Your bedroom is your castle. Defend it from allergens at all costs! If you can keep the cat out of your bedroom, you create an (mostly!) allergen-free zone at night. That gives your system a chance to recover overnight.  If you're looking for a moat to defend your bedroom, consider a HEPA filter. You can set up a portable one in your room to keep the allergies down. Use HEPA filters in your HVAC system and change them often. Another line of defense is to spread cheesecloth over the vents in your bedroom. That way, when air blows from another part of the house, you won't get as many allergens from it. Fabric, such as rugs, curtains, and cloth-covered furniture, trap all the hair, dust, and dander from your cat. They lay in wait for you to come nearby, and then they attack your system. If you limit fabrics, you give them fewer places to hide.  The best options are hardwood floors, leather couches, and washable blinds. If you prefer fabric on your furniture, pick cotton. If you must have the fluffy warmth of carpet beneath your feet, opt for the low-pile kind. It will trap less dander and allergens. Your cat can't help leaving allergens all over the house for you to find. But you can pick them up regularly. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter so you don't release the allergens as you vacuum, and use a microfiber cloth to pick up dust without puffing much up into the air. You're probably thinking, "Bathe my cat, are you crazy?" Yes, most cats don't like water, but many will put up with being bathed, especially once they get used to it. Plus, it helps reduce how much dander you're exposed to. It's best to have someone else bathe the cat, such as your partner, if possible. Some groomers even take cats. Try to bathe your cat once a week. Also, it's best to have someone brush the cat regularly, such as once a day. No one likes cleaning the litter box, but if you have cat allergies, you have a legitimate excuse to get out of the task. Your allergies can be affected by cleaning the litter (and other items, like pet beds), so ask a partner to do it, if you can. If you must do the cleaning, don an allergy mask to shield yourself from dander and other allergens. Keeping the cat outside means less hair in the house, and your allergies will thank you. However, transitioning an indoor cat to outdoor living is a major adjustment for most cats and it can put them at significant risk of illness, injury, and death. Transitioning a cat to outdoor living should be a last resort option and you should discuss it with your cat’s veterinarian first to find out what type of vaccinations and other checkups your cat will need to stay healthy.   Cats who live outside have a shorter life expectancy than indoor cats because of the many risks that outdoor living poses to them. They are at risk of being attacked and even killed by other animals, such as dogs, coyotes, raccoons, foxes, other cats, and even alligators. Outdoor cats are also at risk of being hit by a car, subjected to cruelty such as by being shot with a bb gun or arrow, coming into dangerous toxins such as antifreeze, or getting stuck in a tree.  Outdoor cats are also much more likely to get fleas, ticks, ringworm, ear mites, and intestinal worms. All of these parasites and infections can reduce your cat’s quality of life and may enter your home if you still come into contact with your cat after you have placed him outside.  If your cat is female, then she may get pregnant by other outdoor cats. A male cat may impregnate multiple cats. This can result in multiple litters of kittens and increase the homeless cat population. Even if you provide food and water for the cats after they are grown, many of these cats may die as a result of the dangers of outdoor living. Therefore, it is important to spay and neuter any cats that will be living outdoors.
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One-sentence summary -- Create a cat-free zone. Avoid fabric in decorating. Clean often. Bathe and groom your cat. Ask someone else to clean the litter. Consider transitioning your cat to outdoor living.


Once you get your dog home, she will need some peace and quiet so that she can rest and recover. Do not arrange surgery the same day as a big dinner party in the evening, as having a large group of people around will not be relaxing for your dog. You should also resist inviting people over to come and visit your dog. While she will of course be pleased to see these people, having them there will also make her want to get up and move around while she should be resting. Many people wonder if they should stay home with their dog for days after surgery. This is not necessary. It is, however, a good idea to be home for the first 24 hours after surgery so that you can make sure that your dog is eating, alert, going to the toilet, and not in too much pain.  If anything happens that concerns you during this first 24 hour period then always phone your vet for advice. If you have no choice but to leave the house, consider getting a trusted pet sitter and walking her through this information. During the evening, after your dog’s anesthetic has begun to wear off, you will be able to feed her. However, give her a light meal, rather than her regular portions. The anesthetic can make some dogs feel nauseous, and eating a full meal may cause your dog to vomit.  Consider a small portion of cooked chicken breast, rabbit, cod, or turkey along with a little white rice or pasta. Alternatively, you could get food that is designed for a dog experiencing nausea. It is fine to return your dog to a normal diet the following day. Keep in mind that it is normal for a dog who has had surgery to not defecate for two to three days. During the first three to four days after her surgery, you can leave your dog alone for four hours at a time. These four hours will allow her time to sleep and rest, but will also help you to be around enough that you can spot problems she may have. Refer to the section on helping a dog in pain to find out what signs to look for. Assuming there have been no serious complications by this point, your dog should do fine when left at home alone. After this point, it's mostly a matter of giving her time to heal until the sutures are removed, 10-14 days after the surgery.
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One-sentence summary -- Keep your dog’s environment calm and quiet. Stay at home for 24 hours after your dog’s surgery. Feed your dog a light diet after the surgery. Switch your dog back to a normal diet the day after surgery. Try to only leave your dog for four hours at a time in the days after her surgery. Relax your watch after four or five days.


Dip a cotton ball into rubbing alcohol. Ring it out slightly – it shouldn’t be dripping wet when you use it on your leather. If your stain is bigger than a few pen marks, you should use a clean dish cloth instead of cotton balls. Stains that large might also need professional attention. Using minimal pressure, press the cotton ball over the ink stain and gently rub the spot. You can check every few seconds to see if it looks like the ink is coming out of the leather. Once you’ve rubbed the ink spot with rubbing alcohol, let the leather dry. Once it’s dry, you’ll be able to see whether the ink came completely out. If it didn’t, repeat the procedure as necessary.
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One-sentence summary -- Dip a cotton ball in pure rubbing alcohol. Rub the spot gently. Let the leather dry.


This row will be the tallest row. Push the sticks down into the foam so that the decorations and cookies are slightly lower than the back row.  Either attach the card to the container or attach the card to the stick and insert the stick into the florist’s foam.
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One-sentence summary --
Place florist’s foam into your container. Cover the foam with Easter grass, shredded paper, straw, cotton or other filler. Insert the back row of decorations or cookies by pushing the sticks into the florist’s foam. Insert a middle row of cookies and decorations. Create the front row of decorations, pushing them into the foam so that the front row is the lowest row in height. Attach a card for the recipient. Cover the bouquet with cellophane, leaving plenty of room around the top of the bouquet so that the cellophane does not touch the cookies or decorations. Gather the edge of the cellophane around the top of the container. Tie a decorative ribbon to hold the cellophane in place. Finished.