HELOISE: Fat cats can have health problems

Dear Readers: Overweight cats may look cute and roly-poly, but that extra fat can be dangerous. They can suffer from aching joints, liver problems and diabetes, just to mention a few repercussions.

How to tell if your cat is fat? Can you feel the spine and ribs? If you can’t, your cat is probably overweight.

Losing weight can involve increasing the cat’s activity level while maintaining the same calorie intake.

Talk to your veterinarian about weight management. You may need to change some of your habits, too! A lot of cat treats, for example, can pack on the ounces.

Also important? Feeding the cat several small meals per day, and increasing play and exercise time. Monitor the cat if he is a hunter; this could add on extra calories, too.

After time, you should notice an improvement in the cat’s health and general well-being. If not, please work with your veterinarian to keep your four-pawed furry friend in good health.

Heloise

Dear Readers: Gloria Hentzler of Prescott, Ariz., sent a photo of her 8-year-old poodle, Coco, who is ready for Christmas, wearing a red-and-white hat and cloak. To see Coco, visit www.Heloise.com.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: The problem of my dogs digging in the yard had gotten bad. For every hole I filled, they would dig up another. So I sprinkled some red-pepper flakes around the hole and into the dirt I shoveled back in. It’s still a game, but I’m winning. No more digging!

R.B. in West Virginia

Dear Heloise: I have a little Chihuahua named Peso who sleeps in his dog bed. I put an extra blanket on the bed so he stays warm, and he likes to burrow under the covers.

To make his bed warm, I put the blanket in the dryer for a few minutes. When I place it on the bed, Peso comes running and immediately goes under cover for the night!

Keralyn R., Colorado Springs, Colo.

Dear Heloise: I have a betta fish in a fishbowl and try to keep the bowl clean. When I clean it, I take Homer out and put him into another container with a little bit of the water from the tank to keep him from getting temperature “shocked” since I keep him in the same water.

I then clean the bowl and any gravel, plants, etc., with water only. Then I put everything back in the bowl, fill with water, and Homer’s back in!

Kasey Ann in Utah

Dear Heloise: To keep your pets on track with their vaccinations, keep a dedicated calendar to write down their medical histories, or create a document on the computer to chart their vaccination schedules.

A Reader, via fax

Dear Readers: A way to reuse the colorful Sunday comics? As a liner underneath pet dishes. The paper is absorbent, but change it as needed.

Heloise

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate