16 - briday, February 26, 1988 - North Shore News your cat from scratch “HOW CAN I ect my cat to stop scratching the furniturc?’’ is prob- ably one of the most frequently asked questions for a vetcrinarian. The simple answer is you cannot prevent cats from scratching — it is a natural behavior, and all cats will scratch to some extent. Therefore, the method of dealing with the problem is to give cats a place to scratch and train them to use it. . Nearly all cats can be trained to use a scratching post. Scratching posts can be purchased commer- cially or casily constructed. Edgemont Village | 3071 Weedbine Ave. North Vancouver To construct a scratching post, usc {wo two-inch by four-inch boards, joined together and ap- proximately three feet high on a stable base. They should be covered with a thick pile rug — not shag, as the claws will catch, or indoor/outdoor carpeting, which is too thin. Rug samples are inexpensive and easily purchased from carpet dealers. It is important the scratching post be stable; if the cat scratchc~ it and it falls and hurts the cat he will not u-= it again. ¢ Small Animal Food © Pet Supplies and | Accessories 984-7855 Naturally Your Pet Loves a Gourmet Heal... Row Gourmet Select Guarantees It! We are so sure your Canine Companion would enjoy a can of Gourmet Select Beef Chunks or Liver Chunks, that the first can is on us! Contains: @ Chunks of Real Meat oe Whole Egg o Polyunsaturated Vegetable Oil Another good addition to the post is a platform on top so the cat can climb up it to look out a win- dow. ft is natural for cats to scratch near their sleeping place, therefore a ledge on the scratching post where the cat can sleep will naturally enhance the desire to scratch the post. Scratching posts should be plac- ed in a room where you and the cat are frequently found. Few cats will run downstairs to the basement to scratch when you are upstairs. An ideal place to put the scratching post is near a window, in the Lizard THEY MAY seem slimy, spiky, ugly or creepy to some people, but reptiles are gaining popularity as the ideal pet. Diversity of size, shape, color and appearance adds to their ap- peal and means there is a reptile for everyone, says John Edmund- son, manager of Pct Habitat in Lynn Valley, and a lizard lover who keeps exotic snakes, turtles, and even an iguana, at home. “Whether it’s a turtle, a snake .. more and more people are kitchen or family room, so the cat iS near you and can use it to look outside. Now, having bought or made the perfect scratching post and put it in the perfect place, how do you get the cat to use it? There are two important aspects to this training procedure: first to stop him scrat- ching where you don’t want him to scratch, and second to get him to scratch the post. Stopping a cat from scratching a particular area requires direct training and also making the place he wants to scratch undesirable. entertaining this facinating hob- by,”’ says Edmundson. Many people consider reptiles the perfect house pet because they are so easy to care for, he adds. “They are not noisy or smelly if cleaned regularly and many can go without food for days on end; in- deed many snakes can last two to three weeks without [eeding,’’ he says. “As well, because of their small size many types can be kept in ac- commodation that would be cramped for other types of pets,”” he says. ‘‘And since they have no feathers or hair, they are super for people with allergies.”’ Edmundson is convinced lizards make lovely pets. ‘‘Many people have asked me what exactly you can do with a lizard, | always answer, ‘What exactly can you do with a dog?’”’ With today’s technological giz- mos and contraptions, providing your pet with an ideal environment is as easy as opening your wallet. But Edmundson warns reptile types rarely mix. “Some like water, some like land. Some like desert climes, some live in trees,’’ he says. And if you don't get it right, you are in for trouble. ‘‘Not pro- viding your pet with the proper conditions will be the cause of 90 per cent of your problems,”’ Ed- mundson says. Some preparation is necessary The best for mM One of the most common things owners do wrong in trying to stop scratching is to yell at the cat when it scratches, or to chase it away. Yelling at or chasing the cat is not negative reinforcement; in fact you are giving him attention and therefore positive reinforcement. A typical scenario is that you are busy, thereby ignoring the cat, then he starts to scratch the couch, so you chase him away or tell him to stop, hence giving him atten- tion. It becomes a game for the Sea Give Page 17 prior to choosing the serpent of your choice. Check local pet stores to determine what is available, he suggests. This time of year there is usually a good selection, but some may be out of season and others are restricted or protected and won't be available at alf. While at the pet store take a ook around. Jf you see something you like, ask about it. Good ques- tions to ask include: how big does it grow?; where does it come from?; what does it eat?; how large a cage and what kind of en- vironment will it need? The staff should be able to answer all these questions or have reference material that can help. What they may not know is which reptiles are compatibie. ‘*Reptiles come from all over the world so only mect each other in captivity. For your animal’s safe- ty, different types should be kept separately,’ says Edmundson. . If you feel squeamish about feeding bugs and things to your pet or cannot accommodate a propez- sized cage large enough for a full- grown adult, choose a reptile that will fit more into your lifestyle, stresses Edmundson. The Association of Reptile Keepers is putting on a display of various types of reptiles on March ‘19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Killarney Community Centre at ' 49th and Killarney in Vancouver. your pets ® Quality pet supplies featuring IAMS. quality pet foods " @ Buttermi#k Powder e Wheat Germ Available at all major grocery & pet food outlets. MOUNT SEYMOUR PET FOOD Burnaby, B.C. Ce ee er eT NATURAL LOVE GOURMET SELECT ONE CAN FREE! TO THE DEALER: ® Professional grooming of all breeds e Loving care while you're away. Heated country kennels. All dogs exercised daily. Upon presentabon of this coupon by your customer toward Ihe purchase of the product specstied, we will reimbutse your fe- sate value of Free Merchandise supplied in accordance wilh the terms of this coupon + S¢ handling. Application for re- dempton on any other basis may constitute fraud. Invoices showing purchases of sutficient stock (in the previous 90 days) lo tower all coupons presented for redemption must be presenled on request. Failure to do So will, at our option, void those coupons, Coupons wiff not be honoured and will be void if presented through outside agencies. brokers and others who are ‘not retail destributors of our merchandise unless specifically authorizes by us to present coupons for redemption. When sub- mitted ter redemption, this coupon becomes our property. Merchandis:, value 1/10¢. For redemption, mati to Mount Seymour Pet Foods, P.O. Box 3000, Saint John, New Brunswick, E2L 4L3, THiS COUPON EXPIRES DECEMBER 30, 1988. 53864 tert (LIMIT 1 CAN PER CUSTOMER) ‘ a Ws ht a Kennel 947-9305 Grafton Rd, Bowen Island 921-8770 6363 Bruce, Horseshoe Bay