[Orgmode] structure editing in brainstorming mode

[Rustom Mody]

There are certain use-cases that come up -- typically when using
org-mode in 'brainstorming mode'.
I am sure they are so basic that there must be ways of doing it that I
dont know of...

1. Multiple heading demotion

Lets say I start writing down some points maybe with/without some
additional text
* Cat
* Dog

And now I decide to put all these into a superheading 'My Pets'
The only way I know is to enter
* My Pets
before Cat and then demote each subtree -- if there were not two but
ten I'd have to do that 10 times
I tried selecting the whole set that I want to demote and doing M-S-right
but I get the message

This command is active in special contexts like tables headlines or timestamps

2. Converting heading type

Sometimes one assumes that the points are 'small' and so are entered
as + points. Thus
* Pets
  + Cat
  + Dog

and then at some point it emerges that the +es had better be changed
to headings that is (the requisite number of) *s.  Any easy way of
doing that?

Thanks

Rustom