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My Pet World: Only a few other mammals - besides reindeer - can fly

By Steve Dale, Tribune Content Agency on

Q: I was thinking about flying reindeer. Of course, I don't believe reindeer can fly, but do any other animals fly aside from birds? -- P.P., Little Rock, AK

A: Bats are the only mammals that actually fly. There are several species which glide, such as flying squirrels. As for your belief regarding reindeer, have you ever seen "Miracle on 34th Street"? Maybe Santa does exist. And if so, I bet flying reindeer do, too.

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Q: Why is my cat interested in the tinsel on the Christmas tree? -- C.G., Brooklyn, NY

A: Remove that tinsel, please! At best, you may see your tree topple to the floor as the cat pulls on the tempting strands. At worst, your pet may eat some tinsel and develop an obstruction. Few veterinarians haven't performed emergency surgery over Christmas because a cat or puppy swallowed some tinsel.

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Q: Should I allow my cat to sip on eggnog? I figure it has lots of protein and my cat likes milk anyway. -- S.H., Minneola, FL

A: I'm not sure where the tradition of feeding cats milk began, but believe it or not, some cats are lactose intolerant. Of course, many cats tolerate milk just fine, and I suppose occasionally lapping up just a little (2 percent or skim) bit once in a while isn't so bad. Eggnog is another matter. It's not always packed with protein, and most commercial brands are loaded with sugar. Instead, treat your pet to some catnip.

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Q: I want to teach my Border Collie-mix some tricks to keep his brain occupied and give him more indoor exercise this winter. He's still a young dog at 7 months old. Any ideas? -- S.H., LaCrosse, WI

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