HELOISE Cat's nails can be clipped by owner

Dear Readers: Kat Dyer of Nashville, Tenn., wrote in about the problem of cats scratching furniture. This is what she said: "I've lived with cats for my entire life and kept cats in my home for 14 years now. One thing you can do is learn to trim your cat's nails yourself. You need not buy one of those fancy nail trimmers -- a human toenail trimmer will do the job just fine. If you start when the cat is a kitten, your pet will get used to it quickly, but if the cat is nervous, feel free to wrap it in a towel.
"Spread the cat's toes by pressing lightly on the pad of the paw. Be sure to clip only the tip of the nail ... look at the nail and you will see that the tip is clear and that it becomes pink as it gets closer to the paw. Do not clip the pink area."
Kat's right! You can definitely see the pink area. Clipping the nails will significantly help prevent fabric tears. This might be a two-person job, however! Heloise
Dear Readers: Loretta Miller has an adorable black Lab mix, Mandy. The photo she sent shows Mandy with Minnie Mouse ears. They look so natural on her.
Mandy was dumped in Loretta's yard when she was about 2 months old. She just turned 14 and has earned obedience, agility and even shepherding titles and is now enjoying her retirement as she rules the household and keeps the other four dogs in line.
Visit my Web page, www.Heloise.com, to see cute Mandy. Send your unusual, fun photo to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279. Heloise
FYI: With winter right around the corner, let's remember our feathered friends. Keep bird feeders full, as well as birdbaths. Water is just as important in the winter as the summer, not just for drinking, but for cleaning and preening.
According to the National Bird-Feeding Society, birds' feathers have to be clean to work efficiently -- it's what keeps them warm on cold winter days and nights.
For people living in areas with below-freezing temperatures, you can buy a water warmer. It keeps a small amount of water at a comfortable level. (Check stores that carry birdseed and bird supplies.)
Also, keeping bird feeders and birdbaths in sheltered areas will help draw many different types of birds to your yard. Happy bird-watching! Heloise
Dear Heloise: If you are going away for any amount of time and hiring a pet sitter or even having a friend or neighbor in to take care of your pets, color-code all items to make it easy for them to identify what item belongs to which pet.
You can put color stickers on them or use markers. Mark the collars in different colors, and then match their medicine-bottle caps, bowls, etc., with their "personal" color. Sure makes it easy to distinguish one from the other. L.S., Via E-mail
XSend a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, Fax: (210) HELOISE or E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate