from the landscaping and the family. About the only time anyone interacted with the dog now was when one of the kids was nagged to refill her food and water dishes, or to pick up after her.

Out in her corner of the back yard, the dog had started to become a problem barker. Frustrated, they would open the window and scream for her to shut up, and she would, for a while. But when they were gone, which was most of the time, she never stopped barking, and the neighbors were complaining.

When the received a citation for the barking, they decided the dog had to go. That weekend, they took her back to the shelter. The parents reassured the children that she would find a home, and I know they wanted to believe it themselves. The woman didn't call me to find out what happens to many unruly and unwanted dogs, because I know she didn't really want to know.

Because they are good people, they didn't blame the dog for what had happened, although a lot of people do, in similar circumstances. But they didn't much blame themselves, either. After all, getting a puppy was done with the best of intentions, in the interests of providing something good for their children.

Problem was, the interests of the dog were never really considered.

PETS ON THE WEB

Spring is especially sweet for those who share their lives with turtles and tortoises -- it's the time when these gentle pets come out of their cold-weather sleep. If you're just waking up to the appeal of turtles and tortoises, a couple of Web sites will give you what you need to know to care for them properly.

Probably the most comprehensive site of its kind is the California Turtle & Tortoise Club's (www.tortoise.org). This well-organized site offers lots of care information, photographs and a calendar of events from around the world. Good links, libraries of pictures and sound files round out this very nice site. On the other side of the country, the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society also has a good Web site (http://nytts.org/). Their emphasis is not only on captive pets, but also the protection and conservation of turtles and tortoises in their native habitats.

THE SCOOP

Thinking of adding another bird to your flock? For the safety of the pet birds you already have, skip any introductions until your new bird has been examined by a veterinarian who's experienced in avian medicine. Even a seemingly healthy bird needs to be quarantined for about six weeks before meeting any other feathered family members. As heartbreaking as it would be to lose your new pet to an infectious disease you didn't know he was carrying, imagine how you would feel if you lost any or all of the birds you already have because you introduced them to a sick bird. You just can't be too careful.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I met some greyhounds at an adoption event at a local pet supermarket. I'd never really seen them up close, unless you count that time in the '70s when my husband and I went to a dog track in Florida.

I was taken with their calmness and was told they are easygoing pets, although large. Is this true? I'm thinking of contacting the group again and adopting one of their dogs. Our last dog died of old age last year, and we miss having a pet. –- B.B. via e-mail

A: Some of the most incredible dogs I have met in recent years have been retired racers. The eyes on these guys are so deep you could drown in them, and I've never seen animals who seem to be more grateful for a chance to be loved.

Greyhounds are generally easygoing, relative to many breeds and mixes of dogs. An adult greyhound will happily sleep most of the day -- they don't call them "the 45 mph couch potato" for nothing! A good daily walk, on leash for safety, will be more than enough to keep your dog fit and happy.

Q: How old must a kitten be before being spayed? We went to look at kittens at the shelter, and they insist the babies be fixed before adoption, which seems a little young to us. I thought these procedures needed to wait until the animals are 6 months old? -- L.E., via e-mail

A: Puppies and kittens can be safely neutered as young as 8 weeks, and studies have consistently shown no long-term problems with health or behavior for surgeries that are done earlier than the 4- to 6-month ideal previously considered standard procedure.

Your shelter is to be commended for taking a proactive stand on reducing the number of unwanted animals. Such policies show that the organization is actively fighting pet overpopulation by trying to stop the kittens-out/kittens-in cycle that happens when the first babies of spring become the last parents of fall.

I wouldn't hesitate to adopt from your shelter, but if you end up with a kitten from another source, follow your veterinarian's advice on when to alter your pet. Although early spay-neuter is safe, not all veterinarians are comfortable with performing the operation that early.

If your veterinarian prefers that you wait until your kitten is older, be sure your pet is kept inside to keep her from getting pregnant. A lot of "oops" litters result when well-meaning people don't keep an eye on their pets and don't get around to making that appointment until it's too late.

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. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.

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