While it seems like just yesterday that my husband and I started with two kittens and a young dog, we've now got a houseful of senior pets. Do you have tips for easing their discomfort over the cold months?

– Via email

Keep them lean, provide warm, soft resting spots and talk to your veterinarian about relief from joint pain, and your pets will get through the winter more comfortably.

For older dogs, especially large ones, check out beds made of therapeutic foam that conforms to your pet's body shape while supporting every joint. Some of these beds come ready to plug in, but you can turn any of them into heated sleepers by adding a pet-safe heating element.

For cats, heat that's all around will keep them feline groovy. Look for a heated cup-style bed with plush insides.

While soft beds and leaner bodies have always been best for our pets, it's only in recent years that veterinarians have been able to offer medications, supplements and other measures that can reduce or even eliminate the pain of osteoarthritis. All pain-management plans need to be developed by your veterinarian – guessing with over-the-counter pain meds can kill your cat (acetominephen) or cause ulcers in your dog (aspirin).

Modern prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) can seem like miracle drugs, and the risks of using them can be greatly minimized by following your veterinarian's recommendations for checking for kidney and liver problems before and during long-term use.

You also need to be aware of the signs of a problem: Stop giving the drug immediately and call your veterinarian if you observe vomiting or lethargy, or if your pet stops showing interest in eating.

These drugs help millions of pets, but I would not be doing my job as a veterinarian if I didn't alert you to potential problems. I know your veterinarian will do the same.

– Dr. Marty Becker

The buzz

Why, in a room full of people, will a cat invariably make a beeline for the one person in the room who hates or is allergic to cats? Cats don't like eye contact from strangers – they find it intimidating. When a friendly cat wanders into a room, he'll notice that all the people who like cats are looking at him. So he heads for the one who he thinks is being polite – the person who isn't looking at him. The cat doesn't realize that the person isn't looking because he doesn't want the cat near him. It's just a little bit of cross-species miscommunication. That's one theory, anyway. Or maybe putting cat fur on the slacks of a cat hater really is the ultimate in feline fun.

• Some pets just seem to be a natural fit with children. According to the American Pet Products Association, many small "pocket pets" are more likely to be found in homes with children present. While rabbits are now slightly more popular as pets for adults, guinea pigs, for example, are far more likely to be a child's pet.

• Circumstances are a more likely indicator of a dog's potential to bite someone than the animal's breed or mix, according to an analysis of bite statistics. Loose dogs, territory-protecting dogs, frightened dogs and dogs involved in fights with another animal were those most likely to be involved in biting a person. Most bites in the home were triggered by a dog guarding food or a toy, or biting a visiting friend or relative in a display of territory - or object-guarding. The number of bite incidents roughly correlated with a breed's popularity – more of a certain kind of dog meant more bites from that kind of dog. Age and gender also played a role, with adolescent male dogs more likely to bite – and bite more severely – than older dogs or female dogs. And children were bitten more often than adults.

– Gina Spadafori

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