DEAR READERS: Cats are sometimes solitary creatures, so it can be hard to tell if they are not feeling well. Here are some hint:
• Water consumption up? It could be a kidney/thyroid problem or diabetes.
• Grooming gone down? Your cat could be overweight, or have teeth problems or arthritis.
• Meowing more? Cats can't tell you they are sick, but they can meow.
• Breath quality down? It could be dental problems, or possible heart issues.
• Crankiness up? Perhaps it's general pain or old age.
• Use of the litter box down? Stress or an infection.
These are general guidelines; always get a professional opinion.
DEAR HELOISE: When our children were young. I kept a small "restaurant bag" packed in the car: bibs, wipes, snacks (to keep them satisfied if the food was delayed), flexible straws, a spillproof cup and crayons. Items can be adjusted depending on the child's age.
I'm not a fan of teaching children to use electronics at the table, so quiet activities were my choice. Children need to learn to sit at a restaurant (not run around).
We avoided taking our little ones into a busy restaurant when the kids were tired. We often chose to eat out in the late afternoon when it was less busy.
-- Susan, via email
DEAR READERS: Gold is beautiful, but do you know all there is to know about it? Twenty-four-karat gold has no alloys -- it is pure gold, soft and easily malleable. But it also can scratch, so it is not suitable for use by itself for most applications.
Eighteen-karat gold is 75 percent pure gold, and 14-karat gold is 58.3 percent. What makes up the difference? Mixtures of nickel, zinc, silver and copper are added to the gold to strengthen it.
Ten-karat gold, by the way, is 41.6 percent gold.
DEAR HELOISE: I hollow out red, yellow and green bell peppers, and use them to hold dips and sauces. Makes for a colorful table!
-- Helen M. in Ohio
DEAR HELOISE: I like to grow small salad tomatoes, and I noticed that when they ripened, they'd just disappear! I wondered who was taking my little tomatoes until I saw it was two young squirrels.
-- June W., Florida
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com
HomeStyle on 11/24/2018