Q: Cat hoarders are a type of unintentional abuser, because they keep their cats in overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions. Overcrowding stresses the cats and forces large numbers of cats to live in a space that they would not normally occupy. This leads to bullying and extreme competition for resources, even if food is freely available, because some cats will be more dominant than others and guard the food. The hoarder's environment is also usually dirty, lacking a clean place for the cats to sleep, eat, and use the toilet. Hoarders are often reluctant to receive visitors and act secretively, but the cats are usually easy to spot through the window. Every pet cat has a right to shelter from the wind, rain, sun, and cold, as well as adequate food, fresh water, and sanitation. If these basic principles are not met, it is considered abuse, and can be identified with the following signs: A painfully thin cat may not have enough food to eat. A fainting or very thirsty cat may not have enough water or shade. An antisocial or aggressive cat may have been taken away from his mother prematurely. A cat that is shut in a small space with no ability to play or fulfill her need for movement. A cat that is deprived of companionship or forced to live in an environment with loud music or constant shouting. A cat that does not have a litterbox or access to the outdoors while the owner is away. The cat may have hair loss, open sores, or an angry red rash. The cat's coat may be excessively matted, or infested with fleas and ticks. This can cause the cat to scratch himself raw, or have lots of black, coal-like dust mixed in with her hairs ("flea dirt"). Dab the dirt with a damp cotton towel. A orangey-red stain is blood that indicates a flea infestation. A cat with a tick infestation has lots of grey "bubbles" stuck to his skin, which are the engorging ticks. The cat may have overgrown nails that dig into the pads and cause the pads to bleed, or weep pus from an infection. An untreated open wound on a neglected cat is at risk of "fly strike." This means that flies may lay their eggs in the skin, which then hatch out into maggots. If this has already happened, you may notice cream-colored grubs wriggling in the wound, or a sickly sweet smell from the infected wound. Depending on how much they have fed, the maggots range in size from approximately a hair's width and half a millimeter (1/5 inches) long, to chunky grubs. Repeated pregnancy is also a form of neglect, because letting a female cat produce litter after litter puts a huge drain on the queen's body. Breeding is especially irresponsible if the kittens then mysteriously disappear, or populate the neighborhood with unwanted cats. Young or middle aged cats should be plump or sleek, with well-covered bones. If you stroke a cat and his backbone bumps against your fingers, or if you can easily count each of his ribs, then the cat is underweight. Look for any cats that seem to be regularly injured, cut, or lame. A cat that favors a different leg on different days is especially suspicious, as this is likely caused by repeated injury rather than a chronic medical condition. If you witness the owner in the act of physically abusing a cat, record the time and details and contact the police. Most animals that are being abused give tell-tale signs in their behavior. Commonly, the cats are described as seeming "cowed", hunkering down with dilated eyes, glancing around for an escape route. Some cats become highly aggressive, and lash out at the slightest provocation, since they regard attack as the best form of defense. Never confront the suspected perpetrator but report your suspicions to the authorities. A detailed description or evidence will get your farther than a hunch, so be specific. These include the local law enforcement authority, animal welfare organization, animal control officer, SPCA, or the local animal shelter. Collect information such as dates and times that you think the abuse happened, and if possible, document the evidence with photos or videos.
A: Look for signs of cat hoarding. Pay attention to cats that do not have their basic needs met. Spot poor skin, coat, and paw condition. Notice untreated wounds at risk of fly strike. Keep an eye out on any neighborhood cat that is repeatedly pregnant. Look for any cats that are especially thin or bony. Look for suspicious injuries to identify intentional abuse. Pay attention to odd behavior. Report abuse to the authorities to stop it.

Q: With a rake, remove any clumps of compacted dirt or roots completely. Good quality topsoil can also be mixed into the soil as long as it is not more than 20 percent clay. Compost or other fertilizer can also be mixed into the soil at this point to provide essential nutrients for your lawn. Pass over the lawn with the spreader several times, going in the same direction, to apply half of the grass seed. Make a second pass over the area, going at right angles to the first pass, to apply the remainder of the seed. If not using a drop-style spreader and using your hand instead, toss the seeds from roughly two or three feet to ensure more even coverage. Shoot to cover one square foot with about 1/3 of an ounce (30 grams per square meter). Cover the surface with a layer of weed-free straw or hay, or high-quality compost. Apply the mulch lightly enough that some of the soil surface is visible through the mulch. This may require light watering two to four times each day. Begin mowing the grass when it reaches 212 to 3 inches (6.4 to 7.6cm). After the first mow, keep a routine watering schedule of 1 inch (2.5cm) per week.
A: Till or dig the soil to a depth of 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15.2cm). Mix in an organic matter such as peat if the soil is heavy. Allow the soil to settle and then rake it to make it level. Use a rotary or drop-style spreader to get the most uniform coverage when seeding. Rake the area lightly to cover the seeds with soil. Roll the area carefully to ensure good seed-to-soil contact and to firm the surface to protect the seed. Mulch the entire area lightly. Water the area or roll it again to help the mulch stay in place and prevent it from blowing away. Keep the surface of the soil moist for 15 to 20 days to allow the seedlings to germinate and get established. Water the lawn less frequently after the grass is established.

Q: Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to unwind the loops and straighten out the wire as much as possible. Create a small hook about 14 inch (0.64cm) long at the end of the wire to make it easier to catch hair. A wire snake will be able to reach clogs that are deeper than those you can reach with your hands. If you don't have a wire hanger, you can also purchase a plastic drain snake with a hook at the end designed to pull out hair. Find these at the hardware store. Wear rubber gloves to protect from scratching yourself with the wire and to grab any clogs you pull up without touching them with bare skin. Hold a flashlight with one hand to be able to see where the clogs are. Reach the wire snake into the drain with the hook side down, targeting any large clumps of hair. Wiggle the wire around so that it goes deeper into the drain. Feel for it to hook onto the clog and pull it out. If the hair clog is tight enough to block water, it will stick together as you pull it up. You may have to repeat the process several times to pull out all of the pieces of the clog. If water runs straight down the drain, you're all set. You can put the drain cover back on and use the shower normally. If the water still doesn't drain, there is another clog deeper down in the drain and you will need to plunge, use a hand snake, or make a baking soda and vinegar solution.
A:
Unwind and straighten a wire hanger and create a hook at the end. Reach the wire snake into the drain, hook clumps of hair, and pull them up. Turn on the hot water to tell if the clog is gone.