Dear Heloise: I live in a small apartment and have one little kitty. Keeping the litter box on the floor in the bathroom was impossible. I hated to keep it in my bedroom; she would use it and scratch the litter, waking me up.
I decided to put the box in the bathtub. I put a big bath towel on the bottom and the box on top of that. Little Delilah knows where it is and uses it all the time. When the curtain is closed, you can't see the box, and I keep it clean so the room stays odor free. — J. Parks, Seattle
Great idea! I bet little Delilah loves the privacy, too.
Note: Please be carefully about cleaning up — don't let any litter get rinsed down the tub drain, especially if the plumbing is on a septic system.
Dear Heloise: Our new dog is a joy for us. Her name is Little Angel —- what a delight! She is a long-haired toy Chihuahua.
We were told she would weigh 6 pounds when full grown. She just turned 2 years old in June, and for the past six months she has stayed at 6 pounds.
Thought you might enjoy seeing a picture of her on her scale. — Esther Petersen, Hollywood Park, Texas
Little Angel is darling, balancing in a pie plate on top of the scale. — Heloise
FYI: Do you want to attract hummingbirds to your yard in a natural way? Use plants! Some of their favorites are trumpet vines, honeysuckle, shrimp plants and also red salvia.
If you have feeders, you can make your own nectar by boiling 4 parts water and 1 part white sugar until the sugar is all dissolved. Cool and store any remaining in the refrigerator. Ideally, you should change the solution daily, especially in high heat or when it gets cloudy in the feeder.
We enjoy watching the little buzz bombers zip around the red salvia we have planted in our yard. Putting up two feeders adds to the entertainment! — Heloise
Dear Heloise: Living in Las Vegas in the summer is not too much fun when walking, especially in the afternoon, but I do have to walk my dog a few times a day.
I carry a thermos of cold water and a couple of paper cups, one for me and one for my little Lhasa apso, Pepper. After walking a few blocks, I stop and fill a cup and give it to him to drink, then I fill a cup up for me.
When we get home, I give him a cold doggy bone that I keep in the refrigerator. He really loves it. — Pat S., Las Vegas
Now that's a "cool dog," thanks to your thoughtfulness. I bet he doesn't mind his walk in the heat. — Heloise
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