Any pet expert will tell you that the No. 1 behavior problem that cat lovers complain about is "inappropriate elimination," which has nothing to do with being an error-prone hit man and everything to do with missing the litter box.

My co-author on two upcoming books, "Good Morning, America" veterinary correspondent Dr. Marty Becker, loves to tell the story of a veterinarian who was so ill he'd received his last rites -- and yet a member of the hospital staff tried to ask him a question about her cat's litter-box problems.

"He had to think real hard if it wouldn't be easier to head into the light rather than stick around to answer another cat-box question," says Dr. Becker, who quickly notes that his friend recovered and is still answering those questions.

Many people tend to immediately assume a cat's misbehavior has something to do with spite, and that's a wrong assumption to make. Or they decide to shove their cat's nose in the errant mess and smack them, which will likely make things worse. While chronic cat-box problems can be the result of a combination of factors and can be difficult to resolve, other issues can be fixed by asking the right questions and making the right changes.

Here are five questions to ask yourself when a good cat stops using the litter box:

1. Has anything changed about the litter box?

Cats are creatures of habit. Once they're happy with the kind of box, the location and the filler, they don't want anything to change. If you've changed from a plain box to a hooded one, moved the box to a new location, changed brands or type of filler, or have added a new twist (such as a deodorant), you need to change things back.

If you need to change something about your cat's litter-box setup, do it gradually. Move the box in tiny increments, or mix a new brand of filler with the old one. Even the gradual approach might not work, though, and you'll have to get things back the way they were.

2. Has anything changed about the household?

The addition of new pets or people or the loss of others may trigger anxiety in a cat, which may mean they'll forget their litter-box routines. While you can't throw your new husband out if you're a newlywed or send that new baby back to the hospital, you can work to ease your cat's transition to household changes.

Set up a safe room for your cat, a small, quiet area with all the essentials -- food, water, toys, scratching post and litter box. Remove anything from the room that might make a tempting alternative to using the box, such as houseplants with wide pots. Let your cat chill for a couple of weeks, and then gradually expand his territory.

3. Is my cat sick?

If nothing has changed with the litter box or the household, your cat may be sick. Any number of health problems can make it difficult for a cat to use the litter box, including diabetes and urinary-tract infections. Old age, obesity or other conditions that affect mobility may also be a problem, making it more difficult for a cat to get into a high-sided litter box, or to go up and down stairs to use one.

Your veterinarian will need to evaluate your cat's health -- a process that likely will involve the use of diagnostic tests -- and resolve any problems. Once that's done, you can work to retrain your cat to use the box.

4. Have I allowed my cat access to an area he might see as an alternative to a litter box?

Wide, low soil-filled pots for houseplants might seem like convenient extra bathrooms, especially if the plants have just gone in and the soil is loose and inviting. Houseplants and cats can live together peacefully. In the case of planters being used as a litter box, an attractive solution is to cover the soil with sharp-edged decorative rocks.

Areas where your cat has gone often retain odors that invite repeat business. Clean thoroughly and deeply with an enzymatic cleaner made for pet mess, and don't forget that cleaning it may require replacing carpet pads underneath a soiled spot.

5. Am I holding up my end of the deal?

You wouldn't want to use a dirty bathroom, and neither does your cat. If you let days pass before you attend to the box, don't blame him for choosing another potty spot. While some cats are relatively tolerant of lapses in cleanliness when it comes to your scooping schedule, others are not.

To keep from tempting your cat to go elsewhere, scoop daily -- twice daily is even better. Prices have gone down and selection has gone up on automatic litter boxes. If you work long days or are frequently gone on overnight trips, one of these devices might be the answer.

Q&A

Making peace with visitors

Q: Would you pass along a suggestion about dogs and mail carriers?

My all-time favorite rescue dog, a cocker-Lab mix, had obviously been trained to attack any person in uniform. My all-time favorite mail-carrier took it upon himself to rectify that situation. Every day for months he would bring a dog biscuit, at first handing it over to me (of course we had to endure the top-of-the-register barking and the dog had to be physically restrained) and later directly to the dog.

It took awhile, but it worked! And oh, the peace it afforded. I used to put a dog biscuit in the mailbox for the regular mail carrier's day off. The others soon caught on. Later on, the biscuit became less important, and my dog was as happy to see the mail carrier as I was. -- M.V., via e-mail

A: I doubt your dog was trained to attack people in uniforms. More likely, she taught herself this unsafe and annoying behavior by observing that when she barked, the mail carrier left. She didn't understand that he was merely walking to the next house on the route and that her barking had nothing to do with it. Over time, this mistaken interpretation on the part of the dog can develop into a truly dangerous aggression toward mail carriers and other delivery people.

Your solution is a great one, if your mail carrier will participate. In fact, it's a solution recommended by pet behavior expert Dr. Rolan Tripp of the Web site AnimalBehavior.net. He suggests asking the mail carrier to drop a treat through the mail slot (if you have one) every day. Other solutions include moving the mail box off the porch and out of the dog's line of vision, or blocking the dog's access to the front window so he can't see what's going by.

No matter what, though, pet lovers must never take a chance when it comes to safety. Even good-natured dogs can become accidentally conditioned to hate delivery people, and these dogs must be kept secured in a place where they can't get out to threaten or bite a visitor.

Cat fencing

Q: I am in the process of making my yard secure for my cats. I was going to put wire all around the top of my privacy fence, but the nylon mesh you wrote about sounds so much easier. I have taken in eight strays over the past three years and want to keep them safe. Can you provide more information? -- M.S., via e-mail

A: Every time I write about cat fencing, people want to know even more about it. Generally, the fencing extends above your regular fence line, using small posts and nylon mesh to keep your cats from escaping the yard. It's not foolproof, and it may not keep out a determined predator or keep in an especially determined cat. But it's a great alternative to simply letting a cat roam the neighborhood.

Do-it-yourself instructions can be found on the Web site of Alley Cat Allies (www.alleycat.org; search for "fence"). Companies that provide kits include:

-- Cat Fence-In (www.catfencein.com, 888-738-9099)

-- Affordable Cat Fence (www.catfence.com, 888-840-2287)

-- Purr … fect Fence (www.purrfectfence.com, 888-280-4066)

Another option to putting cat fencing in your yard is to modify an existing screened patio to be a fresh-air zone for an indoor cat. Many people have also built multi-story screened additions for their cats. On a decidedly smaller scale, there are soft-sided portable cat runs that can be attached to a window to allow a cat out to smell the breeze. Check with pet-supply retailers for a selection.

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

PET BOOKS

Inspiring books celebrate heroes

Timed to the anniversaries of two tragedies -- the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina's landfall on the Gulf Coast last year -- two new books take the time to look back and remember the animals.

Don't pick up either one of them without grabbing a box of tissues first.

Nona Kilgore Bauer's "Dog Heroes of September 11: A Tribute to America's Search and Rescue Dogs" (Kennel Club Books, $30) spotlights many of the dogs and handlers who worked in the rubble of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon immediately after the attacks, or in the Fresh Kills Landfill in the weeks that followed.

The work was intense and dangerous, for both dogs and handlers. The teams came in from all over the country (as they had after the Oklahoma City bombing) and worked to find survivors and, sadly, the remains of victims. The dogs of course cannot comprehend the word "hero" or understand that we would consider them as such. To them, the opportunity to work for the love of their handlers was what it was all about.

Nearly 300 dog-handler teams worked the disaster sites after the attacks, and this book features interviews with about a quarter of them. Pictures of the dogs now and as they were on the scene are eye-popping, taking us back to those horrible days in a heartbeat.

A portion of the sale proceeds will benefit the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (www.ndsdf.org) to help bring more dogs into training for future disasters.

Hurricane Katrina reminded everyone that although a man-made disaster can change the world, a natural disaster can be every bit as devastating. When the storm slammed into the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi last year, the stories of animals abandoned or stranded captured the world's attention. People were forced to leave their pets behind, most notably a child who (as reports had it) tearfully abandoned his dog Snowball as he was evacuated from the area.

As residents were forced to leave, experienced animal rescuers got to work. Among the national groups that sent staff and volunteers to hard-hit New Orleans was the Best Friends Animal Society of Kanab, Utah. Following every step of the rescuers was Best Friends' staff photographer Tony Snow.

Snow's gift for photography and love of animals comes through on every page of "Not Left Behind: Rescuing the Pets of New Orleans" (Yorkville Press, $20). The images are strong, and what's most notable about them are the eyes, the only way to have any idea what animals who cannot speak are thinking. The looks of terror and fear on so many give way to trust and hope, and finally -- as pets are reunited or adopted out -- to relaxed happiness. It's a great transition, well-documented.

All proceeds from the book go to Best Friends (www.bestfriends.org).

PET Rx

Birds need a vet at first sign of illness

A sick bird too often means a dead bird. Not because birds are fragile -- on the contrary, most bird species are quite hardy -- but because by the time their illness is noticed, birds are often very ill indeed and sometimes too far gone to be helped.

In the wild, a bird's best chance to survive is to hide illness. If you look sick in the wild, you'll attract the attention of a predator and will soon be someone's lunch.

Even without the threat of predation, pet birds can't help but behave as wild birds do and hide all signs of illness until they're too sick to manage it. That's why some birds who seem fine one day are found dead the next. They were likely ill for a long time, but they managed to hide the symptoms.

The best way to catch an illness before your bird gets too sick to be helped is to have your pet see a veterinarian regularly. Your bird will be better off with a board-certified avian specialist, if there's one available in your area, or with a veterinarian who is comfortable treating birds and who keeps up with the latest available health information on these pets.

An avian veterinarian will go over your bird carefully and will ask you questions meant to reveal any problems in your bird's health or behavior, and in how you care for your pet.

The veterinarian may suggest a couple of basic diagnostic tests. The idea is to correct any current problems and change anything that could become a risk in the long term, such as an improper diet.

Never try to treat your bird yourself. You may be misreading the symptoms and making matters worse. Time is of the essence: If your bird doesn't seem right, get him to the veterinarian.

(Pet Rx is provided by the Veterinary Information Network (VIN.com), an online service for veterinary professionals. More information can be found at www.veterinarypartner.com.)

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

Why dogs see the vet

Skin allergies were the top medical condition that dog owners filed medical claims for in 2005 to Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (petinsurance.com), according to a recent review of policyholder claims. The top 10 medical problems reported to the company, along with rankings from the previous year:

1. Skin allergies (2)

2. Ear infections (1)

3. Stomach upsets (3)

4. Bladder infections (5)

5. Benign tumors (4)

6. Osteoarthritis

7. Sprains (7)

8. Eye infections (8)

9. Enteritis

10. Hypothyroidism

THE SCOOP

Popular litter not a danger

One of the more persistent pet-related Internet rumors relates to cat-box filler -- specifically, that clumping litter kills cats. The idea is that cats may accidentally or intentionally eat some of the product and that it will form a deadly mass inside the animal.

The rumors can be traced back to an anecdotal report in a long-defunct magazine, but experts say there's no widespread problem with clumping cat-box litter. In fact, considering that many cats seem to prefer it, one can argue that clumping litter has kept many cats out of shelters and perhaps has saved their lives.

Since dogs will eat cat litter, however, it's a good idea to put the cat box where your dog can't get to it.

These days, nearly three-quarters of all cat lovers buy clumping cat litter for their pets, according to American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

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 petconnection@gmail.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

The very fact that this newspaper has a pets section really irritates some people. Believe me, I know.

I hear from them constantly -- nasty e-mails and letters from people who refer to dogs as "filthy parasitic scavengers" and cats as "vermin that should be poisoned like rats." They chide me for suggesting that our pets "love" us and bemoan any money spent on animals. They are angry, and I am the focus of their rage. A few of them write nearly every single week.

I can only imagine how difficult life has been for these people in recent years, as interest in and spending on pets has increased dramatically. It must be hard for them to maintain that level of rage. I know I can't do it.

But then, I have pets, which have been shown in study after study to lower blood pressure, decrease depression and generally improve the quality of life for people who share their lives with them. Still, being a kind and fair-minded person (more traits of pet lovers), I have to wonder: Do they have a point? Has pet love gone crazy?

Yes, and no.

Spending on pets has certainly increased, and in veterinary care, there are more options than ever. So what? What other people spend their money on often has me rolling my eyes, but it's really none of my business. Why is spending money or time on pets any worse than on hobbies, luxury cars or video games? You can even argue it's money better spent, considering the proven health benefits of keeping a pet.

On a societal level, pets provide benefits that more than offset the problems that some irresponsible pet owners cause. The pet industry provides jobs and is one of the most open fields for small business start-ups, inventors and entrepreneurs -- just the kinds of businesses that are good for communities. Events such as cat shows and canine sport competitions bring millions of dollars into the economies of communities hosting such events.

Of course, I know many examples of pet love gone more than a little crazy. A lot of the behavior problems that pet lovers complain about are of their own making, because they've forgotten that their pets are animals, not people in fur suits. This kind of thinking not only sets up an unhappy relationship for people and their pets, but also leads to the over-the-top behaviors pet haters loathe.

As long as someone understands that a pet is an animal and relates to the animal as such, then money or time spent isn't hurting anyone. After all, it's often not being done for the animal's sake -- except, of course, in the case of veterinary care -- but rather for the amusement of the owner. As long as a pet lover's not unreasonably pushing the animal on other people, there's no harm in any of it. (And I say "unreasonably" because many of my angry correspondents believe animals should never be allowed off their owners' property.)

And what about love? The idea that animals are little more than furry machines is centuries old, and long supplanted by research showing that while the emotional lives of animals may not be as complex as our own, they definitely have what we call emotions. Do my pets love me? In their own way, I do not doubt it.

I'm sure I'll hear plenty in the days to come from my regular correspondents who call me "stupid" and worse for choosing to share my life with animals and daring to write about animals for the benefit of others. They may question my intelligence, but I have to wonder about theirs.

After all, even my rabbits are surely smarter than to think you can change the mind of a person who loves animals so much she writes about them for a living.

Q&A

Tests needed for diagnosis

Q: My 11-year-old cat, Clyde, throws up at least three times a week. Most of the time it's just food. Do you know what the reason for this might be?

I mentioned it to the veterinarian, and he wanted to run a whole series of tests. I've never had this done because of the expense and because I didn't want to put Clyde through this. -- D.G., via e-mail

A: If you're going to a talented veterinarian whose skills you respect, you have to trust him when he says he needs to run a diagnostic test or two to figure out what's wrong with your pet. Yes, I realize these tests add costs, but they also allow a veterinarian the chance to see what's going on with your pet. It always amazes me that people gripe when veterinarians suggest diagnostic tests, and yet many would be the first to yell "malpractice" if a physician tried to diagnose a human health problem without tests.

Many veterinarians are good at diagnosing problems -- especially considering they can't ask questions of their patients -- but they're not magicians. If you work with your veterinarian and explain your concerns over cost, it may be he can recommend some dietary changes to try, and then one test, something else to try, another test and so on. Veterinarians do understand the financial restraints that people have, and any good one will be willing to work with you as you work together to resolve your pet's health problem.

So go back to your veterinarian. If Clyde were throwing up hairballs a couple of times a week, I wouldn't be too worried. Since it's his supper that's ending up on your floors, though, I'd recommend you check back in with your veterinarian with an eye toward doing the most you can for Clyde within your budgetary restraints.

Thermometer time

Q: My dog sometimes has a warm, dry nose. He hasn't seemed at all sick, so I haven't taken him to the vet. Should I be worried that he's running a fever? -- K.M., via e-mail

A: An occasional dry nose is nothing to worry about and is not necessarily a sign of fever, despite what folks have said for years.

The only way to determine for certain if your pet is running a fever is to take his temperature. You can find pet thermometers in almost any pet-supply outlet, either the inexpensive in-the-fanny kind or the pricier ones that slip into the ear canal. (Whichever you choose, I recommend marking the item to be certain everyone in the family knows it's for pet use only.)

The normal temperature for a calm dog is around 101 degrees Fahrenheit, although a degree in either direction is normal.

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

DOGMOBILES

Nimble RAV4 a perfect fit for dog lovers

If all you're doing is taking your dog to the veterinarian for an annual checkup, you can probably get away with using any car. But if you're out with your dogs regularly -- to parks, for hikes or for canine competitions -- you need something you can put crates in for safe riding, along with gear. And that probably means a minivan, sport-utility vehicle or wagon. Additionally, some dog sports require a vehicle that can handle rough terrain, and that means high ground clearance and all-wheel drive.

Filling the bill in all of these categories are the so-called "cute utes" -- smaller SUVs long popular with dog lovers. The Toyota RAV4 has to be a top pick for any dog lover looking for interior versatility, decent fuel economy and a lively driving experience.

The RAV4 comes in three trim levels, all in both two- and four-wheel drive, with sticker prices starting a tick over $20,000 for the base model. My test car was the four-cylinder, four-wheel-drive Sport model (it also comes in a six-cylinder). It was well-appointed with comfort and convenience features, and it rated at 23 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. (The two-wheel-drive model gets better mileage; the six-cylinder gets worse.)

My two side-by-side wire dog crates fit perfectly behind the second seat at their base, but because the rear of the RAV4 slopes back, the hatch wouldn't close. If I owned the vehicle, I'd probably pay to have a welder adjust the crates to fit perfectly. With the seats folded flat, though, the crates fit up against the front seats, which isn't a bad option since it allows access to the cargo area just below the floorboards near the rear hatch. For those who don't use crates, adding a dog grate behind the back seats will provide a spacious area for one or two dogs to ride in.

I'd rather see the RAV4 with a flip-down rear gate and a flip-up glass hatch (instead of a swing-out rear door) for more ventilation options when parked in cooler weather. While in motion, though, the air conditioner kept things cool from front to back.

The Toyota RAV4 gets top marks for interior versatility and space, and I loved how comfortable it was and how nimble it was to drive. For its size, price and class, it's a top-notch dogmobile, all around. Paws up!

(Dogmobile reviews assess new vehicles for their suitability for transporting dogs in comfort and safety. Additional reviews can be found on the Pet Connection Web log, accessible from PetConnection.com. Click on the category "Dogmobiles" to see them all.)

PET Rx

Hacked-up hairballs can be managed

When cats groom, they pull out and swallow a lot of fur. Swallowed fur is indigestible, so when it's in a cat's stomach, it has two ways to go: down and out, or up and out. When it comes up (to the accompaniment of that middle-of-the-night "Ack! Ack!" serenade every cat lover knows so well), it's a hairball.

If you want to impress your friends, the scientific name for that gummy mass you step in on your way to the bathroom at 2 a.m. is "trichobezoar." It is made up of the excess hair your cat swallowed, held together with a sticky mucous.

Hacking up a hairball every now and then is normal and usually doesn't cause problems. But if you see anything else in the mix, take the cat and the hairball (the former in a carrier, the latter in a plastic bag or container) to your veterinarian. Likewise, if your cat is hacking without producing a hairball, the vet is waiting to see you. Chronic coughing can be a symptom of many health problems, from heartworms to heart disease to asthma. Occasionally, hairballs can cause an obstruction that will require veterinary attention.

The easiest and best way to prevent hairballs is to brush your cat frequently. The more dead hair you pull out on your brush, the less your cat will have to swallow when she grooms. Regular brushing is good for your cat and good for keeping your furniture and rugs fur-free.

For cats who seem to have a chronic problem with hairballs, additional fiber in the diet may help. Special hairball-busting diets or remedies can be recommended by your veterinarian; milder cases may be resolved by adding a little canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling mix) to a cat's wet food.

(Pet Rx is provided by the Veterinary Information Network (VIN.com), an online service for veterinary professionals. More information can be found at www.veterinarypartner.com.)

BY THE NUMBERS

Claims for sick cats

For the second year in a row, urinary tract infection was the top medical condition that cat owners filed medical claims for in 2005 to Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (www.petinsurance.com), according to a recent review of policyholder claims. Here are the top 10 medical problems reported to the company, along with rankings from the previous year (diabetes is new to the top 10 list):

1. Urinary tract infections (1)

2. Stomach upsets (2)

3. Kidney disease (10)

4. Skin allergies (5)

5. Respiratory infections (3)

6. Diabetes

7. Ear infections (4)

8. Colitis (8)

9. Eye infections (6)

10. Wound infections (7)

PET TIP

Saving money on dog toys

Instead of buying new stuffed toys for dogs, look in thrift stores or at tag sales for stuffed animals made for children. You'll find a good selection at rock-bottom prices -- a good alternative to paying as much as $15 or more for a stuffed pet toy.

When bargain hunting, look for sturdy stuffed toys with intact seams. Once you get them home, remove plastic eyes or anything else that can be chewed off and swallowed. Then run your recycled stuffed toys through the washer and dryer, and check them again before giving them to your dog.

For dogs who love to dissect their toys as quickly as possible -- and especially those who like to devour the stuffing -- skip plush toys (soft vinyl ones, too). For these dogs, stick with sturdy rubber toys, such as a Kong toy, that can be stuffed with food treats to keep pets interested.

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 petconnection@gmail.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

Cats love plants. A cat with free access to the outdoors will spend a large part of his time rolling in the grass, rubbing his cheeks up against trees and nibbling fresh shoots of anything that strikes his fancy.

More cats are being kept indoors for safety these days. And while that's generally good news, it does mean that plants need to follow them in, to keep those indoor cats happy. Plants are an important part of an ideal environment for indoor cats that should also include a variety of toys, cat trees and scratching posts, and screened porches or window perches.

When planning your indoor jungle, make sure poisonous plants are not on the menu. The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (www.aspca.org/apcc) maintains a list of plants that shouldn't be in any cat lover's household. Check your plants against this list. Among the most dangerous are dieffenbachia, lily of the valley and philodendron. Various ivies and yews can be troublesome, too, and the bulbs of plants popular for "forcing" into early indoor bloom -- such as amaryllis, daffodils and tulips -- can cause problems for the cat who likes to dig and chew.

After you've removed the potentially deadly plants, you'll want to put others out of reach just because you'd like them to stay in one piece. Some cats are industrious destroyers of household greenery, while others like to kick dirt around or even use larger pots as litter boxes. All of which makes perfect sense to your cat, annoying as it may be to you.

Plants on the ground or on low tables are the easiest targets, so make your houseplants less accessible to the bored and wandering cat. Put plants up high, or better yet: Hang them.

For the plants you can't move out of harm's way, make them less appealing by coating them with something your cat finds disagreeable. Cat-discouragers include Bitter Apple, a nasty-tasting substance available at any pet-supply store, or Tabasco sauce from any grocery store. Whenever you find what your cat doesn't like, keep reapplying it to reinforce the point. You can also discourage your pet by shooting him with the spray from a water bottle when you see him in the plants.

Pot your plants in heavy, wide-bottomed containers, and cover the soil of the problem plants with rough decorative rock. Foil and waxed paper are less attractive deterrents, and I don't like to recommend them as much as decorative rock because you're going to get tired of looking at that foil.

Once you have your "look, don't touch" plants safely situated, you can indulge your pet by keeping planters of sprouting grasses growing in an accessible place for nibbling. Special blends of seeds for cats are available in pet stores and specialty shops, or you can purchase rye grass or wheat grass seeds at a nursery. Keep tender shoots always available for nibbling by planting fresh seeds every couple of weeks in wide, shallow containers.

You'll also want to keep fresh catnip growing (see sidebar) if your cat enjoys the herb. Don't grow it where your cat can get to it, though, or he may well rip the plant out by the roots.

I think cats appreciate the sight, smell and taste of plants, which is why a houseful of lovely plants -- some for nibbling, some not -- should be part of a feline-friendly environment for any indoor cat.

SIDEBAR

Catnip: herbal nirvana

Is catnip really safe for cats? After all, we don't condone recreational drugs for people, and yet here's one sold openly for our cats.

But it's not as if cats drive, have to show up for work or are faced with huge personal decisions. So let your cat have all the catnip he wants.

The fresher the better, so keep some growing where your cat can't get to it, and snip off bits to slip into cat toys or rub on the cat tree. Crunch up the catnip just before you offer it to your cat to release the intoxicating smell.

Not all cats react to catnip. The ability to appreciate the herb is genetic, with slightly more cats in the fan club than not. These hard-wired preferences aren't immediately apparent, though, since kittens under the age of 3 months don't react to catnip at all.

Q&A

This 'dog car' is a school bus

Q: I enjoyed your piece on "dogmobiles," and I bet you that my story's unique. Will you share it?

I found a 1980 Chevrolet school bus at an auction, bought it for $2,400, paid another $1,600 to get it running well and had seven years of everyday trips with all my dogs in it.

Then I found another school bus, a great 1993 Ford diesel in good condition inside and out. Every morning, the dogs and I went hiking and then into town for errands. I took out half the seats and had platforms made, so that everyone has either a seat with a dog carrier in it or a platform to bark at the passing parade.

I get lots of smiles and waves, and everyone knows me now as the "dog lady." That bus is as dependable as any new car and costs a lot less to run. I highly recommend it! -- Elaine Edwards, via e-mail

A: Thanks for your e-mail and picture. I've heard from an incredible number of readers with suggestions, questions and stories about transporting dogs. I'll start with short vehicle reviews in Pet Connection next week, with longer versions on my pet blog (linked from petconnection.com).

Many people wrote to remind everyone that it's not safe for people or pets when dogs roam freely in vehicles. My dogs generally ride in crates, although I do admit to now and then taking a short errand run with my older retriever Heather riding "shotgun" in the passenger seat.

Interestingly enough, the first vehicle I test-drove for my upcoming vehicle reviews -- the Toyota RAV4 -- has a warning light and tone reminding that everyone should be buckled up, even dogs!

Kitty come down!

Q: Why do cats get stuck up trees? -- G.M., via e-mail

A: Cat claws are designed to move a cat forward, anchoring the animal as it goes. If that forward direction is up a tree, it's difficult to head back down. Instead, the gracefully powerful movement of a cat heading up a tree is counterbalanced by the crashing and controlled free fall used to get down.

Most cats do find their way back down, of course, which is a good thing these days. With municipal budgets being what they are, few fire departments are allowed to respond to "cat stuck in tree" calls anymore.

The best way to get a cat out of a tree? Open a can of tuna, salmon or mackerel and let the wonderful fishy smell drift upward. She'll come down when her hunger outweighs her apprehension.

(Got a question? Send an e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com.)

PET Rx

Get a cat over a vet hissy fit

A trip to the veterinarian can send a cat into a full-blown snit that can last hours after the return home. The smells of a veterinary setting can even set off other feline family members, who may become aggressive toward the returnee.

Let your cat pick the speed at which he settles back into the household after a trip to the veterinarian. When you get home, put the carrier down in a quiet place, open the carrier door, and leave him alone. Your cat may stay in the carrier for a while, may head for the nearest bed to hide under, or may step out and be just fine.

To help "de-vet" the scent of the returnee so other family cats will settle down, try running a towel over the cat who stayed behind and then swiping it over the returning cat. A dab of vanilla or water from a can of tuna on both noses may also help the cats settle back down, through smell-confusion.

For the cat who is utterly uncontrollable or dangerous when taken to the veterinarian, talk to your veterinarian about sedation, or consider using a mobile veterinarian, who can treat your cat in your home.

(Pet Rx is provided by the Veterinary Information Network (VIN.com), an online service for veterinary professionals. More information can be found at www.veterinarypartner.com.)

ON THE WEB

White House pets in the spotlight

The Presidential Pet Museum's Web site (www.presidentialpetmuseum.com) is the place to go for a fairly comprehensive list of all presidential animals, from the hounds and horses of George Washington to the dog and cats of George W. Bush. The animals kept by presidential families started out being more purposeful than companionable, with horses and milk cows commonplace.

By the turn of the last century, though, animals were welcomed just for keeping the president and his family company. Theodore Roosevelt brought in the new era with eight dogs and cats and a pack of presidential guinea pigs.

But it fell to another Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, to bring the presidential pet into the political spotlight. His dog, Fala, is still arguably the best-known and most-loved White House pet in history. (Could it be a coincidence that current White House dogs Barney and Miss Beazley are Fala look-alikes?) You'll find Fala's picture and much more on the Presidential Pet Museum's site, which is both attractive and easy to navigate.

PET TIP

Dogs need to learn not to jump up

To dogs, jumping up on people seems perfectly normal.

When dogs greet each other, they check out the places where the scent is strongest: the mouth, the genitals and the anal area. Checking out areas packed with scent glands makes perfect sense for an animal as smell-driven as the dog, even if mouth-licking and crotch-sniffing are not considered polite behavior in human society. An untrained dog will try to connect instinctively, and that means starting the greeting by jumping up for a closer whiff of human breath, followed by a dive for the crotch.

Dogs have to be trained in human etiquette, and a lot of times we don't do a good job of it. We may, for example, have rules that make perfect sense to us but are completely incomprehensible to a dog. Do you let your dog jump up on you when you're in jeans but yell at her for doing the same when you're dressed for an evening out? Congratulations! You've just failed the dog logic test.

Some people let little dogs jump up because it's cute and easier than bending down to greet the dog. These dogs quickly learn this behavior will get them picked up.

Pick a set of rules -- dog rules, people rules or some combination of the two. But whichever rules you pick, be consistent and don't expect your dog to magically understand when jumping up is OK and when it isn't. It's either fine all the time, or it's not.

How to get your dog to stop jumping up? Ask for and reward a behavior that's incompatible with the one you don't want. Best bet in this case: Sit.

BY THE NUMBERS

Fish better than TV?

Why keep fish? While some people enjoy the challenge of keeping complex tanks running well, most people cite watching an aquarium as the thing they like best about having fish. Top reasons (multiple answers allowed):

Fun to watch 84 percent

Appearance 78 percent

Relaxation 69 percent

Quiet 57 percent

Easy to maintain 47 percent

Source: American Pet Products Manufacturers Association

THE SCOOP

Kittens good at multiplying

A female cat with good access to males who gets an early start in the breeding season (February to September) will probably be able to raise three litters of kittens per year. Litter sizes vary from one kitten to 10, with the number typically smaller in young and old animals and largest when the mother cat is 3 to 4 years of age.

Add it all up, and a busy mother can produce 50 to 150 kittens in her lifetime. Some cats have even more, with a lifetime total of more than 200. The kittens born are soon producing more kittens, who in turn produce more kittens, who ... well, you get the picture.

This is prime kitten season, when more babies are born than can find homes. If you adopt one of those babies, don't delay in getting your kitten spayed or neutered.

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

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