Foil and balloons can help train pet to stay off furniture

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 21, 2004 | by Hints

Dear Heloise: My new little kitten is getting in the habit of scratching my upholstered chair and jumping up on my leather couch and scratching. Getting him declawed is not an option. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to help prevent him from tearing up the house? -- Amy S., via e-mail

Many of our readers have the same problem, and some have had good results with a few things. If you don't have a scratching post, get one or two now and keep them near the furniture he is clawing. It's important to start training while he is young. Put a little toy on the top of the post and show him how to reach up to get it. In no time he will be stretching and scratching.

To keep him off the furniture, try one or both of these: Put balloons or aluminum foil on the seat. Cats hate the feel of foil, and a popping balloon will surely scare him. Good luck! -- Heloise

Dear Readers: Amy Morin of Jackman, Maine, sent a photo of her little dog, Mr. Wilson. The photo looks like he has a great big smile, and his eyes are looking adoringly at each other.

This is one cute pup you don't want to miss. Send your favorite, unusual pet photo to: Heloise/Pet Photo, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279. -- Heloise

Dear Heloise: Birds just love our yard! We have quite a few bird feeders and a couple of birdhouses. What makes it really nice for them is the drip hose I keep near the feeders. It's a hose with tiny holes throughout the length of it. It lets out enough water for the birds to drink and bathe, and it can stay on for long periods of time.

It's a pleasant pastime, relaxing and watching the birds. -- Barbara S., via e-mail

You're right -- it is wonderful watching our feathered friends. Your back yard is certainly equipped with all the essentials that birds need to keep them happy and healthy, especially during the hot summer. Drip hoses are pretty inexpensive and can be put anywhere a hose reaches in a yard. -- Heloise

Buying pet food in bulk for hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, etc., can save quite a bit of money. The problem is where to store those large packages. These new large-type plastic coffee "cans" with easy-grip handles make great containers for the pet food. Wash in soapy water and rinse well.

The largest size can hold quite a bit and can be stored easily, even stacking one on top of the other. The food stays fresher than keeping all of it in one open package. -- Heloise

Dear Readers: Hamsters make wonderful pets, and housing them is really easy. A couple of them can live in an aquarium -- usually a 10- gallon one is a perfect size. Make sure you put a wire screen on top.

Clean the aquarium thoroughly every couple of weeks and scoop out any wet or soiled bedding daily. Keep a metal exercise wheel in the cage. Don't put plastic in the cage -- hamsters will chew it! Use water bottles that attach to the cage, not a bowl.

Last but not least, hamsters are nocturnal -- they make all their noise during the night -- so it's best to keep them in a room where the household won't be disturbed. -- Heloise

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