HELOISE: Info on cats, lilies helped owner

Dear Heloise: Thank you for getting out the information about lilies (they are poisonous to cats — Heloise) in your recent article. My cat ate lily petals, and I was fortunate to catch her in the act. I took her to the emergency clinic, and they gave her medicine to vomit up the lily. She recovered fully; however, the emergency care was more than $1,000.

Kathy, via e-mail

Thanks for sharing your experience, and I’m glad your cat survived. With Easter coming up, it’s a good reminder for my readers who are owned by cats.

Heloise

Dear Readers: A reader in Texas sent a photo of her 8-year-old dachshund mix, Miles, very comfortable on the couch. He is black with a white chest, and has one ear pointing north! To see Miles, visit www.Heloise.com and click on “Pets.”

Heloise

Dear Heloise: Our animal charity takes in abused dogs and cats that have no home. It is terrible that people lose their homes. Could you print what the animal shelters need? This way, people who can afford to help will know what to give.

A Reader in Ohio

Readers: The things most shelters always need are dog and cat food, dog and cat toys, kitty/puppy milk replacement and cat litter. Call your shelters to see what their specific needs are.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I read the comments from a reader about hints for walking a dog. I would like to take it one step further. I’m a walker (and a previous dog owner), and countless times I encounter “leavings” from dogs on the sidewalk.

Here’s my solution: Since dogs love to go on walks and are intelligent animals, they can be taught to “do it” in their own yard before leaving home. Simply ask your pet if it wants to go for a walk, then take it out in the yard to “do its thing” by giving it the same command every day. Don’t leave for your walk until your pet “does it.” Then, on your walk, if your pet stops to “do it,” simply tell it “no.”

It may take some time, but it will learn that if it wants to go for a walk, it has to “do it” first.

A Walker in Oregon

Dear Heloise: I have an idea to pass on regarding how to get pets used to a new baby. Our daughter and son-in-law did this when their newborn daughter was still in the hospital. Our son-in-law took a receiving blanket and put it on the floor, and one by one the cats went over and inspected it.

When the baby came home, they all came over and sniffed, three walked away, and the fourth sat next to her for a while. None of the cats has ever bothered her.

To get used to the smell before she came home, they also allowed the cats to walk in the baby’s bedroom and inspect everything.

Tricia in Iowa

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