Are we being unreasonable when we expect perfection -- or should that be "purr-fection"? -- from our cats?

We ask our cats to relieve themselves where we want them to instead of anywhere in their territory, as they would prefer. We ask them to scratch in one place instead of marking every surface, as would be natural for them. We ask them to ignore their ability to jump gracefully onto tables and countertops and to adjust their naturally nocturnal schedule to our daytime ones.

Most cats make the compromises because we simply won't.

But what about the cat who doesn't? By understanding your cat's needs and redirecting his normal behavior, you can have a well-mannered feline companion.

The first step in resolving any behavioral problem is working with your veterinarian to make sure it's not a health problem. All the training techniques in the world won't fix a medical problem. You'll need your veterinarian's help for that.

Cats are so good at hiding illness, it's no surprise how often we misinterpret the signs they do give us. A cat with untreated diabetes, for example, must drink and urinate frequently, so much that he may not be interested in using the litter box. Another common problem: urinary-tract infections. Your cat may find urinating painful and come to associate the pain with his litter box. Are you really surprised he's going to stop using it? And what about biting? The cat who suddenly starts biting may be in pain, lashing out in self-defense. Whatever the problem, it must be treated for you to have a chance at correcting the behavior.

Remember, too, that even healthy cats can become unhinged by stress and may react by altering their behavior in an attempt to cope. Some cats mark territory when their home is "invaded" by a new pet or person. In a cat's mind, this behavior makes sense: Making the world smell like himself is comforting to him (though not to you). You need to relax your cat's stress in other ways, by limiting his territory to a single room, for example, or by putting him on some calming medication, which your veterinarian can provide.

If it's not stress or illness, you need to look at your own role in any behavior problem. Are you asking something of your cat that's not possible for him to give? Your cat may not want to use the litter box if it's rarely cleaned, for example, and asking him to leave the couch alone is not fair if he has nothing else in the house to scratch. You need to provide him with some alternatives before you can hope for good behavior.

Do you provide your cat with enough exercise and entertainment? You need to offer your indoor cat more than just a few hours of your presence a day and a catnip mouse. More toys! More play!

You must also consider that maybe your cat never knew the house rules to begin with. If all you've ever done in the way of training is to scream at or hit your cat, you're probably not teaching him anything except that you're someone to avoid. Physical correction has no place in changing a cat's behavior; cats just don't understand it. And using such correction just stresses them out, leading to even more problems.

Keep a journal of problems to help you spot and understand trends and to remove some of the emotion involved in living with a problem pet. Realizing that your cat's behavior isn't spiteful or capricious can make the problem easier for you to live with while you work on turning the situation around.

Before you give up on your pet, ask your veterinarian about a referral to a behaviorist. A consultation with an expert can provide you with a plan for fixing the problem -- and at a much more reasonable cost than replacing carpeting or a sofa.

Q&A

Don't swat biting cat

Q: We got a beautiful part-Siamese kitty when she was 8 weeks old. She has been a joy to the two of us, both seniors who had resolved not to have any more cats. We do have a problem, though: This beautiful little kitten bites. We have yelled "no," scolded her and batted her nose when she has bitten us. She loves to spar, and she really plays hard and rough. Any suggestions? -- H.S., via e-mail

A: Punishing your kitten for biting is the complete opposite of what you should be doing, and it may make matters worse. When you fight back, you escalate the situation, turning a rough-playing kitten into a fighting one.

Instead, watch your kitten's body language carefully, and stop playing and petting the instant she starts to get aroused toward rough play. The tip of her tail is a key indicator: When it starts to twitch and flip, break off the activity and walk away. If you miss the signs and end up with teeth and claws around your hand or arm, just freeze. Don't scream, hit or otherwise punish her. Chances are your kitten will simply let go. Then leave her be for a while.

Do not encourage rough play, and do not engage in sparring. Again, when she gets wound up, end the play or petting session and walk away. Never, ever use your fingers to play with your kitten -- use toys such as kitty wands or fishing poles. She needs to learn that fingers are not for biting.

Focus your attention in petting her on the area along the chin and at the base of the tail, and avoid more hair-trigger areas such as the tummy. If you're careful to end the petting and play just when she starts getting worked up, you'll be able to teach her to be gentle with you. With the help of training and as she matures, you will one day have a cat whose teeth you won't have to fear.

Daily grooming

Q: I have to disagree with your suggestion about brushing and combing in head-to-tail direction. I was taught to start at the back feet and work up and forward. It makes sense -- many dogs form dense areas of dead hair in the "breeches" area under the tail. If the brushing goes from head to tail, one can end up coming up against all that hair in the breeches area and in the flank area. By loosening up and removing those clogged areas, it is much easier to work toward the front as one is gradually inching forward. The dense fur is combed into a nice "free" area.

Many people don't realize that once that huge grooming is done, it takes only five minutes a day, going over the whole pet, to prevent big problems. When people say how busy they are, I tell them that they used to tend their kids' hair every day and wouldn't think not to! -- A.B., via e-mail

A: I guess I like to start with the easier areas and work up to the harder ones. Others may prefer to tackle the densest areas of fur and mats first. In truth, it doesn't matter much, as long as the grooming gets done.

I love your point that no parent would let a child's hair go uncombed. The fact is when we take on responsibility for children or pets, we have to follow through and provide the best care for them that we can. In this respect, pets truly are like children, relying on us for everything.

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

THE SCOOP

How fast can cats multiply?

After getting yet another fund-raising pitch from a humane organization citing the "fact" that a single female cat can be responsible for producing 420,000 more cats in seven years, I asked The Wall Street Journal's "Numbers Guy," Carl Bialik, to do the math.

It turns out that although feline overpopulation is a real problem, cats simply cannot multiply as exponentially as many humane groups say. After talking to veterinarians about feline reproduction and mathematicians about probabilities, Bialik came up with a range from 100 to 5,000 for the offspring of a single cat -- either way, a far cry from 420,000. If cats truly reproduced that quickly, notes Bialik in his piece on the Journal's Web site, then in the 18 years since that figure first popped up in a newspaper, there'd be 50 trillion cats today. (Best estimates: 90 million pet cats and 70 million ferals.)

The oft-cited number is wrong, but feline overpopulation is still a huge problem, of course. In response to a post on the PetConnection.com Web log, feral cat rescuer Susan Darling Green of upstate New York noted that the reason cats don't reach the "theoretical" highs is because so many die of disease and accidents. "The (420,000) number (is) absurd," she wrote. "But the reason the numbers are wrong is tragic."

In other words: Spay and neuter, please.

PETS BY THE BOOK

Is your dog teaching you?

Most books on pets seem to be about solving problems with your pet -- behavior and health issues, primarily. But can your pet help you solve some of your problems?

That's the premise for the warm little book "DogSense: 99 Relationship Tips From Your Canine Companion" (HCI, $17). In a tender, tongue-in-cheek way, writer Carla Genender and photographer Amy Hill point out the things that dogs can teach us, if we'd just pay a little more attention -- things such as how to enjoy being together doing nothing at all, and "don't complain about the food even if it seems the same thing day in and day out."

Each picture offers a little bit of canine wisdom and an essay expanding on the theme. All in all, it's a nice little book with some important messages to offer.

DOGMOBILES

'Cute utes' a bargain for dog lovers

When I started test-driving SUVs, minivans, wagons and "crossover vehicles" to review their suitability as dogmobiles, I had not been shopping for a car in almost a decade. Honestly, I had no idea how much things had changed, and how many great options there are for those looking for a reliable, reasonably priced vehicle to transport dogs safely.

My favorites of the vehicles I've been driving are the little SUVs known as "cute utes," four-door, four-wheel-drive hatchbacks with zippy handling, high ground clearance, good gas mileage, and room for dogs and their gear.

These vehicles are generally good value, too, including the two I test-drove recently: the Suzuki Grand Vitara and the 2006 Honda CR-V, the latter now replaced with a redesigned version for 2007.

The Suzuki doesn't give off quite the air of confidence that the popular Honda does, but perhaps because of that it tries much harder -- it's packed with all the options for a lot less than others in the class. With its V6, it was perkier than all get-out. No flip-up glass in the rear -- one of my favorite dog-friendly features -- but lots of gadgetry at a price below the competition.

Now about that "lame duck" Honda CR-V. Why write about a model that's being replaced? Because it's one of the best and most popular dogmobiles around, and dealers will be ready to bargain on the remaining new ones in stock as the redesigned 2007 rolls in. (I'll be testing the new 2007 in the weeks to come.) The tried-and-true "old" CR-V is fun to drive, has lots of versatile cargo room and the flip-up rear glass that I really like.

With the Suzuki priced competitively and the 2006 CR-V in full "let's make a deal" mode, it's a good time to look at either of these great dogmobiles.

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

The cat walked in

The old idea that a cat picks you (not the other way around) gains validity in a 2004 poll by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. About one-third of cat owners report that their pet was once a stray. Top choices of where people get their cats (multiple answers allowed):

Friend/relative 43 percent

Stray 34 percent

Animal shelter 15 percent

Kitten of own cat 15 percent

Ad/private party 8 percent

Breeder 3 percent

PETS ON THE WEB

Fun, facts for ferret fans

The American Ferret Association (www.ferret.org) started as a small club in suburban Maryland dedicated to promoting one of the most popular and least understood pets. It has grown into a national association, expanding its goals to include fighting to eliminate laws that ban the animals.

The AFA's Web site has changed tremendously since I last looked in on it, and now offers all the care and behavioral information you'd expect plus a lot more. The shopping section offers a cookbook ($15) for providing more interesting meals for these lively pets, plus a great-looking poster ($15) of ferret colors and patterns, and another ($19) of ferret anatomy. In the links section, the site makes it easy to find a ferret-friendly veterinarian, and the list of ferret rescue and shelter organizations promotes adoption. It's a great makeover of a useful site.

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

Holidays are anything but fun for many pets. While we humans love the change in routine, the parties, the guests and the decorations, our furred and feathered family members too often find the disruptions disturbing -- and sometimes dangerous.

Like all holidays, Halloween is not without its hazards. The two biggest problems are injuries and poisoning -- and animal emergency clinics traditionally see plenty of both.

-- Injuries. With the increase in activity around the neighborhood, cats and dogs get nervous, and some will take off if they can. That means an increase in animals hit by cars. Other animals may be a cause of injury: All those costumed young visitors can trigger territorial instincts or fear responses in some dogs, who may then become a bite risk.

The best solution for nervous pets is to confine them for the evening in a crate or a quiet room far from the front door or any holiday festivities.

Many animal-welfare groups warn that black cats are at special risk around Halloween, claiming that cultists pick up the animals for ritual torture. Such concerns have led many shelters to halt the adoption of black cats in the days before Halloween.

In truth, such cruelties are so poorly documented that they surely happen rarely, if at all. Your black cat is more likely to be killed by a car than a cultist -- it's difficult to see a black cat in the dark -- but the threat of either is more than reason enough to keep him inside.

If you keep your pets confined safely inside the house, you will eliminate one source of risk. Keeping them away from the goodies will take care of the other risk.

-- Poisoning. Candy is a problem more for dogs than for cats because cats are generally picky about what they eat. Not so for many dogs, who'll wolf down candy (wrappers and all) if given the opportunity, giving many a serious case of what veterinarians call "garbage gut." Any candy can trigger a bout of intestinal upset, but chocolate can do much worse. The small dog who gets a large amount of chocolate could end up dead without prompt veterinary intervention.

The final precaution is to prepare for the worst. If your veterinarian does not offer after-hours care, know where the nearest animal emergency clinic is located. Put the phone number somewhere handy, like on your refrigerator.

While pets may not like holidays as much as we do, any celebration can be made pet-safe with just a few basic precautions. Be sure to take those precautions, because veterinarians would rather hand out candy to children than medicine to pets on Halloween.

SIDEBAR

Costumes for pets? Why not?

Let's face it: Your dog doesn't care if he has a biker jacket, sunglasses, an ear-hugging visor or even a colorful bandanna. He'll put up with most anything you put on him, as long as it means spending more time with you.

If putting a costume on your dog means you'll fuss over him and maybe take him somewhere interesting, like the costume contests that are everywhere these days, then sure, it's a no-lose proposition. Dress up your dog and have some fun.

Do make sure any costume you choose or make meets the commonsense standard: It's comfortable and nonrestrictive, inedible, and it doesn't involve anything that could be hazardous, such as dye or paint.

Q&A

Loose dog? Offer a ride

Q: Would you add another tip on catching a loose dog to your list?

Not long ago I was in a precarious situation with a dog. As I was walking alone on a country road, a large dog bolted out of a house and came running toward me. The house was set back from the road several feet, and the owner couldn't get to the dog before he went out the open fence. The dog stopped about 10 feet from me, growling and daring me to take another step.

While I stood frozen in one place, the owner tried unsuccessfully to get the animal to return to the yard by calling him. As loud as I dared to speak, I told him to open the door on his pickup truck and call his dog. That did the trick! The dog was all excited about going for a ride, and he forgot all about me. -- K.N., via e-mail

A: Brilliant call! I'm sure glad the dog got corralled before the situation escalated into something serious.

And you're right -- the "open the car door" trick works for many dogs. In fact, when I was growing up we had a standard poodle who was the most obnoxious, ill-behaved animal imaginable. If the front door opened a crack, he was gone. With three children in our family going in and out all the time, that meant the dog was on the lam a lot.

My parents discovered early on that all they had to do to round him up was get in the car, follow him down the street and open the car door. He'd jump in happily, and they'd take him around the block with his head out the window and ears flying in the wind. Crisis solved, until the next time one of us children or our friends weren't careful enough about closing the front door.

Baby food for cats

Q: When our cat got sick, our veterinarian recommended giving her baby food to coax her to eat until she felt better. Is that really a good idea? -- G.A., via e-mail

A: Meat baby foods are very popular with cats and can get a finicky pet to show interest in food again. Just read the label and choose a food without onion powder in it. That stuff's not good for cats.

You may not have to use baby food to get your kitty to eat, though. Sometimes warming up your pet's regular meal will increase its palatability. Just put a little canned food on a plate, microwave it for 30 seconds or so, and then stir it to eliminate any hot spots. You want the food to be about body temperature -- warm, but not hot.

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

THE SCOOP

Good scratch and a good stretch

The result of scratching -- whether on a post, a tree or the corner of the couch -- is sharp claws, but they don't get that way from being honed like a knife. When a cat is scratching, what she's really doing is removing the outer layer of worn-out claw sheaths. Underneath are sharp new claws.

If you look closely where your cat scratches, you'll probably find one of these old sheaths from time to time. They look like little silver crescent moons.

If the scratching post or the hieroglyphics your cat draws on the sofa don't do the trick, she'll use her teeth to chew off the old outer casings.

Scratching also helps a cat stretch out her spine (she anchors those front claws and then s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s) and mark a little territory, with the visual aid of scratch marks and the scent pads in her feet.

ON THE WEB

An inside look at vet medicine

Dr. Patty Khuly is a veterinarian with a flair for storytelling. On her Web blog, Dr. Dolittler (www.dolittler.com), the Miami-based practitioner posts something nearly every day, sharing stories of a veterinarian's life, the animals and the clients.

In her writings, she is generous not only with her expertise, but also with her humor. In her more serious posts, she writes with compassion and knowledge about such difficult subjects as saying goodbye to a pet, dealing with veterinary costs and dog attacks. Someone get this woman a book contract!

PET TIP

Solving the mystery of why cats attack

Have you ever had a really bad day at the office, come home and snapped at your mate? That's roughly what's happening when a frustrated indoor cat attacks another pet or person inside the house because they're worked up over an animal on the other side of the glass. It's called "redirected aggression," and it can be accompanied by other signs of frustration from the indoor cat, such as urine spraying.

Cats are very territorial and don't appreciate seeing other cats on what they view as their turf. In an area with free-roaming cats, the animals work out their territory with scent marking, visual marking (claw marks) and, occasionally, fighting.

But when a cat is kept indoors, he doesn't have a chance to mark or otherwise defend his yard from cats who trot through as if they own the place. The frustration builds until a cat has to lash out.

If there's one window that seems to be the perfect vantage point for your indoor cat to watch neighborhood cats stroll by, you might think about keeping the blinds closed or closing off that room. And of course, keep an eye on your cat: If he's agitated, he's best avoided until the stranger is gone and your kitty calms down. Products with pheromones (such as Feliway) may also help calm the indoor cat.

A motion-detector sprinkler, such as the Scarecrow, may keep stray cats out of your yard.

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

We love pets because ...

A majority of pet lovers say pets are not just fun, they're also beneficial to have around. Percentage of pet lovers agreeing with the following statements, in a 2004 study:

Pets are a good source of affection 87 percent

Pets are good for my health 76 percent

My pet helps me relax 75 percent

Source: American Pet Products Manufacturers Association

PET Rx

Dogs' bonus toes need attention

Dewclaws -- vestigial toes set on a dog's leg, not on the paw -- are mostly non-functional, but rarely do any harm. Occasionally, dewclaws are loosely attached and can become torn and need to be surgically removed. Because of the potential for damage, some breeders have dewclaws removed shortly after puppies are born.

Dog lovers need to keep an eye on dewclaws and remember to keep the nails trimmed. It's not uncommon for a veterinarian to have a dog come in for a routine visit and notice the nail on a dog's dewclaw curling around and growing back into the foot pad.

Ask your veterinarian to show you how to keep all your dog's nails properly maintained.

(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

Beauty is more than skin-deep when it comes to your dog. Keeping your pet well-groomed not only gives you a clean-smelling companion, it also helps keep your dog more comfortable and allows you to spot health problems before they become serious, even life-threatening.

How important is grooming to your pet's comfort? Consider a simple mat, so easy to overlook. Have you ever had your hair in a ponytail that was just a little too tight? A mat can feel the same way to your dog, a constant pull on the skin. Try to imagine those all over your body, and you have a good idea how uncomfortable an ungroomed coat can be.

Your dog need never know what a mat feels like if you keep him brushed and combed -- but that's the start of the health benefits. Regular grooming allows you to look for lumps, bumps and injuries, while clearing such things as mats and ticks from his coat. Follow up with your veterinarian on any questionable masses you find, and you may detect cancer early enough to save your pet's life.

For shorthaired breeds, keeping skin and coat in good shape is easy. Run your hands over him daily, a brush over him weekly, and that's it.

For other breeds, grooming is a little more involved. Breeds such as collies, chows, Keeshonden and Alaskan malamutes are "double-coated," which means they have a downy undercoat underneath harsher long hair. The down can mat like a layer of felt against the skin if left untended. To prevent this, divide the coat into small sections and brush against the grain from the skin outward, working from head to tail, section by section. In the spring and fall -- the big shedding times -- you'll end up with enough of that fluffy undercoat to make a whole new dog. Keep brushing and think of the benefits: The fur you pull out with a brush won't end up on the furniture, and removing the old stuff keeps your pet cooler in the summer and lets new insulation come in for the winter.

Silky-coated dogs such as Afghan hounds, cockers and Maltese also need constant brushing to keep tangles from forming. As with the double-coated dogs, work with small sections at a time, brushing from the skin outward, and then comb back into place with the grain for a glossy, finished look. Coats of this type require so much attention that having a groomer keep the dogs trimmed to a medium length is often more practical.

Curly and wiry coats, such those on poodles and terriers, need to be brushed weekly, working against the grain and then with it. Curly coats need to be clipped every six weeks; wiry ones, two or three times a year (but clipping every six weeks will keep your terrier looking sharper).

Good grooming is about more than keeping your pet looking beautiful and clean-smelling, although that's certainly one of the pleasant payoffs. Regular grooming relaxes the dog who's used to it, and it becomes a special time shared between you both. A coat free of mats, burrs and tangles and skin free of fleas and ticks are as comfortable to your dog as clean clothes fresh from the wash are to you. It just makes you feel good, and the effect is the same for your pet.

Some added benefit for you: Giving your dog a tummy rub after every session is sure to relax you (and your dog, of course) and ease the stress of your day. And for allergy sufferers, keeping a dog clean may make having a dog possible.

SIDEBAR

Dirty dog? Call a groomer!

As I get older, busier and arguably lazier, I rely on a professional groomer to keep my longhaired Sheltie in top form.

Fortunately, I live right across the street from one of the best groomers in town, a neighborhood amenity I happily discovered after I moved into the house. I keep up the regular brushing, and Judy picks up Drew for a bath, trim and de-shedding at monthly intervals. My shorter-coated retrievers I groom myself.

Going to a pro can get a home-grooming program back on track for any dog. If your dog's coat is overgrown and matted, start fresh by having a groomer take it down. Once the mess is removed, you'll have an easier time keeping your pet's coat in good shape.

Q&A

Unspayed dogs cause problems

Q: Too many people have unspayed female dogs, and they walk them where other dogs walk, never dreaming that anything is wrong with what they're doing. Every time a dog in heat urinates, the smell drives male dogs crazy, even the fixed ones. They stop and sniff much harder than usual, making you yell and tug at them to get them to move. Then they look at you with that withering "you spoiled my fun" look.

Please explain that when an unspayed female is in season, the scent is broadcast to all the male dogs within a mile radius. Their lives (and ours) would be so much easier without fertile females being "saved" to have one litter of puppies -- just to know what motherhood feels like! -- D.F., via e-mail

A: Of course, it's always a good idea to spay and neuter pets. In addition to helping to fight pet overpopulation, spaying and neutering have significant advantages to any pet and pet owner. In males, neutering reduces aggression, roaming and marking. In females, spaying protects them from serious cancer and infections. (Spaying before the first heat cycle virtually eliminates the risk of mammary cancer.) Spayed and neutered animals are easier to live with and less expensive, too, without veterinary costs for roaming- or aggression-related injuries and reproductive-related cancers and infections.

That said, I have a better cure for the problem you're experiencing: training. There's no reason why even an unneutered dog cannot be trained to mind, to walk without pulling on the leash and to come when called. The world is full of temptations, and one way to control them is through training.

One of my four dogs is a young, unneutered male retriever. I'd much rather have all my pets neutered, but since this fellow is a show dog, that's out for the foreseeable future. I don't have any behavior problems with him, however, not even if the beguiling scent of a female in heat wafts through the neighborhood. My fences are secure, my dog is not allowed to roam, and when on leash, he knows not to pull me.

Instead of complaining about what you cannot control, get control of what you can -- your own dog. Any trainer will be happy to help.

Jump on agility

Q: I have a 17-month-old springer spaniel mix who is driven to please. He will climb and jump and do everything I ask him to. I wanted to put him in a canine agility class, but I can't find any in my area. Also, I know it's called the AKC agility competition. Does he have to be purebred to compete? -- R.D., via e-mail

A: Agility is a wonderful sport, as its growing popularity testifies. At the top levels, dogs compete over obstacle courses to see who can go fastest and run cleanest -- not going off course or knocking down jumps.

While the elite teams at the top of the sport -- which mostly include border collies -- can give the impression that the sport is only for the fittest and fastest, any dog is welcome to train and compete. Agility can build confidence in dogs, strengthen the bond between owner and dog, and provide a good source of exercise for all.

The American Kennel Club's agility competitions are just for purebreds, but there are also places for you and your dog. The U.S. Dog Agility Association welcomes all dogs. The group lists agility clubs and events on its site (www.usdaa.com) to help interested dog lovers connect. And the Dog Patch (www.dogpatch.org) and Clean Run (www.cleanrun.com) sites also have lots of information on agility.

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

PET BUY

Giving old pet a helping hand

When big dogs age, they often find it difficult to get up on their feet and manage everyday challenges such as stairs. Even young dogs can have temporary problems with mobility, such as after recovering from surgery. While a large bath towel slipped under a dog's middle can help in a pinch, well-fitting aids with handles for easy use are a good investment when it comes to giving an old dog a lift on a regular basis.

The Pet Zone Lift-n-Aid harness is one of several products on the market designed to help old dogs get around easier. The washable nylon device has adjustable straps and a sturdy handle, and is easy to put on and take off after a practice run or two.

The medium aid is designed for dogs 55 to 80 pounds, and the large is for pets up to 125 pounds. Both have a suggested retail of $28 and are available through pet-supply outlets.

THE SCOOP

Why do cats go for cat haters?

Why, in a room full of people, will a cat invariably make a beeline for the one person in the room who hates or is allergic to cats?

Cats don't like eye contact from strangers -- they find it intimidating. When a friendly cat wanders into a room, he'll notice that all the people who like cats are looking at him. So he heads for the one who he thinks is being polite -- the person who isn't looking at him. The cat doesn't realize that the person isn't looking because he doesn't want the cat near him. It's just a little bit of cross-species miscommunication.

That's one theory, anyway. Or maybe putting cat fur on the slacks of a cat hater really is the ultimate in feline fun.

PETS ON THE WEB

Common sense pet care prevents disease

If you think about all the diseases one can contract from animals -- from rabies to worms and more -- it's almost enough to make you want to go pet-free and wrap yourself up in plastic.

In fact, it's pretty mind-boggling how many diseases and parasites can be passed from pets to humans. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control helpfully supplies a pretty scary list of them. The CDC's Healthy Pets, Healthy People Web site (www.cdc.gov/healthypets) offers an in-depth examination of these so-called "zoonotic" health risks, and it includes special advice for people at higher risk, including those with immune-system weaknesses and those whose jobs involve working with animals.

At the top of the list of concerns would likely be rabies, a deadly disease more common in wildlife than in pets, thanks to decades of aggressive vaccination laws. Other worries are bacterial, with pets capable of transmitting salmonella, leptospirosis and campylobacteriosis, to name a nasty trio. Diseases caused by parasites include tapeworm, hookworm, roundworm, Lyme disease and giardia. And there's even ringworm, which is really a fungus. Toxoplasmosis is a special concern for people sharing their lives with cats.

Pets are not the only source for many of these diseases -- in many cases, improper food handling is a bigger risk. You can reduce the chance of your animal or bird companion making you sick by keeping your pet free of disease and by making sure all family members wash hands frequently when around animals.

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

Kids and pets

Some pets just seem to be a natural fit with children. In 2004, a study asked people with small pets what kind of pets they kept, and if the household included children (multiple answers allowed):

Home with children Home without children

Rabbit 40 percent 48 percent

Hamster 25 percent 41 percent

Guinea pig 22 percent 13 percent

Source: American Pet Products Manufacturers Association

PETS Rx

Quarantine, exam for new pet bird

Thinking of adding another bird to your flock? For the safety of the pet bird you already have, skip any introductions until your new bird has been examined by a veterinarian with experience in avian care.

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 a new pet to an infectious disease, having that illness passed on to established pets would be even worse.

After you get the OK from your veterinarian, maintain the birds in their own cages in the same room. Some may mingle eventually, but size and temperament differences may require separate cages for life for others.

(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.

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