This is why I prefer a pet rattlesnake for catching mice.

So, there I was in Rota Air Base, Spain in January of 2000. My DW and kids are back in New Jersey during a really nasty winter event (even for Jersey it was bad). I make a morale call back to previously-mentioned DW to see how things are going. She informs that she "brought in a stray kitty because it looked so cold." My reply: "Fine!!, it stays off my chair. (I too am master of the house. The problem is the house for me consists of a single chair.) If I get skin or breathing problems from it ( I am allergic to cats) she has to take it to the pound (it is not a "no-kill" shelter). I did use another term that begins with a capital "A" of WWII notariety, but for sensitivity sake I said pound. Anyway, almost eight years later, two moves and two dogs added to the mix, the $%^&*% cat is still with us. It lives in our master suite because it is such a space cadet that it is afraid of everything. Stinkin' cat!!! I feel for you guys.

Actually, most cases of ringworm in kids come from other kids. Then they infect the cat.

Thus, they'd better vet the kids that come to play, and that their kids associate with at school. You'll notice that pets don't get much lice. My little local pharmacy has three shelves of lice treatments.

About fleas: you don't even need to have any animals to get a flea infestation. They live easily in the lawn. And they can jump something like three feet at a time. They look for a warm body to feed on. Sometimes YOU are the warm body.

But I'm sure that everyone here has learned that if your dog or cat does have some fleas, it's usually best to just apply Advantage or Frontline. Especially cats. Thanks for the tip, Blast! (heeheehee!)

Sue, tittering all the way home

Gee thanks!

I just took in a stray cat last Tuesday. It ran up onto my porch in a pouring rainstorm as I was leaving for work. I took it straight to the vet before letting it in the house and near my other -healthy- pets. The vet assured me there was nothing wrong with it but near starvation, so...... since it didn't seem to belong to anyone, and many $ later for shots and de-fleaing and de-worming, I have new cat. It has patches hair nearly gone all over it's legs and neck. The vet says he checked for all skin disorders, and the patches are just where he chewed and scratched itchy spots from the fleas, and it will be vastly improved within a week.

Still.....after looking at the photo, I find myself starting to itch.....

This time, but the sweet little kitty is still planning the next time!

I feel sorry for the dozen or so strays that roam our neighborhood. I really wish people would get their pets fixed and quite dumping them when times get rough with the pet.

Dave