It's a New Year's tradition around my home, one that has outlived three generations of pets but still works to help ensure the safety of the animals I live with now.

No, not resolutions, although I make those, too -- vowing, among other things, to exercise the dogs more, take more time for their training and do more for animals who are not as lucky as mine are.

The tradition I'm talking about is far easier to accomplish. I call the pets over and check their necks.

I always do my "neck checks" around the first of the year. It's easy to remember that way, especially for me, a person who has a hard time remembering much of anything when it comes to appointments: heartworm and flea medications on the first of the month, neck checks the first of the year, annual exams on each pet's birthday. (Any variation and I'm hopelessly lost!)

The neck check is easy, taking a few minutes to look for wear and fit on the collars, and legibility on the tags.

Consider the collar first. A properly fitted collar is important, but so is the right type. For dogs, a buckled or snap-together collar made of leather or nylon webbing is the best choice, and the proper fit is comfortably close but not too snug. Make sure your dog's not wearing a "choke" or prong collar for everyday use. These pose a potentially deadly hazard if left on an unsupervised dog.

When it comes to cat collars, some people fear their pet will get snagged while roaming and die. Other people argue that their cats stay indoors and so never need a collar. But if your pet has ever slipped out, or might, you ought to reconsider a collar and tag. As for cats being caught by their collars, this is resolved by the simple piece of elastic in most cat collars that enables the pet to slip free of the collar in a pinch.

If you have the right kind of collar on your pet, look at the holes and the fasteners. The collar is weakest at these spots, so if you see signs of excessive wear or strain, you'll need to replace the collar soon.

As for those tags, they need checking, too. A license is great, but since many lost pets are picked up by people in the neighborhood, it's a good idea to supplement the license with an ID tag that has a couple of phone numbers -- your home, mobile and the number of a friend or relative. Check to make sure the information is current and legible, and if not, order a new tag. I never put the pet's name or my address on the tags. Instead, my pets' tags say "REWARD!" with a collection of phone numbers. I want to get the point across that I want my pets back quickly.

Don't delay in fixing any problems you find with your pet's neck check. Issues with collars and tags are easy to fix, and these items are the cheapest insurance you can buy against loss or accidents. And if your pet isn't microchipped, add that to your to-do list. Animals given up as lost forever have been reunited with their families because of this technology.

Video bonus: Watch Pet Connection's Dr. Marty Becker and his daughter, dog-trainer Mikkel Becker, discuss the best -- and worst -- choices for collars on Vetstreet.com (vetstreet.com/learn/choosing-the-right-collar-for-your-pet).

Q&A

Cats need vets

for pain help

Q: Is aspirin safe for cats? -- via email

A: It's most definitely not OK and, in fact, I don't recommend it even for dogs anymore, based on research findings that have linked aspirin use in dogs to gastric ulcers. But though the use of aspirin in dogs has long been common practice -- even if that may be changing -- the use of aspirin in cats has never been recommended.

Cats are very sensitive to pain medications, and that's why veterinarians have long been reluctant to wade into these murky waters, even when faced with cats in chronic pain. With the increase in the keeping of indoor cats, however, many of these pets are living longer, healthier lives -- or they would be if the constant pain of arthritis did not decrease their quality of life. The management of that pain is extremely important, especially in older cats.

But it's not just older cats who benefit. Treating pain doesn't just make the hurting stop: It also promotes healthy healing. Untreated pain slows healing time, interferes with sleep and depresses the immune system. The treatment of pain improves respiration, shortens postsurgical hospitalization and improves mobility.

Can you see why I'm a strong advocate for modern pain management for our pets? Despite the benefits, though, you should never -- let me emphasize that -- (BEGIN ITAL)NEVER(END ITAL) give pain medication to your cat without your veterinarian's guidance. If your veterinarian is reluctant to provide medication and advice on pain control, push for a consultation with a specialist to design a safe, individualized pain-management program for your pet. Veterinary specialists in oncology, surgery and anesthesia are usually most familiar with the wide variety of pain medications available today, as well as their safest use. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Do your homework

before donating

Considering end-of-year donations to charities? Don't forget organizations that help animals.

You don't have to give money to help, though. Shelters can often use items you might be throwing away, such as old newspapers or frayed towels. You might also consider buying large bags of pet food or cat litter and donating those, not only to shelters but also to community food pantries.

What if you do have a little cash to spare? Make sure you agree with the work and the views of any organization that wants your money. And consider this: Groups that don't have the money for direct-mail fundraising campaigns or TV advertising could probably use your donation more than the ones that spend big bucks to get your cash.

In addition to your community's shelter and rescue groups, remember that other organizations could use some support. Some ideas:

-- Health research: The Winn Feline Foundation has funded some of the most important research to advance the health of cats, with results that have saved countless lives. On the dog side, the AKC Health Foundation gives grants for research that's both general and breed-specific.

-- Veterinary schools: Your first thought may be "scholarships" -- and yes, that's one of the many ways a contribution to your nearest school or college of veterinary medicine can help -- but donations can also help pets more directly, and are always needed.

-- Fix-it funds: The American Animal Hospital Association's Helping Pets Fund works through veterinarians to help pets whose owners can't afford care.

-- Therapy animals: Animals help people in more ways than I have room to list here. From programs where dogs help teach children to read to those helping injured veterans get back on their feet by getting on a horse, animal-assisted therapy is always worth supporting. -- Dr. Marty 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 affiliated with Vetsteet.com and 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.

Every year, I make the rounds of pet-industry trade shows and veterinary conferences, and every year I at least glance at thousands of new pet-care products. While a few are truly innovative, many are just variations on a theme as companies work to mimic top sellers as closely as they can without getting sued.

Whether any new product will catch on is anyone's guess, though few will reach the level of those that truly have changed the way we live with our pets.

I recently mentioned five such products for dogs. Now, here's equal time for cats, with a handful of items that have changed the world for cat lovers:

Litter

While the idea of keeping a box inside for cats to use as a potty was around for a while, it never really took off until Edward Lowe happened upon what he called "kitty litter" in 1947. His dad owned a company that made industrial cleanup materials, and when someone asked him to suggest something for a cat box, he filled up a bag of Fuller's Earth, a kind of absorbent clay. When Lowe sold his Kitty Litter company decades later, he was rich beyond his wildest dreams, and cats had become more popular than dogs as pets. Today, more than 80 percent of cat owners have litter boxes in their homes, although clumping litter is used in most of them now, not the material on which Lowe built his company.

Scratching posts/cat trees

Clawing is natural, normal and very satisfying for cats. While cat lovers may understand the normal and natural behavior, they're not on board with the satisfying when then shredded objects include the furniture. No one knows who first came up with the idea of providing cats an approved place to scratch, but the idea was a great one for both cats and people. While scratching posts used to look like DIY fright shows covered in dreadful colors of leftover '70s shag carpet, today it is easy to find cat trees and other related items that keep cats happy and divert attention from the corner of the sofa.

Microchips

Cats are notorious for roaming, even if they have to slip out against an owner's wishes to do it. They're also pretty good at slipping out of their collars, since cat collars are designed to give way if a cat gets caught on something. Problem is, a cat with no ID tag is unlikely to be reunited with her family, and shelter workers sadly note that many "strays" turned in are obviously lost pets.

The microchip betters the odds of a reunion, since most shelters scan lost pets for such ID. The size of a grain of rice and easily implanted at a veterinarian's office or shelter, the microchip is the best insurance you can buy to help your cat come home when lost.

Cat fishing toys

Cats love string, but string can be a problem for cats. Young cats and kittens sometimes swallow string, and that can lead to a crisis that requires surgery. That's why whoever first thought of tying one end of a string to a pole and the other to a cat toy deserves a nod for coming up with what may be the best cat toy ever. You can find all kinds of variations on the cat fishing toy, and you can even make your own. It's all good -- and it keeps your cat busy, you amused and the claws on the end of the string. Runner-up: Laser pointer, and only second because you can't make it on your own.

Catios

While many cats still come and go as they please, owners who let them out do expose them to the risks of being hit by cars, eaten by coyotes, poisoned or trapped by cat-hating neighbors and more. But the inside life isn't perfect, either: Many indoor cats are bored and overweight, and that latter is a problem that leads to some serious health issues. Cat patios, or catios, can help by offering cats some safe outdoor space to enjoy. While these can be purchased ready-made, they're also a pretty easy DIY project that can easily be made from scrap lumber and some inexpensive screening.

That's my list! Feel free to drop me a note with your favorites for cats, dogs or others pets, to petconnection@gmail.com.

Q&A

Bigger box may

keep cat happy

Q: We have what you could call "hit and miss" behavior regarding our cat and the litter box. Sometimes she goes in the box but leaves her mess outside it. And sometimes she doesn't seem to like the litter (we buy what's on sale). Ideas? -- via email

A: If you want your cat to use her litter box, ask her opinion first. If your cat isn't happy, you won't be happy, either.

Start with the filler. Let your cat choose from a litter "buffet." Buy at least four different types of litter. Choose at least one that is the clumping kind -- the No. 1 choice of most cats. If your clumping option is scented, offer an unscented clumping one, too. We may love scented products, but cats generally don't. Fill each box with at least 2 inches of litter, and see which litter she prefers. Donate the rejected brands to a local shelter or rescue group.

I'm also guessing the litter box may be too small. Your cat's litter box should be one and a half to two times as long as your cat's length from nose to tail. That gives her enough space to turn around in the box and dig. If you can't find a box at the pet store that's an appropriate size, a plastic sweater box or an underbed storage box makes a great cat box.

Don't bother with box liners: Scrub the box with a solution of bleach and water regularly, rinse well and allow to air dry. It's always handy to have two boxes, so while one's air-drying, the other is available. Better yet, have three: Two fresh and available for use and another on standby. Some cats are so particular about their boxes that they'll use one for urine and the other for feces. (I actually own one such cat myself!) -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

'Four on the floor'

describes most cats

-- Most cats have five toes on their front paws, but only four of them hit the ground. The fifth toe is called a dewclaw and is found on the inside of the front paw. The dewclaw is the feline equivalent of our thumb, and it's used for grasping prey and climbing trees. A normal feline back paw, by the way, has four toes that are all called into service when walking. Any number of toes over the norm (usually an extra one or two, but occasionally as many as three or four) makes a cat polydactyl, which means "many fingers." Polydactylism is a dominant genetic trait, which means just one polydactyl parent is enough to make a litter of polydactyl kittens. These cats are also called "Hemingway cats," after the ones kept by Ernest Hemingway.

-- Dogs who bite children often have no priors, according to Veterinary Economics magazine, which reported on research from the journal Injury Prevention. In a study of 100 dog bites from 103 dogs presented at a behavior clinic over a four-year period, 20 percent of the dogs had never bitten anyone, and of those who had, 33 percent had never bitten a child before. Researchers think anxiety or pain may play a part in uncharacteristic aggression. Three-quarters of the biters exhibited anxiety when separated from their owners or when exposed to loud noises, such as thunderstorms or fireworks. Half of the biting dogs had medical conditions such as skin or bone growths, eye or liver problems, kidney disease, hormonal conditions or infection.

-- Cats may be the No. 1 pet in the United States in terms of popularity, but dogs rule at the veterinary office. According to the American Veterinary Medical Assoc., dogs average 2.6 veterinary visits per year, while cats top out at 1.7. -- 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 affiliated with Vetsteet.com and 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.

We give cats the time we can spare and the love we can share from our busy schedules, but that's not always enough. Sometimes a furry friend of the feline persuasion helps to fill a cat's day when his people are away.

They can hear the flutter of a flies wings or hear a mouse creeping in a crawl space ... you can't. They can get crazy on catnip together, groom each other with those raspy tongues, chase each other playfully in a game of zoom-around-the-room or just crash on the cat tree with each other while soaking up the sun during a catnap.

One of the many myths about cats is that they prefer to live alone, but that's not necessarily true. When people ask me about getting a second adult cat, I always encourage them to do so.

There will be a period of adjustment, of course. Shelter and colony studies show that it may take up to one year for a new adult cat to be accepted by other cats. But in many cases, if not most, it's worth the effort: Veterinary studies show that when cats have company, both cats are healthier. Animals with buddies are sick less often, require shorter stays when they are hospitalized and live longer.

The friendship usually works best if the cats are of the opposite sex. Two males or two females may each seek to be top cat, even if they are spayed or neutered. Another pairing that works well is an older cat and a younger cat. The presence of a youngster can enliven an adult cat who may have lost some of his spark or put on a little pudge.

The easiest way to go about it is to adopt a pair at once. Bonded pairs are commonly available for adoption, typically littermates raised together. They're often overlooked by people who insist on a single cat, or on kittens, but they're ideal for adopting if you don't already have a cat but are ready to open your home and your heart.

If you already have one cat, though, adopting a bonded pair may not be wise:

Cats seem to get along best in even-numbered groups. When there's an odd cat out, he may get picked on or develop aggression toward the other cats in an attempt to make his way to the top of the tabby totem pole.

Two cats are twice the pleasure, but not twice the effort to care for, especially if you're adopting a pair of healthy, altered adults from a good rescue group or shelter. While most bonded pairs of cats will happily share everything from your bed to the cat tree, one thing many will insist on is not sharing a litter box. To keep your cats from thinking outside the box, have one litter box for each cat, plus one more.

It's well worth the modest extra effort, though. If there's anything better than one loving cat in your home, it a pair of purring pals.

Q&A

Sometimes cats really

are stuck in trees

Q: When cats get "stuck" up a tree are they really stranded? Seems to me if they got up there, they can get themselves back down. -- via email

A: Not easily, they can't. Cat claws are designed to move a cat in a forward direction. And if that direction is up a tree, it's difficult to head back down. The gracefully powerful movement of a cat heading up a tree is counter-balanced by the crashing and (if he's lucky) controlled free-fall he'll use to get down.

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

At our Almost Heaven ranch we have barn cats -- typically, former ferals who just wouldn't be happy inside and aren't comfortable being cuddled. We provide food, shelter and top-notch care, and in return they keep our barn free of vermin.

The deal has gone pretty well over the years, but twice I've had a barn cat stuck up a tree, most likely chased there by a coyote or wolf (we see both up here in Idaho). Both times I've had to help the cats descend: Once by cutting the tree down and more recently by paying for a bucket truck. Both cats survived, although both were pretty hungry when they got back down to earth.

If you do decide to get out a ladder for a cat stuck in a tree, though, be very careful. The chances of you getting seriously hurt while reaching for a scared cat are pretty good. Scared cats aren't safe to handle, even if they're yours, so wear heavy gloves if you are going to attend a rescue.

You may be able to whet his appetite by opening a can of tuna, salmon or mackerel and letting the wonderful fishy smell drift upward. I've had it work more times than not. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Dogs can catch

a yawn from us

-- Yawning is contagious among people, and researchers from the School of Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London have shown for the first time what pet lovers have known all along -- that dogs can also catch our yawns. Researchers said the presence of contagious yawning in dogs suggests that dogs possess the capacity for a rudimentary form of empathy.

-- Not all cats like catnip. The ability to appreciate the herb is genetic, with slightly more cats in the fan club than not. These hard-wired preferences aren't immediately apparent, though, since kittens under the age of three months don't react to catnip at all. Among those cats who do like catnip, you'll find two basic kinds of reactions: Your cat may seem to become a lazy drunk, or a wired-up crazy. Credit a substance called "nepetalactone," which is found in the leaves and stems and causes the mood-altering behavior.

-- Airplanes are increasingly hitting birds, alarming regulators because collisions can cause fatal crashes and damage jets. The number of bird strikes reported to the Federal Aviation Administration has grown every year since 1990, when there were 2,051 strikes. A total of 95,000 bird strikes have been reported to the agency since 1990, and the culprits, in decreasing order, are Canada geese, mourning doves and sparrows. -- 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 affiliated with Vetsteet.com and 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.