EVERYDAY CAT CARE

We like to think of our homes as our castles, complete with proverbial moats as part of a defense system against invading armies. But how do you safely protect your castle, family and pets from invading armies of pests such as ants, roaches, spiders, fleas and rodents? Your first response may be to grab a can of Bug Blitz - but nowadays, theres an impressive arsenal of safe and non-toxic defenses to try before reaching chemical extermination.

At eight years of age, your cat Boris continues to look terrific - the way hes always looked - and to behave with nearly the same mischievous vitality that hes displayed since he was a kitten. Unfortunately, this isnt going to go on forever. Considering that the feline age of eight is roughly equivalent to the age of 40 or so in a human, your beloved Boris - as trim and spirited as he is at present - is likely to start showing the normal signs of aging in the not-so-distant future.

Even though you may assume that a teaching hospital is a very hectic place, a lot of effort is devoted to providing a stress-free environment for cats. Here's how.

By helping to curb feline overpopulation, you are making the world a better place for cats.

It requires a special kind of devotion to care for a chronically ill pet. Here are expert tips to make some of the necessary tasks easier for both of you.

Although this may be old news to cat owners, new research reveals the feline tongues microstructures are uniquely suited to pull out snags and tangles in a cats coat. While the tongues texture is also helpful to the cat while eating and drinking, it is first and foremost a grooming tool.

Q My son and I recently adopted an older cat from our local shelter. We named him Vincent and so far, so good. He came with his necessary vaccinations, etc. so we havent needed to take him to the veterinarian yet. One night while watching television, Vincent was rubbing on me and I noticed something strange about his teeth. He is missing one of the big fangs!

Q I have been breeding Singapura kittens on a very small, informal scale for several years and will soon be ramping up the scale with three fertile females and the launch of a small online cattery.

The University of Missouri plans to study the benefits of placing shelter cats in homes of children with autism thanks to fundraising help from the MU Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction. The project - called Feline Friends - is important because one in 68 children is diagnosed with autism, according to Rebecca Johnson, PhD, Director of the center.

With the arrival of winter, you should take the necessary measures to protect your cat against the health hazards that cold, inclement weather can create. Most vulnerable to various cold-weather disorders are those cats who spend all or the bulk of their time outdoors. Cats who are allowed to go outside even for brief periods of time during the winter months are also at significantly greater risk than those who never put a paw beyond the front door.

Q Our two cats are siblings, and have long, handsome tails, which are mostly held straight up. However, the last three to four inches seem to be independent of the rest of the tail. When the tail is straight up, the end of it wags gently back and forth. But when they are stalking something, the majority of the tail is held down, but the end remains up.

Each trip I make to the supermarket, I always think of the people who are able to amass a tremendous amount of savings by clipping coupons and knowing exactly when and where to shop. I must admit that I lack that type of discipline! But I do stock up on staples when theyre on sale - especially cat litter and cat food - and I feel like a good cat mother whenever the pantry is full.