Problem: Article: Small test kits cost about $5 USD per swab and are available for home use. You can find them at most hardware stores. These kits are often used on painted surfaces and won’t leave any permanent marks on your jewelry.  Swab tests are easy and inexpensive, but they can’t give you a precise estimate of how much lead is in your jewelry. Swabs only reach the surface of the jewelry, so it won’t detect lead components deeper inside the piece. Swab tests also can be inaccurate. Some tests may give you a false reading, suggesting an item has lead in it when it doesn’t. Take 1 of the testing tubes out of the packaging. The tube will have a swab inside of it, but don’t remove it yet. Find the areas labeled “A” and “B” on the tube. Press down hard on both spots at the same time. Orient the tube so the swab end points down to the ground. Keep your fingers over the crush points but loosen your grip until you are lightly squeezing the tube. Then, shake the tube twice.  Yellow liquid should begin flowing through the tube, reaching the end of the swab. Releasing the liquid activates the swab. An activated swab needs to be used right away. Choose a wide, visible area on your jewelry. Continue squeezing the tube as you spread the liquid over the spot. After 30 seconds have elapsed, the test will be complete. The applicator may leave behind some liquid on the jewelry. This is normal. If your jewelry contains lead, the testing liquid will change color. You may see a pink or red color on your jewelry. The swab tip should also change from yellow to pink or red. The color turns darker as the test detects more lead. Red indicates a higher lead content than pink. Each testing kit comes with small cards featuring a series of dots. If your swab stayed yellow, use it to color 1 of the dots. The dot should turn pink or red, proving that the test was a success. If the dot stays yellow, the applicator failed. Retest your jewelry with a new swab. You can clean off your jewelry with a little bit of water and a damp microfiber cloth. Make a mixture of water and mild dish soap to treat any stubborn spots. To clean stubborn spots, try using specialty cleaners.  For gold and platinum, mix 2 drops of mild dish soap and a drop of ammonia in a bowl of warm water. Scrub it with a microfiber cloth.  Dip silver in a commercial polish. For the best results, follow the directions on the label. For titanium and other metals, mix 2 drops of a mild dish soap in warm water. Scrub the metal with a microfiber cloth.
Summary: Purchase a lead swab test kit. Crush the ends of the testing tube. Shake the tube twice while gently squeezing it. Rub the swab onto the jewelry for 30 seconds. Look for a pink or red color to indicate the presence of lead. Test the confirmation card if the result is negative. Wash the liquid off your jewelry.

Problem: Article: Your cat will love the rhythmic, front-to-back motion of you brushing her coat. In addition to being a way to spoil your cat, brushing her coat serves several practical purposes: stimulating her skin, cleaning her fur, spreading natural oils throughout her coat, and preventing tangles.  If you have never brushed your cat before, keep the first session short (5 to 10 minutes). You can lengthen the amount of time as she becomes more comfortable with you brushing her.  Cats can have individual preferences with what type of brush they prefer, so you may have to try several types of brushes (e.g., bristle brushes, slicker brushes) to figure out which type your cat likes best.  Brush her when both of you are relaxed. If you’re stressed out, or if she’s feeling tense, the grooming session will not be enjoyable for either of you.  Short-haired cats require less brushing (once a week) than long-haired cats (once a day).  Be extra gentle when brushing her chest and belly. Cats enjoy their peace and quiet. Sharing some quiet time with her can be enjoyable and relaxing for the both of you. Try gently petting her when she is resting peacefully in your lap. Just be sure not to pet her belly—your cat may interpret this as an attack and respond by trying to swing at or bite you. Your cat loves to sleep! You can spoil her by providing her with comfortable places to sleep throughout your home. Ideally, these places should be in quiet areas of your home that do not have many distractions. Set up the sleeping area with comfortable bedding, such as a cat bed or mat. You can purchase these at your local pet store. Scratching is an important aspect of your cat’s overall health—it keeps her nails filed down, gives her exercise, and allows her to stretch her muscles. Giving her multiple areas where she can scratch will make your cat happy and can keep her busy when you are not able to play with her.  Consider purchasing scratching posts with different textures (sisal, corrugated cardboard, carpeted) and orientations (horizontal and vertical). This will add variety to your cat’s scratching activities.  Place the scratching posts in areas where your cat likes to frequent to decrease the distance she has to go to scratch.  The scratching posts should be sturdy, as well as tall or long enough (about 2 feet) for her to stretch out her entire body when she scratches.  Do not throw away the scratching post when you think it looks too old and worn. That is actually just the way your cat wants it!  Cat trees are another fun way to spoil your cat. You can find these at your local pet store. Giving your cat a toy or two to play with will not be sufficient to spoil her. Rather, you should give her what seems like a never-ending supply of toys. Fortunately, you do not have to spend a fortune—simply rotate the toys out on a regular basis (about once a week) so that she doesn’t become used to any one toy for long.  To stimulate her natural instinct to hunt, try hiding the toys in different places of your home.  To add a new twist to her playtime, download some cat-friendly games on your tablet that your cat can play. Your cat can certainly entertain herself, but she still needs plenty of interaction with you. Getting creative during her playtime can make the experience fun and enjoyable for both of you. For example, hide behind your couch and poke your head around the corner until she sees you. Immediately go back into ‘hiding’ and wait for her to stealthily come up next to you—this activity mimics her hunting for prey.  You can also dim the lights during her playtime to mimic her natural tendency to be active in the dark.  Aim to play with her for about 10 to 15 minutes twice a day. A simple way to make this happen is to place comfortable perches in your home’s windows. Depending on the view from your home, your cat could be entertained for hours by looking out of the window. If you have a yard, place a bird feeder or bird bath in your yard so that your cat can watch birds come and go. You can also put in a cat video for your cat to watch when you are not home. These videos can feature a cat’s typical prey (rodents and birds). Treats are a great way to spoil your cat. However, you should not give your cat treats every day for several reasons. First, many cat treats provide little to no nutritional value. Secondly, giving your cat treats every day may cause her to like her treats more than her regular food.  Feed your cat treats no more frequently than two to three times per week.  Do not treat your cat with human food.  Catnip and cat grass are healthy cat treats and can be found at your local pet store.  Do not allow your cat to beg for treats. This is bad behavior and should not be rewarded with food or extra attention.
Summary:
Develop a brushing ritual with your cat. Spend quiet time with your cat. Create multiple sleeping spots for your cat. Provide your cat with multiple scratching posts. Give your cat plenty of toys to play with. Add creativity to your playtime with your cat. Create an interesting visual experience for your cat. Give your cat the occasional tasty treat.