Maybe more than you wanted to know . . .

If we run out of the smallest bottle of canola or corn oil, we put kitty oil on the grocery list. Mostly we buy Wesson canola but I just found an even smaller bottle of corn oil by Goya. Just a few drops, about a scant eighth of a teaspoon will almost emulsify if it is beaten into her water. The bowl is a clear glass, straight sided, cereal/salad bowl, dedicated to her use. She thinks it is crystal but it isn't. We clean it every day with hot water and dry well with paper (not the good kitchen) towels.

External application would not help the dry kitty-skin problem.

Also, we have a feline brush which came from a grocery store, probably. Plus a flea comb (no fleas on her, however) which is so useful in carefully getting out the loose undercoat. She has a lot of fur for a shorthair. From her perspective, the brush is a toy as well as a tool. I brush her first and then use it as mis-direction while I comb her. As long as the brush is in reach, she will focus on biting and licking the bristles. Want her to raise her head to comb her neck? Raise the brush and comb away. She will curl to the right or left following it and that straightens out the skin on the outside of her curl. The comb can catch in wrinkles under the fur and hurt. So we use the brush to make her contort her body to make combing easier.

She was taught to sit up on her hiney to ask for her food. She is willing for me to help her do an up-up-up and hold her there so I can brush her tummy.

She loves a regular routine and will go to the short cat condo, before her breakfast, and jump on top if asked: ". . . want a brush-you?" It is just the right height not to hurt the back of the one doing the brushing.

Zeta, she has not purchased any luggage as far as we know. She will climb into ours if we are packing and don't watch out.

Gladys, I wouldn't juggle cats either. We have had cats and one or two dogs together in an amicable group. Usually the cats rule the pack or love the dogs so much they join the pack. They would eat together, which was a good test.

01 Doc, she used to let us know when we had unwanted visitors by showing a total focus on a specific area, like, say the utility room. We would then leave her at large in the house at night for a few days instead of letting her into her accustomed sleeping quarters. 'Course, we left a sandbox within reach. Every time, she was right. Only sometimes the visitors were lizards. I have to say that the rodents were killing-bite clean kills. The lizards, not so much. She never has learned to tell us what she is after. Oh, and she pats those long-legged house spiders on the head until they won't play any more.