You worry about your job. You turn on the TV and the news is upsetting. Your spouse is distant, and your kids are into their social networks. Whom do you turn to? If you're like most Americans, you'll be talking to your pet. And you won't much mind doing so, either.

And when I say "most Americans," I'm not exaggerating. Last month in Orlando at Global Pet Expo, Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Association, revealed the trade group's annual snapshot of the pet care industry, as well as the executive summary of the association's special two-year in-depth overview of who has pets, what kind, what they spend on them and why.

How many of us are there? Pet ownership is at an all-time high of 72.9 million households -- up 2.1 percent since the last survey two years ago -- and in those households, the number and variety of pets has also increased. Not surprising, that means the amount of money spent on these companion animals has barely hiccupped during the Great Recession, and is predicted to top $50 billion this year. For perspective, the amount of money spent on pets tops that spent on jewelry, candy and hardware, combined, and overall is the eighth-largest retail sector.

"I'm constantly amazed at the resilience of this industry," said Vetere in releasing the APPA figures. "Not only did we weather the recession very well, but we're poised to take advantage of the recovery."

While Vetere is speaking of the pet industry as a whole, it's clear from any time spent on the trade floor that not only have consumers been spending relatively freely on pets, but corporations have, too. The rate of acquisitions of small companies and hot product lines by big international players has been staggering. These companies are now squaring off like the superpowers they are, ready to compete tooth and claw against each other, both within the larger retail sector and in the pet care section. For example, the APPA press conference was followed by the product release of Fiproguard Plus, the Sergeant's Pet Care product that the company says has the same active ingredients as Frontline Plus made by pharmaceutical giant Merial. The difference? Fiproguard and other products will be sold directly to the consumer through retail outlets, not to pet owners through veterinarians.

The Sergeant's product will be competitively priced, of course, and that was the other underlying theme of the trade show. While you could still spot pricey bling here and there, such products were relatively rare compared to years past, and even the "silly stuff" is designed to be appealing in price as well as cuteness.

Aggressive pricing is what everyone's betting will lead the industry to another record-breaking year, as recession-battered consumers ease their way into the purchase of nonessentials with small buys that make them as happy as their pets do.

"Their pets were a rock after a horrible day," notes Vetere. "And now, people are wanting to reward their pets."

And that's what this industry is counting on.

Q&A

Model good behavior

for kids with pets

Q: Any advice about cats for a family with three children from preschool to fourth grade? We're adopting a shelter cat -- our first "big" pet after success with hamsters and guinea pigs -- but we don't want anyone bitten or scratched.

A: Children and cats are natural together, but you need to lay some ground rules for the safety of both from the moment your new pet comes home. Kittens can be injured by the loving attention of children, especially young ones. And with about a half-million cat bites reported every year in the United States, you can clearly see that some cats give as good as they get.

The key to keeping children and cats together safely is to make sure that their interactions are supervised and to teach children how to handle and respect cats.

Toddlers can really try a cat's patience, even though they aren't being anything but normal. Young children can't understand that rough poking, squeezing and patting aren't appreciated. Although most cats figure out quickly that children this age are best avoided, your child could be bitten or scratched if your cat is cornered or startled. Keep an eye on all interactions, and consider putting a baby gate across the entry to a "safe room" for your cat, so he can have a place to go where he isn't pestered.

From the time a child is in school, he or she can start learning to care for a pet and take on an increasing amount of responsibility -- under supervision, of course. One way to teach younger school-aged children to play carefully is to play the "copycat game." If your child pets the cat gently, stroke his arm gently to show how nice it feels. Teach your children, too, how to hold a cat properly, with support under his chest and his legs not left dangling. A cat who feels secure and safe is far less likely to scratch or bite.– Gina Spadafori

THE BUZZ

Poll: Breed matters

less than training

-- Most people believe that training, not breeding, makes a dog either safe or dangerous. A poll by The Associated Press and Petside.com supports the idea that dangerous dog legislation should target all problem dogs, not just breeds believed by some to be a problem. About three-quarters of respondents believed all dog breeds are safe if properly trained, and 60 percent said all breeds should be allowed in residential communities. Only 38 percent believed breed-specific bans were appropriate. As for pit bull terriers, the No. 1 dog target by breed-specific legislation, age plays a large part in how the dogs are viewed: 76 percent of those under 30 believe pit bulls are safe, while only 37 percent of seniors believed the same.

-- The nation's first animal trauma center has been launched by the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota. The center will be used to help the school's veterinary hospital track how its staff handles cases and drive improvement in care. The new center is working with five other universities around the country to develop other trauma centers that should be able to share information in the future.

-- U.S. News and World Report named the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell as the nation's top veterinary program, followed by the programs at the University of California, Davis, and Colorado State University. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

Toys are essential to maintaining the physical and mental well-being of parrots large and small. Playthings help keep pet birds fit, while also fighting the boredom that can contribute to behavioral problems such as feather-picking.

There are toys your bird can hold, toys that hang from the top and sides of the cage, and toys that do double duty as perches and swings. Twirlies, holdies, chewies, puzzles and noisemakers can all keep your bird occupied. Although you can buy toys by major manufacturers from the big chain stores, it's also nice to choose from the variety of playthings lovingly made by a cottage industry of bird lovers that are available from independent bird shops, through catalogs and on the Internet.

Some basic rules apply when shopping for toys to ensure they are suitable and safe for your bird. Look for the following when choosing bird toys:

-- Materials: Toys are subject to your bird's healthy urge to destroy, which means safe components are a must. Wood, rawhide, plastic or stainless-steel chain, rope, cloth and hard plastic are among the more popular materials that make up safe toys. Choose toys that break down into pieces that can't be swallowed. An exception: Toys made to hold food items, such as dried corncobs or fruit chunks. With these, eating is a large part of the fun.

-- Construction: Challenging toys, the best choice for busy birds, feature pieces combined in ways that make it hard for the birds to pull the whole product apart -- but not too hard. Indestructible toys are not appropriate for most birds, because the time and energy used to rip apart the gadget is part of the reason toys fill such a need.

-- Size: Little toys for little birds; big toys for big birds. A big bird can catch and lose a toe in a toy made for a smaller bird, and small birds can get their heads trapped in toys made for their larger relatives.

Some birds are apprehensive of new toys. If yours is one of them, try to set the toy outside the cage (but within eye range) for a day or two, and then put it on the floor of the cage for another day or two. Once your bird starts to play with the toy, you can go ahead and attach it to the cage. (Stainless-steel split-ring key chains, available at any hardware store, are a safe, secure and inexpensive way to attach toys to cage bars.)

Don't overwhelm your pet with toys. Instead, keep two or three in the cage and rotate new ones in regularly. Shopping for bird toys can be fun, but the costs do add up, especially if you have one of those gleefully destructive parrots. With some creativity you can make your money go further by complementing store-bought bird toys with alternatives.

The cardboard cores of toilet-paper and paper-towel rolls are perfect for shredding, especially for smaller birds. String those tubes together on a thick leather cord and hang them in your bird's cage. Other cheapies include ballpoint pens with the ink tubes removed, Ping-Pong balls, old plastic measuring cups and spoons, and plastic bottle tops. (Wash in hot soap and water, rinse well and air-dry before offering such items to your bird.)

Toothbrushes are another bargain toy -- sturdy and colorful. You can buy cheap ones new or give your pet your worn ones after running them through your dishwasher. (Or hand-washing in soapy water, followed by rinsing and air-drying.) The hard plastic keys on a ring sold for human babies are also a budget-wise buy that birds love, and real keys can be just as fun, after a scrubbing.

Keep your eyes and mind open for playthings your bird can enjoy -- you may surprise yourself with the possibilities!

Q&A

Cats can be difficult

to keep off shelves

Q: I have many pieces of glassware and figurines that I've collected over the years and that are very important to me. After my sweet old cat died early last year, I adopted a kitten. She's much more active than my old cat, and loves to jump up on things, including the shelves with my collectibles. She has already broken one piece, and two more would have been broken except that they fell onto the couch cushions. How can I keep her on the floor? -- via e-mail

A: Practically speaking, you can't keep cats on the ground -- they're designed to leap and climb. And that's certainly true while your new companion is in the crazy kitten stage.

The best you can do is to display your treasures in ways that keep them safe or, at least, safer. You might consider moving your collections to a single room and keeping the door closed when you're not around to supervise. Glass-fronted bookcases are another option for keeping collectibles and cats apart. For objects that don't need to be on a shelf, consider hanging them on a wall for display.

Although it's probably best to keep your most valuable pieces where your cat can't get to them, other objects can be made safer from the wanderings of active cats. Two products that will help: Quake Hold or Museum Gel -- two putties that seal objects to their display surfaces. If you can't find them at your home supply store, check out catalog and Internet retailers. -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

Veterinary visits fall

because of economy

-- Do pets need vets? The struggling economy has people cutting back on many things, including regular veterinary care. A study presented at the North American Veterinary Conference shows that 63 percent of dog owners and 68 percent of cat owners are questioning the need for regular veterinary care. The study, funded by Bayer Animal Health, also showed that older pets see the veterinarian less often than younger pets. When pet owners do go to the veterinarian, they report finding veterinary expenses to be higher than they expected.

-- A recent report suggests that a dog can help fight a sedentary lifestyle. Researchers at the University of Virginia found that having a family dog can help keep teens more active. Teens in dog-owning families did about 15 minutes of additional moderate to vigorous activity per week. Although children and adolescents may not have primary responsibility for walks, they are more active in general when it comes to playing with the dog.

-- Xylitol, a widely used sugar substitute for human consumption, is increasing the risk of poisoning for dogs. The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center reports more cases of Xylitol poisoning in dogs as the sweetener grows more popular. The APCC also notes that few people are aware of the risk, and are less careful to keep candies and gums sweetened with the product in places where their pets can't get them. Especially vulnerable are small dogs: Even a small dose of Xylitol can send a canine into hypoglycemic-induced seizures and fatal liver failure. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

By Dr. Tony Johnson

I'm the guy you don't want to meet in the middle of the night. No, I am not a mugger, a thief or a cat burglar -- I am an emergency veterinarian.

Most of my interactions with pet owners end with something like "Nice to meet you, thanks for helping Fluffy, and I hope I never see you again." Not because I lack social skills or have a crummy bedside manner (I hope not, anyway), but because emergency room visits are rarely pleasant for man or beast.

Avoiding me -- at least professionally -- is the best option, but you need to be prepared in any case.

By far the biggest issue in emergency medicine is cost. Medical expenses for emergency room visits can run into the thousands of dollars. (The highest veterinary bill I have ever seen was around $22,000.) That the cost is a tiny fraction of a similar visit to the human ER isn't that consoling when you're having to scramble for the money.

Pet insurance for pets is now a reality, and there are several companies competing for your business. Even with insurance, you should set aside money every month for the unexpected. Insurance typically refunds a portion of your bill, which means you still have to pay up front at the ER.

Here's what else you need to know:

-- Be prepared. You can turn the odds in your favor by being prepared for the unexpected. There's a good chance an emergency will happen: Most pets will make at least one trip to the veterinary ER during their lifetime, so it is best to know where your local ER is located before the need arises.

When you go out of town, make sure your pet sitter knows how to contact you, knows your pet's medications and knows how far you would like to go with regard to your pet's care. A letter giving them treatment authorization will also go a long way toward making the whole experience go smoothly.

-- Practice preventive and protective medicine. Vaccines and spay/neuter decisions are hot topics right now. From an ER perspective, though, there are a few points that everyone should follow:

1. If you have a dog less than two years of age, get him vaccinated against parvovirus. Most cases of parvovirus are preventable, and can cost upward of $2,000 to treat, whether your dog survives or not (and many don't).

2. See your veterinarian at least once a year for a physical and lab tests. Diagnostic tests can help spot problems before they develop, and they become more important as your pet ages. If you have a set of several years' worth of normal lab tests, you will also have a baseline "normal" to refer to if problems arise.

3. Pay attention to your pet's weight, eating and drinking habits. Just a few extra pounds can rob your dog of years of good life! Conversely, unexplained weight loss can be a symptom of something bad brewing. If your pet starts drinking more water or urinating more, this could be a sign of several conditions, such as diabetes, particularly in middle-aged cats.

4. Use a leash, keep cats indoors and dogs fenced in. Keep tight control on your dog at all times (even the best trained dogs can dash into traffic when seeing their sworn archenemy -- the squirrel). And an indoor cat is far more likely to live late into his teens than an outdoor cat.

5. Pet-proof your home. Dogs and cats explore everything and assume the world is edible unless proven otherwise. Keeping medications and poisons where pets can't reach them is a cheap and easy way to make sure we never get acquainted.

With a little bit of planning, a little bit of luck and a little bit of preparation, you can minimize the chance that we'll meet. Don't worry -- you won't hurt my feelings!

Dr. Tony Johnson is a member of the Pet Connection team and an associate professor of emergency and critical care medicine at the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine.

Q&A

Cat behavior can be

spotted in kittens

Q: What should we look for in kittens? We're getting one later this year, and they're all so cute that it's hard to pick just one. -- via e-mail

A: Checking out kittens involves playing with them, and that's something you can never spend enough time doing.

Before you head for the shelter, block out a big chunk of time and put on some comfortable clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Put some kitten-testing toys in your pocket. A feather is ideal, but you can also use a Ping-Pong ball, a cloth mouse or even a piece of string. (The string must leave when you do, though, since it's not suitable for unsupervised play.)

From the friendlier kittens, choose one to play with first. Lift her out with a reassuring but gentle grip under her belly, and set her down in a secure observation area.

Let her explore her new environment a little while you settle onto the floor, and then, when she's satisfied with her surroundings, chirp at her and tease her with the feather or other toy. She should pursue it eagerly, batting at it and pouncing as she goes, and sitting up on her haunches to swat at it as you tease it overhead. This is all normal behavior for a healthy, outgoing kitten. If yours shows it, she's passed the feather test.

The kitten you want should be neither too shy nor too assertive and active. You're looking for a baby who's comfortable being held, who enjoys your petting and your soothing voice. One who wants nothing but to wriggle free and keep playing -- even if not doing so out of fear -- may grow up into a cat who is too active for you.

Spend a few moments of quiet time with each of your contenders and see how they react to you as an individual and vice versa. Let your heart weigh in a little here, and be receptive to the idea that one of these little fluffballs may be the one who's meant for you.

If you find that too many meet all your criteria, consider adopting two -- or a kitten and an adult cat. Cats enjoy the companionship of others of their own kind. You'll enjoy doubling your feline companionship, too! -- Gina Spadafori

THE BUZZ

Your dog loves you

even if you're nuts

-- Your dog listens to you whether you're crazy or not -- and doesn't care either way. According to research published in the journal Animal Behavior, researchers could find no evidence that dogs can tell the difference between rational and irrational acts, showing that they don't understand if human behaviors make sense or not, and don't notice if a person is acting crazy. But they listen anyway, following behavior cues regardless of whether they make sense.

-- Wild species of felines living in dense vegetation and low light conditions are the most likely to be patterned, usually with irregular and complex patterns that are used as camouflage. Leopards, for example, have adapted to their regional surroundings, developing coloring and patterns that match their particular environment. The researchers at the University of Bristol who authored the study note that the cheetah is a well-known exception to the trend: a patterned cat that lives on open grasslands.

-- Being a more dominant animal has its drawbacks. Dominant male chimpanzees had a higher testosterone level and higher levels of internal parasites, according to a research team from Indiana and Yale universities. The study suggests either that elevated testosterone levels in males reduce their ability to fight infection, or that the behavioral aspect of increased contact with a greater number of animals puts them at greater risk. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.