Saturday, December 26, 2009
Dear Heloise: When we adopted our two cats several years ago, their meowing gave me a headache, so I named them Advil (Addy) and Motrin (Mo)! Karen S., Colorado Springs, Colo.
Here are some other reader pet names:
•H.G. of Staten Island, N.Y., says: “My cat is named Hankie. He was named that because a previous boyfriend gave him to me as a gift. He is a sweet young cat. I call him Hankie because of all the tears I’ve shed over losing the relationship.”
•Jerrye K. of Weatherford, Texas, says: “My great-grandsons have a little Chihuahua named Chili. The dog had stayed with me for several days while the family was moving. One cold afternoon, I decided to make a big pot of chili for dinner. The dad and boys dropped by, and I asked if they wanted to stay for dinner. Dad asked what I was having, and not thinking, I replied, ‘Chili.’ The boys’ mouths dropped open, and tears filled their eyes as they thought I had cooked their pet. They were relieved when the little dog jumped up on the door and surprised them.”
•Susi Martinsen of Naples, Fla., says: “We have a menagerie of animals with mostly holiday names. It started with the dog that we got three days before Christmas. We named her Christmas Carol [Krissy]. Next came Sandy Claws the hamster, Snowball the umbrella cockatoo, Mistletoe [Missy] the Labrador retriever and Jingle Bells [Jingles] the cat. And they all get along well!” Heloise
Dear Readers: Judith Weinstein of Flemington, N.J., sent in a photo of her half Siamese cat, Punim, lying comfortably on a blanket inside “her” wooden doghouse.
To see Punim, visit www.Heloise.com. Heloise
Dear Heloise: We recently adopted a shelter dog, Dusty. He actually adopted me when I was volunteering at the shelter.
His vet examination showed conditions that required daily pills. Other dogs we have had took the pills with peanut butter and bread. I tried this, and no dice — Dusty wasn’t going to take the bait.
I was frustrated and called the vet’s office. They suggested putting the pills in peanut butter, shoving it into his mouth, closing his snout and blowing into his nose while rubbing his throat. This blowing action causes him to swallow. Imagine my surprise when this worked.
I don’t know if other people have had this problem, but I thought this hint would help. Pat Z., Warren, Ohio
Dear Heloise: I have read different letters from readers about what they use for their dog’s bed. I have found that a crib mattress works great. It keeps its shape better than the purchased dog beds. It can be covered with a crib sheet (which I bought at a resale shop), and the sheet is easy to keep clean by simply tossing it in the washer. Linda Johnson, via e-mail
SBlt Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate