For most authors the joy of getting that first book published is short-lived, soon replaced by the pressure of coming up with a second book. But not for Kate Eldredge.

"I've talked it over with my parents," she says. "And I'm going to concentrate on high school now."

A smart move, considering that Eldredge, author of "Head of the Class: A Teen Dog Expert Teaches You to Raise and Train the Perfect Pal" (Howell Book House, $17) is just 14 years old.

Besides, her first book is such a good one, it'll take some time to come up with an encore. Written with her mom, the author and veterinarian Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, "Head of the Class" is a wide-ranging book that covers it all, from training to health care. Even canine-themed crafts are covered, along with plenty of extra resources for finding even more information.

"Our audience is mostly kids," said Eldredge, sounding every bit the marketing genius by phone from her home in upstate New York. "We were aiming at pre-teens and teens. It's OK for older people, too. Most of the information is fine for everyone. I tried to keep it light, to work some humor in."

For a kid whose mom's a veterinarian, Eldredge says she had a struggle to convince her parents that she needed a dog of her own. Her family, which includes younger brother Tom (who took many of the pictures for the book), lives on a farm with all kinds of animals. But by the age of 7, Eldredge wanted there to be one more.

"I wanted a Welsh corgi since I was very young," she said. "I just liked corgis. My parents weren't so sure I was ready for a dog of my own. I went a year carrying a stuffed Sheltie around everywhere. It worked: I got Flash."

That sort of dogged determination only intensified when her puppy arrived. By the age of 10, Eldredge was writing articles for the local corgi newsletter, then the national one. She won a few awards for her work, and jumped to a national canine magazine, with a regular assignment writing about other kids who compete with their dogs.

A book just seemed a natural progression for the young dog trainer, who has trained not only for basic household obedience but also for organized canine competitions. Eldredge and her mom motivate each other with dog training challenges, and they help each other through the rough spots in getting their dogs trained.

"We currently have a competition to teach our dogs to put a tennis ball through a little kids' basketball hoop we found cheap at a garage sale," she says, adding that she intends to win. "Mom claims she's winning, but I wouldn't be so sure."

As for the book, she's happy to give her mom credit but takes pride in the work she did in developing and writing most of the book.

"About two years ago my mom and I were throwing around ideas, and we thought it would be cool to have a book written for kids by a kid," she said. "It took about six months to write, mostly in the summer so it wouldn't conflict with school. Mom wrote most of the health chapters, and I wrote most of the care and all the training."

As for future plans, Eldredge is keeping her options open. Neither of her parents' careers -- her dad's a doctor of the human-care variety -- holds much appeal.

"My dad's on-call schedule has convinced me I don't want to be a doctor," she says. "I'll probably always write, and I'll always have dogs. Other than that, I'm keeping my options open."

Q&A

Natural perches good for birds

Q: I bought an Amazon parrot from a newspaper ad, along with the cage and all the supplies. Seymour is great, but I'm worried about the tree branches that are in his cage instead of perches. The person I bought him from said "natural" branches are better than store-bought perches. But the bird chews on them, and I worry about poisoning. - R.Y., via e-mail

A: Although buying a "secondhand" parrot can often be a risky endeavor in terms of health and behavior problems -- I always recommend a check by a bird-knowledgeable vet before the sale is final -- the fact that Seymour's former owner went to the trouble of putting branches in the cage speaks well of the bird's care to this point.

The smooth pine dowels that come with most birdcages are fine, but a more varied selection of perches is better for your bird's physical and mental health. And that means more than branches. Think variety -- rope, cement and wood perches should all find a place in your bird's cage. Natural wood perches, such as the branches already in Seymour's cage, are wonderful because they feel good under your bird's feet and because they give him something to chew on.

Your bird's off to a good start. Keep rotating those perches, to help keep your pet exercised and to stave off boredom. And that means ... more branches!

Most fruit and nut trees (almond, apple, prune and all citrus) are fine to use, as are ash, elm, dogwood and magnolia. If you can get your pruners on some manzanita, go for it. It's a hard wood that can stand up to a lot of abuse. Try grapevines, too. And leave the bark on for your bird to peel off. Not all wood is good, though: Treated or painted lumber should not go in your bird's cage.

Wild wood is probably best. Cut branches to a length to fit in your bird's cage. Scrub and clean them well with soap. Then rinse, and dry them in the sun. Check for insect egg pods. If you find them, just break them off and discard them before putting the branch in your pet's cage. (If you don't, you may find a zillion little buglets thinking it's spring in your home.)

The best perches are those that keep your bird busy destroying them. Think of perches as replaceable cage furnishings. Tearing them up is good for your bird, providing both exercise and entertainment.

Neutered cat sprays

Q: I have always been under the impression that a neutered male cat does not spray (e.g., using urine to mark territory). Yet the other day I observed my neutered male cat doing just that! Do I have an exceptional male cat, or should I question the validity of the neutering operation? -- C.L., via e-mail

A: In addition to helping to fight the tragedy of pet overpopulation, neutering has many heath and behavior benefits that make living with a male cat more pleasant. Neutered cats roam less, fight less and spray less. The surgery may completely eliminate spraying in some male cats, reduce it in others, and have little effect in a small population of remaining recalcitrant kitties.

Territory marking in neutered male cats may be a holdover from the pre-neutering days, or may be a reaction to territorial incursions by other neighbor cats or stressful changes in the household. Talk to your veterinarian about behavioral modification strategies for your cat. These may include environmental changes, medication, or the use of a pheromone product such as Feliway.

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

THE SCOOP

Better housing isn't expensive

How would you like to spend all your life in a cage so small you could barely take a few steps in it? Don't doom your rabbit or guinea pig to such a miserable life.

Many people have used their imaginations and not much money to create indoor playgrounds for rabbits and guinea pigs, using such items as milk crates, pieces of lattice and old lumber pressed into service as walls and ramps for playpens. Check out tag sales and freebie ads to see what you can recycle. For my rabbits, I found a child's hard-plastic playpen at a garage sale for a couple of bucks. It now forms the main part of a rabbit exercise pen.

Once you have a play area, add furnishings to make things even more interesting. Cardboard tubes and boxes of all sizes are fun to play with and chew on, as are natural-fiber mats and baskets. Stuff them with hay for extra interest.

Your pets will happier with more room and more opportunities for activity, and so will you, since you'll have so much more fun watching their antics.

ON THE WEB

Keeping ferrets healthy, happy

Ferrets are popular pets, even in those few places where they're illegal, like California.

There are plenty of reasons for their popularity. Ferrets are small, affectionate and playful pets who keep their owners smiling. As with any pet, though, the key to successful ferret-keeping is making sure you're the right fit for a pet ferret, and then providing what your ferret needs to thrive.

Everything Ferret has the answer to any questions you could possibly have about ferrets. The site (www.everythingferret.com) is clean, information-packed and easy to navigate, with tons of links to explore.

DOGMOBILES

City dog, country dog, and a Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer may be an overlooked old warrior in an age of increasing interest in more fuel-efficient vehicles. But when it comes to hauling people, gear and a pair of large dogs in comfort and style, it still has a lot to offer.

The Eddie Bauer Edition Explorer I test-drove was as deluxe as they come, with a sticker price to match, $43,000. But unless your dogs insist on watching "101 Dalmatians" on the high-end model's second-row DVD player, you can find Explorer models starting under $30,000.

I put the Explorer to the ultimate dogmobile test: Two days at dog shows and a day of field training. This meant nearly 400 miles of hauling two retrievers and our competition gear on the highway, down country roads and across a few hundred acres of ranch land. The Explorer took it all comfortably in stride, whether in overdrive or four-wheel drive.

The cargo area was versatile, with seats that folded into assorted configurations to accommodate two dog crates and all the gear that goes with any kind of dog sport. Perfectly positioned cargo anchors allowed me to tie down the crates for added safety.

The Explorer also has one of my favorite dog-friendly features: a split rear door with a glass panel that flips up separately. This feature is essential for keeping the cargo area well-ventilated on cool days when it's safe to leave the dogs in the vehicle for a while.

Struggling Ford is betting the farm on its more fuel-efficient vehicles, including its smaller SUV, the Ford Escape. I drove the Escape's hybrid-drive cousin, the Mercury Mariner. And although I loved the fuel economy (and that two-piece rear door), I didn't think it stacked up well for hauling dogs. The cargo space was too narrow for crates, and the rear seats were awkward to configure.

While a large SUV has never made much sense for a single-occupancy commuting, these vehicles still have a place. Like others in its class, the Explorer truly comes into its own when the terrain is variable and the load is a big one that must be moved in comfort.

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

Leash 'em up!

According to a survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 93 percent of dog owners have purchased a leash for their pet. New leashes are purchased on average every three years. The breakdown by leash type (multiple responses allowed):

Nylon 75 percent

Chain 13 percent

Leather 11 percent

Rope 5 percent

Reflective 1 percent

All others 2 percent

PET Rx

Don't dose pet -- call your vet

Never, ever give even the most seemingly mild medication to your cat without checking with your veterinarian first. A common danger? Tylenol, which can kill a cat.

Even if you should get lucky and give your cat something that's not potentially lethal, you might be mistaken as to what's ailing your pet. If your cat is sick, see your veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Remember, too, that cats are very sensitive to flea-control and other household insecticides. Never use a flea-control product on a cat unless it specifically says on the label that it's safe for a cat. Products meant solely for use on dogs can kill cats.

(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.)

Award-winning writer Gina Spadafori has two new books out, which were co-authored with "Good Morning, America" veterinary correspondent Dr. Marty Becker: "Do Cats Always Land on Their Feet?" and "Why Do Dogs Drink From the Toilet?" 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.petconnection.com.

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

Emergencies always seem to happen on holiday weekends, don't they? You're having a great time and suddenly your pet seems ill. Is he sick enough for a trip to the emergency clinic?

No one wants to see a pet in pain or in danger. But every day, people spend money they didn't need to for emergency clinic trips they didn't have to make.

Some of the things that send people into a panic can be of no concern at all. One time, while working overnight in an emergency veterinary clinic, I saw a woman frantic because she thought pieces of her dog's intestines where leaking out the back end. In fact, the dog was infested with tapeworms -- definitely in need of being treated, but nothing that couldn't wait until the weekend was over.

Knowing what's a true emergency and what's not can save you hundreds of dollars, since emergency clinics -- like human emergency care -- can be quite expensive.

With a holiday weekend coming up, it's a good time to review when a pet needs to see a veterinarian. Anything is worth at least a phone call if you're not sure what's wrong. And some things require immediate attention by a veterinarian.

How to tell the difference? Here are some signs that should have you heading for a veterinarian, day or night:

-- Seizure, fainting or collapse.

-- Eye injury, no matter how mild.

-- Vomiting or diarrhea -- anything more than two or three times within an hour or so.

-- Allergic reactions, such as swelling around the face, or hives, most easily seen on the belly.

-- Any suspected poisoning, including antifreeze, rodent or snail bait, or human medication. Cats are especially sensitive to insecticides (such as flea-control medication for dogs) or any petroleum-based product.

-- Snake or venomous spider bites.

-- Thermal stress -- from being either too cold or too hot -- even if the pet seems to have recovered. (The internal story could be quite different.)

-- Any wound or laceration that's open and bleeding, or any animal bite.

-- Trauma, such as being hit by a car, even if the pet seems fine. (Again, the situation could be quite different on the inside.)

-- Any respiratory problem: chronic coughing, trouble breathing or near drowning.

-- Straining to urinate or defecate.

Although some other problems may not be life-threatening, they may be causing your pet pain and should be taken care of without delay. Signs of pain include panting, labored breathing, increased body temperature, lethargy, restlessness, crying out, aggression and loss of appetite. Some pets seek company when suffering, while others will withdraw.

When in doubt, err on the side of caution, always. Better to be dead wrong about a minor medical problem than to have a pet who's dead because you guessed wrong about a major one.

Call your veterinary clinic or hospital before you need help and ask what arrangements the staff suggests for emergency or after-hours care. If your veterinarian refers clients to an emergency clinic after regular business hours, be sure you know which clinic it is, what the phone number is and how to get there.

SIDEBAR

Keep emergency reference on hand

What do an ironing board and clingy plastic food wrap have in common? In an emergency medical situation, both can be pressed into service to help save the life of your pet.

Surprising, innovative and definitely useful, such information makes "The First Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats" (Rodale, $20) one of the best books on first aid for dogs and cats. When an animal is sick or injured at home, chances are you won't have instant access to either a veterinarian or to professional-grade medical supplies -- especially on a holiday weekend. But Amy Shojai's top-notch book explains what needs to be done, how to do it, and what you can lay your hands on around the house to help. (Think "stretcher" for that ironing board and "body wrap" for the plastic wrap to keep injured skin in place.)

Shojai's first-aid book has been out for a few years now, but it's still my favorite. It's a good addition to any pet lover's reference shelf.

Q&A

Dog minds trainer, but not her owner

Q: I have a miniature dachshund. I took her to obedience training because she just didn't seem to listen, plus she barked obsessively. She did really well there and everything seemed to be under control.

Then she had to have surgery and, after that, she seemed to forget everything she had learned. I contacted the people where I went to train, and they suggested she go there for their extended-stay training program since she wouldn't do anything for me. She was there for six weeks. When she came home, she wasn't barking, and she followed my commands.

Then, the unthinkable happened: She needed another surgery.

This surgery went well, too, but we're right back to where we started from -- she has forgotten everything. Her barking is worse than ever! I'm at my wit's end.

I don't want to send her away for another six weeks. Between the two surgeries and the two training sessions, I have a small fortune invested in this little dog. Any suggestions? -- M.K., via e-mail

A: I doubt your little dog has forgotten anything. She just figured out that you're a pushover and that she doesn't have to mind you.

Forget the send-away training. You're ending up with a dog who is perfectly trained and happy to mind the trainer. Instead, find a trainer who can come to your home and work with you and your dog for a couple of sessions. You need to learn how to handle her, and she needs to learn that you are someone who needs her attention and respect.

Your veterinarian should be able to refer you to a trainer.

Remember, though, that some breeds are generally yappier than others, and dachshunds of all types fall in this category. They're intelligent, busy, bossy little dogs with a lot to say.

One possible solution for a really over-the-top barker is a citronella collar. These collars emit a puff of citronella spray when the dog barks. The citrus smell distracts and annoys the dog, who'll usually pipe down. Look for these collars in pet-supply retail outlets.

The 'vegan' cat

Q: A friend passed along your ridiculous "advice" that it's not possible for a cat to survive on no meat. You should know that those of us who are against animal suffering have figured out ways for our pets to eat as we do.

Instead of parroting the party line of the animal-exploitation industry, why don't you tell the truth? -- I.I., via e-mail

A: What part of "obligate carnivore" do you find confusing? It's interesting that a quick tour around the Internet bulletin boards reveals that animal-rights activists are not in agreement on this point, and many who maintain a lifestyle without animal products will bend their rules when it comes to their cats.

As I've written before, 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.

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

PETS ON THE WEB

Attitude fixes for shelter dogs

Shelters have long known that common behavior problems cause dogs to lose their homes and make it difficult to adopt them out again.

In recent years, shelters have worked to address these challenges, from hiring trainers to make dogs more adoptable to offering discount obedience classes to adopters and implementing behavior hot lines to keep at-risk dogs from being taken to shelters.

Behavior programs aren't the only change in the sheltering community. Organizations trying to find new homes for pets have also embraced the online world in a big way.

It's easier than ever before to search online for the right dog. Most municipal and non-profit shelters and rescue groups maintain a presence on the Internet, allowing prospective adopters to see what animals are available. Most of these groups also post on PetFinder (www.petfinder.com), the remarkable Web site dedicated to getting pets into their forever homes.

While you'll still need to go through the screening process, starting your search on the Internet is a great way add a new pet to the family.

PET BUY

Shading pets from the sun

While the White Hot Safety Sunblock Shade from Bamboo won't protect your pet from overheating in a parked car, it will keep things a little cooler en route.

The vinyl shade attaches with suction cups to the interior of a car window. Once in place, the shade can be adjusted up or down, and the manufacturer says it does not block the driver's vision. It has one extra feature: When left in a parked car, it changes to reveal the word "hot" when the temperature soars above a safe point. (Of course, your pet won't be in the car when it does, right?)

The Safety Sunblock Shade is $10 from pet-supply retailers.

If the product looks similar to those made for babies, it's really no surprise -- the company also makes gear for children, under the brand name Munchkin.

PET TIP

Cats need slow adjustment to new home

For most cats, one of the most stressful events of their lives is a distracting time for their owners as well: changing addresses.

The best way to move with your cat is to confine him to a small area (I call it a "safe room") before and after the move. The ideal is a spare bedroom where your cat isn't going to be disturbed, outfitted with food and water, a litter box, a scratching post and toys.

Don't feel bad about confining your pet: He's more comfortable in a small space, and he isn't subjected to the stress of seeing people tromping out of the house with his belongings. Confining your cat also prevents him from slipping out, which is a danger at both the old and new home.

Your cat should be confined in his safe room before packing begins, be moved to his new home in a carrier, and then be confined again in his new safe room until the moving is over, the furniture arranged and most of the dust settled.

When you get to your new home, put the carrier down in the safe room, open the door and let your cat decide when to come out.

After he's a little calmer, you can coax him out with some fresh food or treats, but don't rush him and don't drag him out -- you may be bitten or scratched. Leave the carrier, with its door removed, in the safe room. It is the most familiar place in your new home in your cat's mind and will likely be his chosen spot for a few days until this new house becomes his new home.

After a couple of days, open the door to the safe room and let your cat explore at will, on his terms, but just within the limits of the house. Moving is a great time to convert an indoor-outdoor cat to life indoors, by the way.

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

What reptiles need

According to a survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, the top pet supplies purchased by owners of pet reptiles in 2004, by percent of those who reported purchasing the items:

Glass habitat 64 percent

Habitat furnishings 58 percent

Books on care 54 percent

Incandescent bulbs 39 percent

Fluorescent bulbs 38 percent

Bedding 30 percent

PET Rx

Birds don't need 'grit'

The idea that all pet birds need to be kept supplied with grit is one that doesn't seem to go away. But the fact is birds do fine without grit, and the material has been shown to remove vitamins A, K and B2 from the digestive system.

A tiny amount -- as in a couple of grains of grit every couple of months -- is fine for finches and canaries, keeping in mind that no pet bird needs to have access to all the grit he or she wants.

For parrots large and small, though, skip grit entirely. Overconsumption of grit can lead to life-threatening problems in pet parrots, especially young birds and smaller species, such as budgies or cockatiels.

(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.)

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 petconnection.com.

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

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.

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