| How to Take in a Stray Cat Posted: 26 Feb 2019 12:00 AM PST Taking in a stray cat is a great way to adopt a new pet that otherwise may never have a good home. Before you decide to adopt the pet as your own, make sure that it doesn't have an owner. If the cat doesn't have a home, vaccinate it, treat any injuries or illnesses, and then slowly introduce it to your home. It can take a while for the cat to get used to a new environment, but the process is incredibly rewarding. EditIntroducing the Cat to Your Home - Feed the cat outside if it won't come inside. Stray cats are often shy and won't come inside near people. Place a bowl of cat food outside at the same time each day. This helps to get the stray cat used to the routine.[1]
- If the cat won't eat the food, try placing the bowl further away from the house.
- Try feeding the cat different types of food, such as cat biscuits or packets of cat food. These can be purchased from a pet store. If the cat has been on the streets for a long time, it may not be used to typical foods and will take a while to get used to its new diet.
- Bring the food inside once the cat is comfortable eating near the house. Place the bowl of food inside the front door and ensure that nobody is around to scare the cat. If you have any other pets in the house, lock them in a separate room for 10-15 minute while the cat eats.[2]
- Continue to feed the cat at the same time of day. This will help to increase the chances of the cat coming inside.
- Shut the door behind the cat while it is eating. Close all the windows and doors in the house to stop the cat from escaping. It is likely that the cat will hide for a little while once it realises that the front door is closed. This is normal behaviour for a stray cat and overtime, it will slowly become more confident.
- If the cat makes loud noises, starts clawing at furniture, or is terrified of people, this may indicate that it is feral. In this scenario, it is best to open the door and let the cat outside.
- Isolate the stray cat from other pets until it is tested and vaccinated by a vet. Stray cats are often not vaccinated, which means that they can pass on diseases to other pets in the house. Keep the stray cat in a comfortable contained space with plenty of food, water, and airflow. Take any items out of the room that could fall off shelves or tables and injure the cat.[3]
- Wash your hands after touching the stray cat to avoid passing on any germs to other pets in your house.
- Talk to the cat regularly while it is in an isolated room. This will help it get used to you.
- Make sure the cat has a tray of litter in the room in case they have to relieve themselves.
EditMaking Sure It's a Stray - Take the cat to a vet to check if it has a microchip. If the cat has a microchip, this means that it has had an owner at some point. Ask the vet to give you a copy of the contact details of the most recent owner of the cat or see if the vet can contact them for you. Contact the owner to ensure that they don't want the cat and that they are happy for you to adopt it.[4]
- A vet will typically charge around $50 for an appointment, but most will scan stray cats for free. Contact your local vet to receive a quote.
- If the cat won't go into its carrier, place a bowl of food into the cage to tempt the cat inside.
- Post a picture of the cat around your neighborhood to find its owner. Take a photo of the cat and place it on a local community notice board and on social media. Write a detailed description of where you found the cat and note any distinguishing features or markings. Include your contact details on the notice so that the cat's owner can contact you.[5]
- In many states you are legally required to take practical measures to ensure that a stray cat doesn't have an owner before taking it in, even if the cat isn't microchipped.
- Keep the cat inside while you look for its owner.
- Consider that the cat is a stray if you can't find its owner after 7 days. If the microchip doesn't exist and the owner cannot be traced, it is safe to presume that the cat is a stray. Avoid welcoming the cat into your home until you are sure that it is a stray, as this is illegal in some localities.[6]
- Ask the vet to vaccinate the cat and give it a checkup. Stray cats are often unvaccinated and commonly have fleas. Ask the vet to check for fleas, worms, infections, injuries, and diseases, and to prescribe any necessary medications. Keep the cat isolated from other animals until it is free from any parasites or illnesses.[7]
- Ask the vet if the cat has been neutered.
EditTaming the Stray Cat - Talk to the cat while you pat it to help it bond with you. Speak in a soft voice while you gently stroke the cat. Over time, the cat will get used to your voice and scent and will be less afraid of being touched. Don't worry if the cat won't let you touch them very often at first, this is normal behaviour for a stray cat.[8]
- If the cat won't let you touch them, continue to talk softly to it until it is ready to let you stroke it.
- Avoid eye contact with the cat to help gain its trust. Many stray cats will interpret direct eye contact as threatening. Look briefly at the cat and then close your eyes or shift your gaze away. This will help the cat to feel safe and calm in its new environment.[9]
- Over time, slowly increase the amount of eye contact that you give your cat.
- If you accidentally stare at the cat, simply shut your eyes for a few seconds and slowly turn your head away.
- Keep a regular feeding schedule to show the cat that you're reliable. Feed your cat at the same time each day. This demonstrates to your cat that you are a trustworthy source of food and will help it to bond with you.[10]
- If the cat won't eat the food you give it, try different cat food brands until you find one that it likes.
- Your cat will be calmer and less erratic with a regular feeding schedule.
- Introduce other pets to the cat slowly. If you have multiple pets in your home, the stray cat may feel overwhelmed. Bring 1 animal into the cat's room at a time to allow them to slowly get acquainted. Once both animals seem comfortable, introduce another animal. Continue to repeat this process until all your pets are comfortable being in the same space together.[11]
- If your other pets don't normally respond well to new animals, place them in their carry bag for 15 minutes in the stray cat's room. This will help them to get used to each other very slowly.
- Let your cat outside after 3 weeks if you don't want it to be an inside cat. This time inside allows it to bond with your family and pets and will help it to remember to return home once it is let outside. Let the cat outside on a warm dry day and ensure that it is hungry. This helps to encourage the cat to come home to eat.[12]
- If the cat is scared to go outside, walk beside it to help reassure it.
- Most vets recommend keeping the cat inside.
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| How to Dry Wood Fast Posted: 25 Feb 2019 04:00 PM PST Air-drying lumber typically takes at least a year per inch of thickness, which is far too long for people that want to do a quick woodworking project. Although drying times depend on things like moisture levels, wood species, and lumber thickness, you always have the option of microwaving small pieces of wood or taking a few steps to speed up the drying process for larger pieces of wood. EditUsing a Microwave Oven for Small Wood Pieces - Weigh your wood samples using a postal scale. Electronic postal or pocket scales can be purchased from office suppliers and big-box stores. Set it to measure grams, place your wood onto it, and take note of your wood's weight. If you'd like to keep your scale clean, place a container onto the scale, hit "Tare," and then place the wood in.[1]
- Use a scale that has an accuracy within 0.1% for the best results. Otherwise, accuracy should be at least within .
- Measure the moisture content (MC) with a moisture meter. For pin-type moisture meters, press the 2 tips into the wood and activate it for the moisture reading. For pinless meters, press the base of its scanning plate against the wood and turn the meter on. Record the moisture content, which will be a percentage between 0 and 100.[2]
- Purchase moisture meters from home hardware stores and online suppliers.
- Microwave 15% to 25% MC wood at the lowest setting for 45 to 60 seconds. Place 3 to 5 paper towels onto the microwave oven's plate and place your wood on top. Most ovens come with a "Low" setting and a "Defrost" setting that is slightly higher. Set it to "Low" and look out for smoke—this is a sign that you have burnt away some of the wood weight and volume and any moisture measurements will be inaccurate.[3]
- Never let wood pieces touch if you're heating multiple samples or they can light on fire.
- Heat 30% MC or above wood for 1.5 to 3 minutes at the second-lowest heat level. For most microwaves, the next heat level above "Low" is "Defrost." Layer 5 paper towels onto the microwave oven's plate, place your wood on top, and set your microwave to "Defrost." If you don't mind waiting, you can set it to the lowest setting, and wait about 4 minutes instead.[4]
- If you smell smoke or burning on "Defrost," switch to the "Low" heat setting.
- Weigh your samples after the first round of heating. Following the first round of heating, weigh your samples on the scale and record the weights. When drying wood, you will notice each piece loses weight, which is a sign that moisture is leaving. The goal is to continue heating your wood pieces until there is no weight change and each of their moisture contents is stable.[5]
- Remember that different types of wood dry at different rates. Don't be surprised if some pieces lose moisture slower or faster than others.
- Continue heating your wood and weighing it until there are no weight changes. Heat the wood in intervals of 45 to 60 seconds with a 1-minute rest in between each. For highly accurate scales, you shouldn't be able to detect variation more than 0.1 gram once the drying process is done. For gram scales, stop when you get about 5 or 6 readings that are the same.
- Moisture meters can also detect moisture content, but the weight method is the most accurate.
- Calculate the moisture content following the final heating by using the following formula: (Wet Weight – Oven Dry Weight / Over Dry Weight) x 100.
EditUsing a Conventional Oven for Medium Pieces - Preheat your oven to and monitor its temperature. After setting the heat, place one kitchen rack on the bottom and another in the center. Now, place a large baking pan on the bottom rack and put an oven thermometer onto the center rack in one of its far corners.[6]
- If your oven doesn't let you set the temperature to , set it to the closest increment, such as .
- Adjust your oven settings until it hits . Monitor your oven thermometer every 10 minutes. If it's too high, lower the temperature, and if it's too low, increase it. Always adjust the temperature by the smallest increments for optimal accuracy.[7]
- Turn on your kitchen fan if it has one—this will ensure optimal airflow.
- Place your wood onto the center rack for 1 hour. Be sure that none of the pieces are touching. For smaller pieces, lay them perpendicular to each rung of the oven rack to prevent them from falling through.[8]
- Continue monitoring the oven thermometer every 10 to 15 minutes and adjust temperature accordingly.
- Test your wood's moisture content (MC) after 1 hour and reheat for 15 minutes increments as necessary. After 1 hour has passed, remove 2 to 3 wood pieces of varying sizes from the oven. Measure their moisture content using a moisture meter. Continue heating the pieces for 15-minute intervals until the desired MC or until the moisture levels do not decrease anymore.[9]
- Purchase moisture meters from home hardware stores and online suppliers.
EditSpeeding up the Drying Process for Large Lumber - Process your logs as fast as possible. If you have just cut down a tree, make the wood into lumber as soon as you can. Processing opens up the wood and helps the drying process, which can prevent stain and rot from affecting the wood.[10]
- Store your wood in a shaded location with ample airflow. Try and find an indoor location like a hayloft or shed or an outdoor location that is in the shade. Avoid locations like garages which likely don't have enough airflow. Never store wood in the basement or inside boxes as they dry, they definitely won't have enough airflow.[11]
- Remember that your wood needs to dry in an area with a similar moisture content that the finished product will be exposed to. For example, if you plan to use the wood to make a chair that will be placed in a dry area of your home, store it in an area with similarly low moisture content
- Point an electric household fan toward your wood between your cutting sessions to improve airflow. This circulation will help your wood dry in at least half the time that it normally would.
- Seal off the ends of each piece of lumber immediately after cutting to prevent moisture decay. Exposed ends can lead to drying that is too fast, which paves the way for end-grain cracking and splits. And since moisture escapes wood 10 to 12 times quicker from the ends, leaving them exposed is damaging to the wood. Apply paraffin wax, shellac, polyurethane, or latex paint to the ends in a uniform manner so that both are completely covered. Try to do so as soon as possible—within minutes—for the best results.[12]
- Purchase specially formulated end grain sealers from woodworking or home hardware stores if you don't mind paying a bit more money.
- Stack your lumber uniformly to expose all sides to airflow. When you're cutting your lumber, cut the pieces to the same lengths and thicknesses. Afterward, these equal dimensions will make it easier to stack them in a manner that exposes each side to air. Use small pieces of wood, also known as stickers, to create space between each side and increase ventilation.[13]
- Use spacers every for thinner pieces and or spacing for thicker pieces.
- Cover the top of your wood with a tarp or plastic sheeting. Don't cover the entire pile of wood to the ground—this will hold in moisture. By just covering the top, you can ensure that each piece is adequately shaded without trapping moisture.[14]
- Skip this step if you're storing your wood indoors or somewhere with adequate shade.
- Measure the moisture content (MC) of your wood with a moisture meter. If you're using a pin-type moisture meter, press the 2 tips of the device into your wood. Afterward, turn it on and examine the moisture reading. For pinless meters, press the base of the scanning plane to the wood and activate it. Moisture readings are a percentage between 0 and 100.[15]
- Buy both types of moisture meters from online suppliers and home hardware stores.
- When microwaving multiple pieces of wood, don't heat multiple pieces of varying moisture contents.
- Don't rush—more cycles at lower heat is easier on the wood than fewer cycles at high heat.
- Don't use high-heat microwave settings or you risk starting a fire.
- Use oven or work gloves when handling heated wood.
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| How to Fix a Separated Zipper Posted: 25 Feb 2019 08:00 AM PST It's frustrating when zippers break suddenly, such as when their teeth separate and the zipper slider won't open and close them anymore. This can be embarrassing if it's on your pants zipper or if it's on a backpack and all of your things fall out. However, there are several ways of fixing a separated zipper. You can either try to fix the slider itself or realign the zipper by taking it apart and putting it back together. One of these methods is likely to fix the majority of zippers that have separated. EditReducing the Opening On the Zipper Slider - Inspect the slider on the zipper. Many times when the sides of a zipper separate and won't go back together as you pull the slider, it's because the slider itself is damaged. When you use a zipper often, the slider opening will begin to stretch open a bit. Inspect both ends of the zipper to determine if they have the same opening size. If one end looks wider than the other, then this may be why your zipper failed.[1]
- As the opening increases in size, it puts less pressure on the tracts of the zipper, allowing them to stay separated.
- Inspect the rest of the zipper and fix any problems that are apparent. For instance, straighten out any bent zipper teeth that you see. If there are tears in the fabric of the zipper, mend them.
- In some cases, bent teeth on a zipper will cause a zipper to separate. If the zipper teeth are metal, you can use a pair of pliers to straighten them out. If the teeth are plastic, gently try to straighten them with your fingers, as pliers could easily break them off.
- Squeeze the opening on the slider to reduce its size. Squeeze the slider on the top and bottom with your fingers or a pair of pliers. This will make the opening inside the slider the correct size once again.[2]
- On one end of the slider there is a middle piece that won't let you squeeze it. On the other end there is no middle piece. That is the side that gets opened and needs to be squeezed back together.
- Don't squeeze the slider too strongly though, as you don't want to make the gap smaller than it should be. You will know the gap is too small if it becomes difficult to pull up and down the zipper slider along the tracks.
- Check the zipper. Once you've reshaped the slider, move it up and down the zipper. If it is properly fixed, the slider should go back to opening and closing the zipper right away.
- If the zipper still doesn't work, either squeeze the slider more or try another solution.[3]
EditRemoving and Reinserting the Slider - Assess whether the slider needs to be realigned. If you have tried to move the zipper up and down, force the zipper sides together, and reduce the opening on the slider, the next thing to try is starting from scratch. If you can see the stops at the top of the zipper and they are metal, taking off the slider and realigning the zipper is possible.[4]
- The stops at the top of the zipper are small pieces of metal that are shaped a bit differently from the teeth on the zipper. They are not big pieces and they look similar to teeth but they are slightly larger and are positioned at the very end of each side of teeth.
- If the stops are plastic, you won't be able to take them off and put them back off without breaking them, so you can't use this method.
- Remove the top stops. Get a pair of small-tipped pliers and gently open up the stop. The stop it shaped like a "u," so you simply need to open up the side of the stop that is hooked onto the tape of the zipper. Once it is just slightly opened, you can wiggle it and unhook it from the tape.[5]
- It's important to be gentle with the stop and don't cut it or bend it until it breaks. You need to keep it intact.
- Keep the top stops and put them somewhere safe, as you'll need to use them again.
- Pull the slider up and off the zipper. Once the tops stops are removed, you will be able to easily pull the slider off the end of the zipper. Taking it off will allow you fix the tracks and then get the slider back in line.[6]
- Push the teeth of the zipper together. Start at the bottom of the zipper, the opposite end from where you took off the slider. Push the teeth of the zipper together, making sure that the teeth from the left and right sides alternate.[7]
- Put the zipper on top of a hard surface. As you work your way up the zipper, press down on the teeth to pop them into place.
- It is important that the teeth are perfectly lined up. Make sure that once you get to the top of the zipper that you don't have extra teeth on one side. This would mean that the teeth are not lined up.
- Reinsert the slider onto the top of the zipper. Once you have realigned the teeth, stick the bottom of the slider back onto the top of the tracks. Insert one track into the bottom of the slider, which is the end without a piece of metal separating the two sides. Then insert the other track.
- You will know each side is inserted when several teeth have gone up into the slider and the track won't go any further.
- It's easiest to insert one side and then the other. Putting them both in at once doesn't typically work.
- Run the slider up and down to check your work. Pull the slider down a few inches to make sure that it is on track. Move it up and down a bit to make sure it opens and closes the zipper correctly.[8]
- Be sure not to pull the slider all the way back up to the top, as it will slide off of the tracks again without the top stops in place.
- Reapply the top stops. Once the zipper is working once again, put the top stops back in place. Position them in the spots where they were originally installed. Squeeze the ends of the stops with your pliers until they grip the zipper tape once again.[9]
- Wiggle each stop after you reinstall it to ensure that it is securely in place.
- Just because you have a broken zipper, that doesn't mean that your piece of clothing or bag is broken forever. If you can't get the sides back together, you can always replace the zipper altogether.
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