Universal Press Syndicate

The Jekyll-Hyde turn some cats make when being petted has their owners convinced they're crazy. But that's not the case: Some cats need to be taught to accept the loving attention of their owners.

The conversion takes time and patience, but it's worth it for all.

Both genetics and social factors contribute to how likely a cat is to bite or claw while being petted. Some cats are born with short fuses; others are made that way (or made worse) through a lack of early socialization or proper training in their kittenhoods. That's why it's important to never let a kitten come to believe fingers are for chewing on, even in play. Redirect your kitten's playful energy to toys instead. And never hit a kitten or cat for biting, since you'll make it more likely, not less, that your pet will strike faster in fear and self-defense the next time.

Natural activity levels also play a part in how much petting a cat will tolerate. Cats from large-breed backgrounds (think Maine coon) are generally mellow in temperament, willing to sit quietly while being petted. So-called Oriental breeds or mixes (think Siamese or Burmese) are usually more interested in being on the go.

But no matter how hair-trigger the setting on your cat's attack mode, you can work to increase your pet's tolerance for petting by paying close attention to his body language as you slowly increase the amount of time during which he'll calmly accept your attention.

You should also be aware that some areas on a cat are more sensitive than others. For a highly reactive cat, restrict your caresses at first to behind the ears, under the chin or the base of the tail. A long stroke down the back is too much for some kitties, and you're really taking chances when you decide to tickle your cat's tummy. The cats who enjoy it are outnumbered by the cats who'll seek to stop it with teeth and claws.

Work to build up your cat's tolerance to touch over time. When you pick up your cat for a petting session, don't surprise him. Come up on him slowly and pick him up gently, making sure his whole body is supported with a hand under his chest and one beneath his legs.

Pet him in less-reactive areas on his body, watching for the first sign of a tail twitch. When you get that early warning sign, stop petting and let your cat leave if he wants to. The idea is to work up to just short of the point where your pet becomes uncomfortable and then stop, so you can gradually increase his tolerance for petting. For some cats, the addition of treats during petting can also help the reconditioning process.

If you miss the signs and end up in your cat's non-affectionate embrace, just freeze. Providing no resistance will help calm your cat so he'll just let go, usually in a few seconds. If you fight back or physically punish your cat, you are more likely to get bitten or scratched in the short run and damage your relationship with your pet in the long run.

Be patient, and be satisfied with small improvements as you go. As any cat lover will tell you, teaching your cat to tolerate petting is well worth the effort -- for both of you.

Q&A

Check the vitals on your pet cat

Q: We used to have dogs, but now that we're retired we don't anymore. We sadly lost our last German shepherd five years ago, and that's it for us. But we were adopted by a stray cat, and he's a joy.

Since we had dogs for decades, we knew a lot about their care and how to know when they were ill. Can you offer advice on how to know if our cat is "off"? -- C.P., via e-mail

A: With a little practice, you can easily learn to take your cat's vital signs.

A cat's heart normally beats between 140 and 220 times per minute, with a relaxed cat on the lower end of the scale. It's not unusual for their heartbeat to be high at the veterinarian's, since cats don't like being away from home, and they certainly don't like being poked and prodded by strangers.

To take your cat's pulse at home, you need a watch that clicks off the seconds. Put your hand over your cat's left side, behind the front leg. You'll feel the heartbeat pulsing beneath your fingers (if you can't, you might talk to your veterinarian about getting some of the fat off your cat). Count the beats while 15 seconds clicks off your watch. Multiply by four to get the BPM, or beats per minute.

While you're at it, check out your cat's respiration rate. Step back and watch your cat when he's relaxed and standing. Count the number of times the abdomen and chest wall moves in 60 seconds. A normal cat takes 15 to 25 breaths per minute.

Normal feline body temperature is between 100 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, read from a thermometer inserted where the sun doesn't shine. -- Dr. Marty Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars." Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

PET BUZZ

Study tracks trends on which dogs bite

-- About 15.8 people per 1,000 are bitten by a dog every year, with about 3.1 of the same people needing medical attention. In a study for the journal "Injury Prevention," researchers conducted telephone surveys and compared the results from a decade ago. People were most likely to be bitten in their own homes by known dogs. As the number of dogs rose above one in the household, the bite occurrence also increased. The study found that dog bites in children had decreased in number, while older adults showed an increased number of bites. The increase in older victims may be linked to the popularity of smaller dogs, more likely to be owned by seniors and statistically more likely to bite.

-- Horses and donkeys burned in Australia's wildfires are getting help from across the globe. The University of Melbourne has been treating the animals, but has been getting much-needed help from the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. UCD has sent medications and has paired up the Melbourne team with Dr. John Madigan, a professor of veterinary medicine and head of UCD's Veterinary Emergency Response Team.

-- The smallest dog on record was a Yorkshire terrier, who was 2.5 inches tall at the shoulder, 3.75 inches long from the tip of his nose to the base of the tail, and weighed 4 ounces. According to "The Book of General Ignorance," the dog died in 1945. For the smallest dogs living today, the current world record is shared by a Yorkshire terrier (shortest in height) and a Chihuahua (shortest in length). Whitney, the Yorkie, lives in England and is 3 inches tall at the shoulder. The Chihuahua, called Danka Kordak Slovakia, is 7.4 inches long and lives in Slovakia. Extremely tiny dogs are known for their frail health, so we hope others won't be trying for this dubious record. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

PET Rx

Cats, dogs need blood donors just as people do

Every day, sick or injured pets require blood transfusions as part of their treatment. That blood comes from feline and canine blood donors.

The use of blood products for treating sick and injured pets has increased so dramatically that there is a growing shortage of canine and feline blood. Several commercial blood banks have opened in response to this need, and many veterinary practices, schools and colleges have developed their own blood banks.

The donated blood is used in the same way that blood is used in human medical facilities: as whole blood, plasma and packed red cells. The blood is collected in sterile plastic bags and is handled and stored in the same way as human blood.

Cats and dogs don't get to volunteer for duty, but the ones who do give are generally pretty mellow about it. To be considered, they must be healthy adults, current on vaccinations, with no health problems and no medications. They may be given a mild sedative for the blood draw, and they can donate usually every three months.

Many serve as in-house donors for a while and are then placed into loving homes. -- Dr. Marty Becker

BY THE NUMBERS

Big dogs have the edge

Although small dogs seem all the rage these days, canine popularity isn't influenced much by size. According to the American Pet Products Association, dog lovers like their pets no matter the size (multiple answers allowed):

Own small dogs 43 percent

Own medium dogs 34 percent

Own large dogs 44 percent

THE SCOOP

For felines, up is faster than down

The structure of a cat's paw and claws is one reason these animals have such an easy time going up a tree but such a difficult time coming back down.

A cat's paws have claws curved for fast forward motion, which makes rapid ascent easy for the average cat -- grab higher with the front claws, kick higher with the back, and repeat.

Not so easy coming back down, which at best is an ungraceful maneuver of (hopefully) short falls, with a safe but embarrassed landing at the end.

Most cats do find their way back down in time, 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. -- Gina Spadafori

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

Universal Press Syndicate

The No. 1 behavior problem reported to veterinarians when it comes to cats? Missing the litter box, by far.

But don't blame the cat.

If your cat is hit or miss where the litter box is concerned, chances are the choices you've made factor into the problem. After all, your cat really isn't asking for anything more than you would when it comes to a bathroom. All that's required for most cats is that the bathroom be clean, quiet and offer no surprises.

That sounds simple, but the failure to use a litter box sends countless cats outside or to shelters every year. Before you even consider such a drastic step, you need to try to work things out with your cat if you have a litter box problem.

The first step in solving such a problem is to make sure it's not a medical condition -- and that means a trip to your veterinarian for a complete workup. Urinary tract infections and diseases such as diabetes make consistent litter box use impossible for even the most well-intentioned cat. You cannot hope to get your cat using the box again until any health issues have been resolved.

If your cat checks out fine, you need to start working to make sure that everything about the box is to your cat's liking. The second rule of solving a litter box problem: If the cat isn't happy, no one will be happy. Here's what to look for.

-- Cleanliness. Cats are fastidious animals, and if the litter box is dirty, they'll look elsewhere for a place to go. Clean the box frequently -- twice a day at least -- and make sure it's completely scrubbed clean and aired out on a weekly basis. Having an additional litter box may help, too. (Multiple litter boxes are recommended for multicat households, since many cats simply will not share.)

-- Box type and filler. Many choices people make to suit their own tastes conflict with the cat's sense of what's agreeable. A covered box may seem more pleasing to you, but your cat may think it's pretty rank inside or scary. Likewise, scented litters may make you think the box smells fine, but your cat may disagree -- not only is the box dirty, he reasons, but it also has this extra "clean" odor he can't abide. Start with the basics: a large box with unscented, clumping-style litter.

-- Location. Your cat's box should be away from his food and water, in a place he can get to easily and feel safe in. Consider a location from a cat's point of view: Choose a quiet spot where he can see what's coming at him. A cat doesn't want any surprises while he's in the box.

Make the area where your cat has had mistakes less attractive by cleaning it thoroughly with a pet-odor neutralizer (available from pet-supply retailers). Discourage reuse by covering the area with foil, plastic sheeting or plastic carpet runners with the points up.

If changing things around doesn't clear up the problem in a healthy cat, you may need to retrain him by keeping your pet in a small area such as a guest bathroom for a couple of weeks.

Make sure the area you choose has no good options besides the litter box -- no carpet, no pile of dirty laundry. Block off the bathtub or keep an inch of water in it to discourage its use as a place to go. After your cat is reliably using the litter box, let him slowly expand his territory again. As long as you keep up your end of the bargain and keep the litter box clean and safe, you have a good chance the good behavior will become permanent.

If you just can't seem to get the problem resolved, ask your veterinarian for a referral to a veterinary behaviorist. These veterinarians are skilled in behavioral problem-solving and are able to prescribe medications that may make the difference during the retraining period.

Q&A

Agility can be fun for dogs of all ages

Q: I have a question concerning my dog. She's a cattle dog mix, perfect in every way -- love at first sight at the shelter, even though we had wanted a younger dog. She's about 8 years old, they guessed, but very healthy and young-acting.

The only problem: We can't give her enough exercise. She'll play fetch forever, but it's not enough. We took her through obedience class (she rocked!), and the instructors suggested we take an agility class. Looks like fun, but at 8, is Tandy too old? I'd hate for her to get hurt. -- B.W., via e-mail

A: I have never in my life considered acting young to be a fault in an 8-year-old dog! Count your blessings, will you?

I'd take a slightly cautious approach to agility work for Tandy. Ask your veterinarian how he or she would assess the dog's fitness, and make sure she's not overweight so she doesn't stress her joints as she works.

When you start agility training, don't push too hard -- pay close attention and stop when you see your dog tiring. Work on emphasizing "fun" over "competition." That's because in training sessions, you can keep the jumps at levels lower than is required at trials, and spare the wear and tear on your dog's joints.

If you both do really well, though, you might try some limited competition. Top agility dogs in top form compete well into their senior years, and you and your dog may well catch the agility bug.

The bottom line: Proceed with caution, but give it a chance. Agility work is a joy for both dogs and humans, and it will go a long way toward keeping you both feeling young. -- Gina Spadafori

Flap up for new door

Q: I recently installed a panel pet door in a sliding-glass door. My cat will not use it. Only once was I successful in tenderly pushing him through it so he could see how it works. Last night, I tried to coach him through it, but his mind was made up that he wasn't going anywhere near the door. I even placed some treats on the other side of the flap, and he still wouldn't budge.

I read that I should first try taping the flap up so he can see that it's an outlet to the patio and then, over time, let the flap down. Do you have any ideas? -- L.H., via e-mail

A: The easiest way for an animal to learn to use a pet door is to have another pet who's already using it. But since that's not an option for you, you'll now have to start over with the training.

Start by taping the flap securely out of the way, or by removing it completely for the time being. If you are going to tape it up, be sure you use enough tape to keep the flap from falling down. If your cat gets hit in the nose, the training will take even longer.

Next, every time your cat wants to go out, let yourself out the sliding-glass door and close it behind you. Then call your cat, while kneeling on the other side of the flapless cat door and coaxing him with praise and treats. Chances are your cat will look through the wide-open door and come right on through. Never open the sliding-glass door to let your cat out. From now on, go out without him and make the cat door the only way out.

After he's going in and out with confidence, set the flap halfway up so he can still see through opening. Once that's working, you can put the flap all the way down. -- Gina Spadafori

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

PET BUZZ

Parrots like those who sound like them

-- Parrots are attracted to the sound of their own voice, or at least one similar. A study by the University of California, Irvine, found that female budgerigars prefer mates who sound like themselves. Although the parrots have an ability to imitate other voices, which is often used in the mating process where the male learns to sound like the female, the study shows that female parrots are most attracted to the male if he naturally sounds like her at their first meeting, before any imitation is done. The findings also highlighted the greater help males will give to nesting females if her sound is similar to his.

-- Boston Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon kept the ball he threw for the last out in the 2007 World Series. Unfortunately, reports Esquire magazine, his beloved French bulldog, Boss, got a hold of the ball and chewed it up.

-- A growing number of families are choosing unusual animals as pets, but some of these uncommon critters harbor illnesses that can be passed on to people. Turtles, chicks and mice may be carriers of bacteria and viruses such as salmonella and herpes, reports the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). "Nontraditional pets can introduce kids to new germs that their immune systems aren't prepared to fight," says Dr. Robert Frenck, a professor at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and a member of the AAP committee on infectious diseases. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars," and a monthly drawing for more than $1,000 in pet-care prizes. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

PET Rx

Do you know when to head to the vet?

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

It's always 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. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

BY THE NUMBERS

It's all about the love

According to a survey by the American Pet Products Association, here are the top reasons why dog lovers enjoy having a canine companion (more than one response allowed):

Source of affection 89 percent

Feel safe in home 83 percent

Beneficial to health 78 percent

Helps me relax 77 percent

PETS ON THE WEB

Don't overlook rats when choosing a pet

Healthy, well-socialized rats can make lively, entertaining pets. And they're easy to train to do tricks.

Still, many people would never consider these as pets because rats have a bad reputation. But healthy pet rats are not street rats. With basic husbandry and an easy-clean housing setup, they are clean and friendly.

If you're open-minded enough to own a rat, check out the Rat and Mouse Club of America's Web site (www.rcma.org). The site packs in a great deal of good information, with plenty of reasons to keep a rat (or more than one, because they get lonely), as well as all the tips you need to care for these pets properly.

Rats are recommended for older children rather than preschoolers, and be sure as with all pets that children practice good hygiene habits with their pets, including frequent hand-washing. -- Gina Spadafori

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

Universal Press Syndicate

Our dogs love spring and summer -- longer days, less inclement weather -- but they always seem a little disappointed when they realize they're not going to be getting as many rides in the car.

That's because in the winter there's not much risk to letting a well-mannered dog wait in the car during a quick pop inside the bank, drugstore or any number of local businesses that make up a morning's errand run.

But when the days get warmer, it's no longer acceptable to leave a dog in the car, even for a few minutes, even with the windows down. That's because the heat can build up quickly, even on a day that's just pleasantly warm, putting any pet in the car at grave risk for heatstroke.

Car rides and errands aren't the only risks to pets in warmer weather. Take care of your pets by watching out for these fair-weather hazards:

-- Heat risks. Cats have enough sense to nap on warm afternoons, but dogs do not. If you let them, they'll go where you do, even if it's too hot. Dogs are not good at keeping themselves cool, and they rely on us to keep them out of trouble.

Limit exercise to the coolest part of the day, no matter how happy your dog is to participate when it's warm. Even in the coolest part of the day, watch for signs of trouble: Glassy eyes and frantic panting indicate a dog who needs immediate veterinary help.

Remember that older, obese or short-nosed dogs are less heat-tolerant and that all dogs need constant access to shade and an endless supply of cool, clean water. 

-- Gardening risks. Protect your pets from poisonous plants, troublesome garden materials or yard chemicals. Check with the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (www.aspca.org/apcc) to be sure your plants are pet-safe, and put any ones that aren't safe on the other side of a fence from your animals.

Be sure to use any pesticides or fertilizers according to label directions, and let lawn chemicals dry before allowing your pet access to the yard. Snail and rodent bait can kill pets, so do not use it in areas where animals have access.

-- Other outdoor problems. If you hike through open fields or wooded areas, be sure to check your dog afterward for foxtails and burrs. The spiky seed carrier of dried grasses, a foxtail, will burrow deep into the ears or flesh of an animal, and it will need to be removed by a veterinarian if it gets in a place your pet can't reach or is left to fester. Depending on where it ends up, it can even be fatal.

Warmer weather also means mosquitoes, and that means heartworms.

Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes, which pick up the microscopic heartworm larvae called microfilaria when they draw blood from an infected animal. They share the parasites when they bite another animal. Once in a new host, the larvae make their way to the heart, where they grow to be 9 to 14 inches long, blocking the flow of blood and causing severe damage and possibly death.

Most infested pets are brought to the veterinarian after their owners notice them coughing at night, coughing after exercise, or experiencing a general decline in their physical condition. By the time the symptoms are noticed, however, a great deal of damage has usually been done, not only to the heart, but also to other organs such as the kidneys, which rely on a steady flow of blood to operate.

Because of the risk and expense of treating a heartworm infestation, preventive care remains an essential part of a pet's well-being. Monthly heartworm prevention has been shown to be safe and effective for most pets. Don't ignore this essential protection: Talk to your veterinarian about heartworm preventives for dogs and cats.

PET BUY

Kits make artists out of your pets

We're now looking for gallery space for a pair of Pugcassos, otherwise known as our two pugs, Willy and Bruce, who recently completed three paintings using the Pup-Casso kit.

Pup-Casso's no-mess and non-toxic paint kit gave me a keepsake of my pugs' artistic skills that I can forever hang on my walls, and also provided bonding time for my husband and me to share with our pugs as we all four worked together to create the perfect painting.

The kit was extremely easy to use and came with a paint set of five colors, three art papers, three paw protectors (plastic sheets to sit over the top of the painting for the dog to walk across), a picture frame, and a small present for your dog (a yellow Frisbee with the Pup-Casso logo on it.)

To begin, paint colors are dotted and swirled around the paper by the dog owner, and then covered over by a clear plastic sheet, which is taped down to keep it from sliding. Treats are an important coaxing tool in the process because your dog is then guided back and forth across the plastic sheet over the paper to swirl and step into the paint, thus creating his own unique creation.

Two of our paintings were done in "Picasso" style with random swirls of color. But my husband, wanting to unleash his never-before-discovered "talent," decided to paint a picture of a dog on the grass with a sun on the top and had the dogs step over the top of it, with the final result looking much like a cheery preschool art project.

The kit's ease of use was exceptional. The directions were simple and easy to follow, there was very little cleanup needed, and we now have three keepsake paintings to always remember our time together as a family (our snorting pugs included, or course).

The only downside was the lack of a paintbrush, which made writing our signatures extremely difficult, as fingers to sign were too thick to be legible. In the end, we made due with the end of a pen as a makeshift paintbrush to memorialize all four of our names on our work of art. The paint kit also comes in a Cat-Casso variety, for all of the catty artists hoping to gain fame as well. Pup-Casso and Cat-Casso ($20 for either) are available from pet-supply retailers or from Art-Casso.com. -- Mikkel Becker Shannon

PET BUZZ

Prospects better for pets with cancer

-- Powerful new tools to treat cancer in animals are here, or on the near horizon, reports Veterinary Practice News. These include two new therapies that target canine mast cell tumors at the molecular level (from Pfizer and AB Science USA) and immunotherapy for melanoma (Merial). "Rather than use chemicals to kill the cancer or radiation to fry it, we can use our knowledge of cancer to outsmart it," notes cancer specialist Dr. Greg Ogilvie, director of the Angel Care Cancer Center at California Veterinary Specialties in Carlsbad, Calif.

-- This year marks the 125th anniversary of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia. Among the school's most well-known patients: the Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, who ultimately lost his battle for life after shattering a leg in the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of racing's storied Triple Crown. The work to save Barbaro at UPenn has led to better safety on racetracks and better care for all horses.

-- Kitten season is no myth, and proof lies in the writhing bundles of kittens in animal shelters this time of year. The feline reproductive season runs from Dec. 21 (winter solstice) to Sept. 22 (autumnal equinox). Like Mother Nature's light-switch, the amount of daylight turns the cat's reproductive cycles on and off. That means in December, unspayed females are stimulated to come into heat, and usually they will be by the middle of January. A 60-day pregnancy means that cats will give birth around March 15 or so. The first wave of kitty litters will come to shelters shortly thereafter. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars," and a monthly drawing for more than $1,000 in pet-care prizes. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

THE SCOOP

Quick removal of ticks a seasonal must

Don't tolerate ticks: Prevent those you can and immediately remove those you find.

Tick prevention in pets means topical treatments, typically spot-ons available by prescription from your veterinarian (or from retailers with a prescription from your veterinarian). Talk to your pet's health-care provider about which product suits your animal best. In some areas, ticks may respond better to one product than another. In areas with heavy tick infestations, additional protection may entail the use of a tick collar. Again, talk to your vet.

Whenever you've had your dog out in an area with ticks -- and that could even be a green city park -- you need to go over your dog carefully to hand-pick any pests that hopped a ride. Don't wait for the preventives to kill them. Feel for tiny lumps and part the fur to get a good look at the skin.

When you've located a tick, don't use methods you may have heard of, such as applying alcohol, petroleum jelly or the tip of a hot match to remove them. They don't work. Instead, choose a direct method: Either use a tool to pull them off, or protect your fingers with a thin glove.

For tools, a curved-tip jeweler's forceps ($25 to $50) is probably the best, and well worth searching out and keeping on hand if you live in an area with lots of ticks, especially small ticks. Various tools with slots that fit under the parasite -- such as the Ticked Off spoon ($5.50 from retailers) -- also work well.

Start your tick hunt with a little bowl of isopropyl alcohol at hand. No matter if you're using a tool or your gloved fingers, get ahold of the tick close to where the mouth is attached to your pet and apply steady, even pressure to remove the pest -- no twisting required. Once out, flick the tick into the alcohol to kill it and then dispose of the dead ticks at once.

Use a mild disinfectant on the de-ticked areas, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water when you're done clearing all the pests from your pet. Keep an eye on where the ticks had been embedded for any sign of infection, and contact your veterinarian if you have any concerns. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

BY THE NUMBERS

Experience matters in pet care

If it seems that you've always had a dog or cat, you're probably typical. In responses to surveys about how long pet owners have kept pets, those with dogs or cats had more experience in caring for animal companions than did those with other pets:

Dogs: 19 years

Cats: 17 years

Birds: 10 years

Freshwater fish: 8 years

Saltwater fish: 5.5 years

Reptiles: 3 years

Small animals: 1.8 years

Source: American Pet Products Association

PET TIP

Yes, cats can be hurt falling from windows

Cats are equipped with the amazing ability to right themselves in midair if they fall while hunting, rotating their bodies from the head back like a coil to align themselves for a perfect four-paw landing.

But what works for a supple small animal falling from a tree branch doesn't cut it in the modern world, where a cat's more likely to fall from a window than a tree. Cats can be badly hurt or even killed falling from the window of a two-story home, or from the balcony of a third-story apartment.

Many cat lovers assume their pets would be smart enough to be careful when up high enough for injuries, but it's just not in an animal's ability to make that kind of judgment call. Cats are comfortable in high places, and they cannot understand the difference in risk between a one-story fall and a six-story fall. Protect them with secure screens and closed windows. -- Gina Spadafori

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.