Here at the Muller house, we are wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, Happy Chanukah, or just plain happy day, as well as a superb New Year. We are sad to say that some of us are getting pretty elderly and might not be here next year — Jimbo and Jeffrey — so we are going to be given our very favorite things this December 25. For Jim, who will be 13, a big marrow bone, some pancakes, maybe spaghetti and ice cream. All the treats doc doesn't want us to have, but he doesn't have to know. When Doc Kelly reaches 91, I hope someone gives him whatever he wants. For Jeff, who will be 18 in April, catnip and turkey or rotisserie chicken from Peters Market.

* * * I just hope that anyone who went out hunting this year made sure the animals were really dead and not just wounded. I have heard of this and in my opinion, if you are not strong enough to track a deer, you might want to hang up your rifle or bow and arrow. I would opt for a nice easy chair, watching football and eating chips and dip. I hear that if a certain amount of deer are not killed each year, the others will starve. If this is the case, why not give birth control-laced food to the deer? It is possible, but the DEC has to decide on it.

* * * Do you have any pets who live outside in the winter? I guess they can't be called pets really, but if you do, be sure there is always water available. I don't mean a frozen bowl of water, but drinkable water. There has to be a shelter that the animal can get into completely and be warm. Blankets can get wet, but straw is good. I had an outdoor cat who lived in a very deep house with heating pads and blankets. She was out there because she was feral, but the vet said that she could survive. I fed her very fat-laden food such as evaporated milk and rich, canned fish as well as turkey and chicken. I had to make sure the heating pads were not too hot either. I wanted her to come in, but she was too afraid and hated other cats. The other important thing was to make sure she was out of the wind, so that is why the wooden house was so deep. This is extremely worrisome and it is not meant for people to put their dogs or cats outside. Unless you have a really good reason, all pets should be inside with you. Horses and cows are another story, and although I have heard it is healthier for them to be out, I would ask the vet about that. All animals need lots of water available in the winter.

Don't forget that one of the world's great religions believes that the animals were worthy of sharing their shelter with the Messiah as a baby, so who are we to deny them anything less?