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Although Kitty Craves Milk It's Not The Cat's Meow

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By JURA KONCIUS

The Washington Post

Published: November 16, 2008

Every morning, my cat follows me around as I eat my cereal, hoping for a bit of milk left in the bowl when I'm done. I wondered whether it was OK for cats to drink cow's milk, although they seem to crave it.

Here's what I found out from Santa Barbara, Calif., veterinarian Paula Kislak:

• Most cats cannot tolerate milk products. Kislak says it's not good to give cats milk because it can give them digestive problems. The mythology of giving cats a saucer of milk dates to when cats were farm animals and had to eat whatever was available. "Now we have such well-balanced foods, they don't need to have milk," she says.

• It is important to always have plenty of clear, fresh water, preferably filtered or distilled, around for them, Kislak says. That is all the fluid they need.

What's That Smell?

An encounter with a skunk in the back yard is not a pleasant experience for your dog or cat, or for you.

Let's hope you'll never need to use this tip, but it seems a popular formula for skunk spray removal:
1 quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp. liquid soap
Mix the ingredients in a nonmetal container and put on old clothes that you can throw in the washing machine after your pet's bath. Put on a pair of rubber gloves. Get your pet into your kitchen or bathroom and then soak your pet's fur with water and work up a good lather. Avoid the eye area as well as the nose and mouth. If possible, leave it on for a few minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Throw out any extra solution you have.

Tick, Tick, Tick

Checking dogs and cats for ticks has become a routine in many households.

We contacted Kimberly May, of the American Veterinary Medical Association, to get the latest information:

May recommends checking your pet daily if it goes outside. Brushing is not enough; you should rub your hands over the body. If you find a tick, remove it asap as because ticks can carry disease.

Wear disposable gloves, or put a plastic bag over your hand like a mitten. Separate the fur and using tweezers, grab the tick as close to the head as possible and pull.

After you remove it, make sure the tick is dead and dispose of it. You can kill it by putting it in alcohol. Examine the tick site for the next few days, to be sure it doesn't become swollen or painful. If it does, or if your animal starts acting ill or off a few days later, contact your vet.

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