Dear LPG readers,

We are constantly told about the difference that having a pet can make to an older person. I know from personal experience that while they are pets, my cats have always been really important to me. They are the perfect way to teach a child how to care for someone else. I spent my childhood in a house with a dog and a cat; it was my job to feed and care for them.  

I then found myself with a child who was allergic, and so my family became one of the have-nots until we grew up and went our own ways.  That was when I decided to adopt again, but the rules are very different these days.   

During my childhood, we had two dogs, and they were each given to us because the person who did the giving could not manage them anymore; even though a dog demands a lot of walking, my younger legs were up for the challenge, and today’s younger dog walkers, as time has passed the laws that surround poop scooping are not pleasant but can be learned.  

Anyone who had a cat in the good old days would have most probably acquired one of the neighbouring cats’ kittens while getting involved, which is a different kettle of fish now.  Anyone who has decided to get involved more recently will know that there are two main routes to becoming a pet owner.  There are still the strays and the ones whose care is passed on, and the expensive designer breeds, but an older pet owner is often better suited to an older pet.  Cats are kinder to our older legs and don’t demand constant attention, but there will always be a night when they just won’t come in, no matter how much you call them.  

Then, no matter what animal is involved, in return for all the company and comfort they offer, there will be the feeding, grooming and ‘mucking out’ duties that come with the territory.  

One thing we often don’t think about before or after our animal friends move in is the smell. My nose doesn’t bother me until I get to the front door after being out for a couple of hours, and those with less of a discerning nose will often miss it even then. 

You can buy many things to make a difference, but many are sprays, which we all know can get expensive. Sprays often come in spray cans, which add another rubbish item to the bin. So, I have been looking at more natural ways to deal with that smell that a homeowner might not even detect.

 I have been finding alternative solutions, and a few are working.  I can tell you this because my sensitivity to being able to smell is lacking. My love for my pet may have been instrumental in helping my nose become, as the television advert says, ‘nose blind’ and attuned to my housemate’s smell. I have been asking my visitors, who are usually too polite to say anything, and the results are positive. 

I have also started a little survey where I ask the occasional trusted visitor just how bad the smell of my cat is in their estimation because no one wants to hurt a friend's feelings…

LY, Catford 

LY offers some online suggestions for eliminating pet smells that she found…

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