Updated December 13, 2004

Dear friends,

Season's Greetings!
During this time of year when we look back and recollect the things we are thankful for, I realize how truly grateful I am to get to know you and your animal friends, and to participate in your family communications. While animal communication can bring up emotional issues, it heartens me every day to learn how loving, understanding and forgiving people and animals can be with one another. To all of those who have allowed me to translate between you, many thanks and blessings.

Ask Maya
Much to her chagrin, Maya's column has been on a bit of a hiatus for a while as I have been tending to other business. I do intend to revive it with some new entries, soon however, so stay tuned!

Congratulations to the SPCA of Westchester
for raising over $155,000 to care for and prevent cruelty towards animals at their recent Top Hat & Tails benefit. I enjoyed meeting everyone who stopped by to talk with me about their animals friends and getting to see a lot of adorable dogs in their fanciest fashions.

The Heartbreak of Pet Stains
Probably the number one reason people ask me for my help is improper elimination by animal companions. While a combination of communication, changes to diet, litter or walking options and herbs and flower essences are often effective over time, dealing with unsightly and malodorus pet stains in the meantime can be a chore. In the words of Bill Clinton, I feel your pain, because I, too, have experienced it with my little angels. While Maurice has been cured of his former bad habits with a brief stint of medication and some good heart-to-hearts, Quan Yin, our formerly feral kitty, still sometimes urinates where she shouldn't due to emotional and socialization issues.

So, for your benefit and mine, I have decided to test and review some popular products for eliminating pet stains and odors. Remember, these tests were done on fabric (mostly upholstery and rugs) effected by cat urine, so your mileage may vary.

First of all, some basics: if the urine stain is still wet, soak it up as much as you can right away with towels or newspapers. If you're dealing with a cat stain, you may wish to save one of the soiled newspapers and put it in his or her litterbox, just to reinforce that that is where they should go. Then, clean the area throughly. The Humane Society suggests using a wet vac on carpets and upholstery if the fabric in question is safe, but you can also use plain water and blot it up. Do NOT use a
steam vac. Hot steam can set in the stains.

In my case, a number of the stains are already dry (she likes to do it while we're out) and on areas that should not be wet vacuumed (our vintage Eames-era couch, with no way to remove the original foam inserts without hiring someone to reupholster them). So, here I'll move on to removing dry stains.

Always test for colourfastness on a spot that can't be seen, and treat delicate fabrics gently. Upholstery such as pillow covers and fabrics such as washable throws can be washed or dry cleaned accordingly. You may wish to add baking soda to the laundry with washable items. DO NOT use strong-smelling chemicals, including vinegar and ammonia, on fabrics, as they do not remove the urine odor that attracts your animal friends and even can provoke them to want to cover the smell with their own markings! When working with delicate items, make sure to blot gently rather than scrubbing, and insure air circulation with a fan to encourage thorough drying without mildew after cleaning.

Now, on to some of the products I have tested!

Nature's Miracle
Probably one of the most well-known products, it claims to enzymatically neutralize the odors that encourage your animal to pee in that spot again. I can't speak to how it makes the cats feel, but it often doesn't completely remove the detectable odor for me, and QY was not deterred long from returning to the same places.

Honest Clean Everyday Stain & Odor Remover
This all-natural product works somewhat, but again, is not entirely effective. It does pretty well at removing visible stains, but in cases of bad accidents, the odor will still persist somewhat. If you have to repeat using it multiple times, it's probably not doing the trick.

Baking Soda
This can be helpful to remove immediate odors, particularly from still-wet stains. Be sure to use it on areas that can be washed or vacuumed, however, or you'll end up with powder stuck in the fabric forever! I'd say that this is a good alternative to harsher products if the stain is not too bad. Plus, you can't beat the price!

Vinegar
Like baking soda, plain white vinegar can be quite a help. However, I would not recommend it for items you cannot wash afterwards, like my couch cushions.

Oxyclean
A bit better than the Honest Clean, but not 100% effective.

Citrus Magic 100% Pure & Natural Citrus Air Freshener
Smells great! But it's more of a masking agent than a cleaner and does not eliminate the underlying odor. This is basically just to freshen up the air after you clean.

Febreeze
Yuck. A very perfumey smell that spreads throughout the whole room and, at the root, does not eliminate the underlying urine odor.

Nature's Air Sponge
A natural product that comes in a solid and, even better, in a mister. This item removed scents from litter areas and the air very well. It was not 100% effective on upholstery, though.

Pet ProTech Professional Cleaning System
The good news is - it worked! When tested on couch lining, this stronger formula, which is more expensive than other types, did seem to get out the stain and resulting smells. The bad news is, it is not an all-natural product, and does leave behind the traces of a chemical-y smell similar to Febreeze, but much, much more subtle (I really had to stick my nose close to pick it up). In cases where nothing else works or the items to be cleaned must be restored and used again repeatedly (such as our vintage couch), this seems to be the one I would recommend most (at least until I find something better).

And that's the scoop for now. Lots of different cleaning products can be found online at places like drsfostersmith.com, healthypetcorner.com, and - I kid you not - planeturine.com. Just make sure to find out the ingredients before you buy. For a great place to learn more about how to deal with pet stains, try the Humane Society's page on the subject.

What have you used and how has it worked? Drop me a line and I'll add it to my list. In the meantime, don't despair, and good luck!

Animal Holiday Safety
The holidays can be a rough time for the animals who share your home. New sights, sounds and smells, having more people around or being left alone for days can be confusing. Add to that holiday plants, food and decorations that can be dangerous to their health and you come up with a need to be cautious about their well-being and safety.

Some basics many of you may know: don't feed your animal friends chocolate or cooked bones, keep glass ornaments, open flames and lights out of reach and remember that mistletoe is poisonous. But did you know that pointsettas are not as poisonous as once thought? Or that some animals will drink water from tree stands, so you should make sure it is always clean? I know that I learned the hard way that cats can eat tinsel and turn it into digestive tract floss! So, check out these ASPCA, American Humane and HSUS articles about how to keep your animal friends safe and full of holiday cheer. And don't forget to take extra time for them and yourself to relax and have some calm moments! Sometimes having a lot of visitors can make anyone reach for the Rescue Remedy.

Oh, and don't forget, it is important to be very careful before giving animals as holiday gifts. Read this article from the HSUS to find out why.

Holiday Gifts for Animal Lovers
Finally, a little plug. Not sure what to get a critter-loving friend for a present? Don't forget that I offer gift certificates! You can buy one for a particular length of time or an open-ended session. Fees start at $36 and certificates are personalized.

From my family to yours - a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year,