There are many types of cat-training aids on the market. Some of the most helpful training tools are leashes, a scat mat, catnip, toys, and food treats.

Having a simply and lightweight cat leash lets you train your cat to go for a walk or ride in the car. Cats require exercise, and using a leash while taking a walk with your cat outside will provide protection and keep the cat from running off. You want the cat to walk with you, not ahead of you, so train the cat to expect that you will be the leader. Both of you will enjoy your walks much more if this approach is taken.

The scat mat is good for showing cats that certain areas are not open to them. These devices send out pulses of static electricity when a cat enters the forbidden area. There are many sizes and colors of scat mats. Some even come in transparent versions so the cat cannot see that they are on the area. Additionally, scat mats are safe to use. They can be connected if you have especially large areas where you do not want your cat to go. Dummy scat mats do not include the electric pulse and may be used after the cat is trained to provide reminders of appropriate behavior.

Catnip can be used on cat litter to attract the cat to the litter box. Male cats tend to respond more to catnip, which has a scent similar to the urine of a female cat. Catnip comes in different forms for training. Toys that are filled with catnip can help a cat to learn a specific behavior. For fund, catnip in bubble form is available. It is similar to the kind of soap-bubble toy that children play with, but it has an added scent of catnip. The product is safe for your cat and will not harm him or her. Catnip is also available in a powered form that you can rub on your hand. You can even buy catnip seed and plant it inside or outside your home to give the cat a real treat.

If your cat is pouncing on things like it would pounce on a mouse, it may be useful to give the cat a toy mouse. Cats, by nature, will pounce as if they are killing something. Having a toy mouse lets the cat act in a normal way. Some toy mice on the market can be wound up so the cat can chase them. Others may be stuffed with catnip. Training a cat has a lot to do with letting it fulfill its natural instincts. A cat that can perform its normal activities will be a happier and healthier companion.

Offering healthy food rewards is another good tool for training a cat. Many cat treats include vitamins so you will know that the cat is getting what it needs nutritionally. If you are a baker, you might want to try to make your own cat treats. There are even prepackaged mixes available.

Remember to be patient with your cat while it is learning.

Mechanical devices have long been used to treat impotence. One popular brand is the Erec-Aid System which has been available since 1983. How does it work and what can you expect from this device?

In Male Sexual Health: A Couple’s Guide published by Consumer Reports Books, Dr. Richard F. Spark, associate clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a member of the International Society for Impotence Research, explains the process:

“There are several components to the Erec-Aid device. A cylinder designed to fit over the limp penis is connected to a hand operated vacuum pump. Suction from the pump creates a negative pressure within the cylinder, and this encourages an increased flow of arterial blood to the penis. Venous outflow is prevented by tight bands that fit over the base of the penis. A petroleum jelly-like substance lubricates the system and seals the base of the cylinder. When a user achieves an adequate erection (and with the rubber bands inhibiting venous outflow still attached), he removes the cylinder. The vacuum induced erection is maintained for up to 3O minutes.”

How effective is the process? For sure, the limp penis does become rigid after three to seven minutes in the vacuum chamber but it takes a certain amount of skill to operate the device. Sexual foreplay may be interrupted and those with the patience to stuff their penises into the chamber in order to get an erection may have other problems: penile pain (which is common in most men using this vacuum constrictor device or VCD), fainting and infection of the foreskin. These side effects were reported by Dr. Perry Nadig, a urologist from San Antonio who has extensively used the Erec-Aid device.

“Initial interpretation of questionnaires prepared and distributed by the manufacturer of the VCD unit suggests that although 92 percent of men maintain they can achieve a satisfactory VCD-induced erection, only 75 percent continue to use the device. These men limit intercourse to about once every two weeks, perhaps because of side effects or mechanical problems,” said Spark, a member of the American Fertility Society and the American Federation of Clinical Research.

“Pain and discomfort were common experiences. Black and blue marks on the penis occurred in almost all the men. All respondents indicated they needed a considerable amount of practice time to learn to use the unit, and once they had acquired the skill to use it, the interval from initiating vacuum suction to the development of an erection ranged from 30 seconds to more than seven minutes and averaged two-and-a-half minutes,” he added.

Moreover, the kind of erection one gets with Erec-Aid is not perfect. Four significant points were raised by Spark in Male Sexual Health:

Once the erection has been induced by the vacuum, the rubber bands in place at the base of the penis choke off blood flow into the penis. This causes penile skin temperatures to fall to 96°F. One-third of the female partners of men using VCDs found the chilled penis displeasing during intercourse.

Another drawback is that as the penis becomes engorged and congested by the VCD-induced suction and inhibition of venous outflow, penile circumference increases more than it would during a normal erection. This gives the penis a sausage like appearance.

Third, the erection created by the VCD is rigid only from the point at which the rubber bands are affixed. This means that it is not fully upright like a normal erection, but flexible and capable of swiveling or pivoting at its base.

The VCD also does not permit normal ejaculation. Because the rubber bands remain in place throughout the sexual act, semen is trapped in the urethra and can be released only after the bands are removed.

What about penile injections? Do they work? Find out in the sixth part of this series. If your partner has a diminished sex drive, help her recover with Fematril, a safe and natural female sexual enhancer that can stimulate your mind and body. For details, go to http://www.fematril.com/.