I thought National Animal Shelter Appreciation was a month long event. It should be! So even though it ends Saturday, don’t stop showing your support for your local animal shelters. I hope we never have to worry about what would happen to homeless animals if we didn’t have shelters and rescues to turn to.

Your local animal shelter cares for displaced animals and adopts them into new homes. It investigates cruelty and neglect, reunites lost pets with their families, teaches kids to care about animals, and provides spay/neuter services.

“In 1996, The HSUS launched National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week (based on an idea from the Capital Humane Society in Lincoln, Nebraska). This campaign was designed to acknowledge and promote the invaluable role shelters play in their communities and to increase public awareness of animal welfare issues and shelter services. During National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, the first full week of every November, The HSUS promotes and celebrates animal shelters across the country through media and public outreach. “ Taken from www.hsus.org

Pledge to Support Your Local Shelter….

Read more…

There is a truely wicked, laugh-out-loud, website called My Cat Hates You.  Two of my furkids, Pandora and Elvira, have mugshots there.  Their names were mixed up though.

http://www.mycathatesyou.com/cats/alpha/e/3580 

http://www.mycathatesyou.com/cats/alpha/p/3573

Aside from pictures of the most hateful cats and awesome merchandise, there is a forum with some of the most amazing animal lovers in the world, from all over the world actually.  I have been blessed to make some friends that I hope to meet in person someday. 

I digress… in 2004, one of the site’s geniuses Jim Edgar, wrote the book “Bad Cat: 244 Not-So-Pretty Kitties And Cats Gone Bad“.  Also available is a  page-a-day calendar (I’ve bought it the last three years and will do so again for 2009). 

Jim just published a second book called My Cat Hates you.  Elvira is on page 102!! After you’re done checking out the fab website run to your local bookstore (support locally if you can) and grab a copy. If not click on my link to Amazon. Remember… PAGE 102!

For those of you living in Western Montana here is another way to help out my favorite animal food bank. This is from their website www.Animeals.com

AniMeals Recycling Program

Help AniMeals feed hungry animals by recycling your cardboard, newspapers and aluminum cans! For your convenience we have set up accounts at both recycling centers! Just take all your recyclables to Pacific Recycling located at 2600 Latimer Street or Allied Waste Missoula Recyclery located at 3207 W. Broadway and tell them to put it on the AniMeals account. Both recycling centers are open 8:00 to 5:00 Monday thru Friday. AniMeals also has bins available for your recyclables on weekends and after hours at 1700 Rankin Street.

After reading about the awesome fire fighter who preformed CPR on a cat I got to thinking.  What if my cats needed CPR?  What on earth would I do?  It’s safe to say that I better learn.  It’s irresponsible of me not to know how to administer first aid and CPR on my pets. They could choke on cat treats, or anything that’s around the house that they shouldn’t get their little paws on.  By the way, that is a daily occurrence!  No, I’m not a bad Meowmie. Cats are just too curious and even the sweetest baby has a naughty side.  I find myself saying, “NO”, “Drop it mister”, “That’s not for kitties” in my sleep.
Read more…

American Humane.org, The ASPCA, and many other animal organizations around the U.S. have adopted June as “National Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat-Month. If you have the means, I encourage you to find a place in your home and heart to give a shelter cat a new forever home.

According to The Berlin Longevity Institute, cats can add as much as 10 years to their owners’ lives. Picking up a cat has a nearly instantaneous calming effect on humans, causing blood pressure to drop and the heart rate to slow.

The estimated population of homeless cats in the United States (70 million) is almost equal to the number of owned cats (75 million).

Throughout the spring and summer, animal shelters throughout the country are inundated with dozens of litters of kittens. Tragically, about 71% of these animals will have to be put to sleep because there are not enough loving homes.

There are a number of things families should consider when choosing to adopt a cat:

Age: While the playful antics of kittens are hard to resist, adult cats are often better suited to families with young children. Mature cats respond better to the clumsy handling of inquisitive toddlers. The ultimate choice when considering the best age of a feline for you is whether your household is ready for a grown-up cat that can turn on occasional playfulness, or the constant playfulness (with regular naps) that kittens are known for.

Number: If you are thinking about adding another cat to your feline fold, it’s important to consider the facts about a multi-cat household, including feeding, multiple litter boxes, and most important, whether the cats will get along.
Personality: Be aware that many cats are under a great deal of stress in the shelter environment. A cat’s true personality may not come out until he has been in his new home for several weeks. Visit the cat you’re interested in several times and read any information available from a previous owner. Generally, kittens should be active and enjoy being handled. And shy cats are best suited to quiet households.

Coat: Decide if you want a long-, medium-, or short-haired cat. The longer the coat, the more brushing that is needed to prevent painful matting.

Nutrition and Health: Good nutrition and regular (at least yearly) vet visits will keep your cat healthy and happy. Keep your cat indoors to prevent her from getting into accidents or fights with other cats. Check your cat for fleas, and make sure the litter box is clean and odor-free. Finally, set aside time every day to play with your loving companion; it is beneficial for you both!

If you decide to adopt a cat:

Get your cat a tag: Animal shelters take in millions of lost cats each year and most are not wearing any identification. Fewer than three out of four lost cats are ever returned to their caregivers. And the ones who are wearing tags are the ones that get home to their families the soonest. Make sure to include your cat’s name and your name, address, and phone number on the tag. Even “indoor” cats can slip outside, so make sure she’s wearing her tag at all times.

Prepare your house for your new cat or kitten: Adult cats and kittens love to climb and explore. Curiosity need not kill the cat. Be aware of possible hazards. Keep trashcans closed, toilet seat covers down, and cabinets latched. Don’t let cords or wires dangle, and cover any floor heating or air vents. Houseplants may be pretty, but many are toxic, so check with your vet for information on cat-friendly indoor plants.

Provide the best care for your new cat: The cat should have bright eyes; clean ears, nose, and teeth; and a shiny coat. A veterinarian should examine your cat as soon as you adopt her, and at least once a year. Provide good nutrition, flea and heartworm control, home dental care, and other preventive care. Make sure her litter box is clean and odor-free. Keep your cat indoors to prevent her from getting into accidents or fights with other cats.

A cat will provide years of love and happiness to families that give them the same!

OH What a life! The only worries my fur-kids have is finding the perfect napping spot.

Cat Ownership Facts

• The current domestic cat population in the U.S. was 81.7 million at the end of 2006, almost 10 million more than dogs.
• The number of owned cats has increased 38% since 1996.
• Cat-owning households represent 32.4% of all U.S. households.
• Cat-owning households had an average number of 2.2 cats in 2006, compared to 1.7 dogs per dog-owning households.
• Nearly half (49.2%) of all cat owners consider their cat to be a family member; 49.4% consider cats as pets or companions.
• In 2006, 36% of cats did not visit the veterinarian, compared to 17% of dogs.
• Overall veterinary visits for cats have decreased almost 11% since 2001. (Cats visited the veterinarian 63.3 million times in 2006).

From The American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2007 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook

Life has been so crazy and BUSY lately. I’m basically chasing my tail!

*takes deep breath*

In the last month; I’ve had a cold, a birthday, cut 5 inches off my hair, then dyed and added black low lights to my hair, a colonoscopy, a migraine that sent me to the ER, trying to find a house, I am super close to promoting to district manager with Arbonne, took Lucien to the vet only to find out he had a bad cold, and trying to keep peace in the house with 5 very energetic/naughty cats. Who knew that adding two cats to our home would double the cat poo in the box and make the food dishes empty quicker? *lets out breath*
Speaking of our new additions…

Mac and Mimi are brother and sister. I believe they are part Siamese and 2-3 years old. I wasn’t planning on keeping them. I was going to call Animeals the next morning. I’ve always wanted a Siamese baby, but 5 cats was not apart of my plan. The second I took Mimi out of her mom’s arms a big “SUCKER” sign lit up above my head. Steve saw it and said it was flashing.

The first week was the most stressful for all of us: Me, Steve, my mom (grandmeowmie) and all 5 of the cats. As you can imagine, there was lots of hissing, growling and pissing matches going on. (figuratively speaking) We were told Mac was very protective of Mimi, but the roles reversed and she seemed to be the one protecting him. At times though, she was so stressed out that, he got a few smacks during her rampages. Having each other made the transition much smoother though. I feel sooo guilty that we couldn’t introduce them to our brood the proper way. Well and I feel sorry for my other furkids too.

A month has passed. I’m learning that Mac is a big goofy teddy bear. I could have swore he was 20 pounds, but when I weighed him the scale lied on his behalf and said 16. I wish it would do that for me!! Grandma (my mom) accidentally said aloud that Mac was her favorite now. (It used to be Elvira) I think he heard her because he has now claimed her as his own slave. She is the only one that can pick him up, squeeze him and give him kisses. When I do it, he cries like a sissy girl and squirms to get down. BAH!

Mimi became my shadow right away. I’m not sure if it was because I was the one who took her and brought her inside from the car. She was clingy, but aside from being aggressive toward the others, she seemed to be ok. Then she gave me a scare. She wasn’t eating like I assumed and seemed glued to the foot of the bed when I was gone. She growled at everyone and everything. I did everything to comfort and console her, but by day 3 she was vomiting yellow bile. It was late at night when we realized this. I decided to take her to the vet the next day. Mom was home and said she saw her eat a little and drink some water. I think the idea of “the vet” chilled her out. I let it go for another day, and sure enough, she’s now eating, drinking and pooing like the rest of them. She’s also leaving the safety of our bed when I’m gone.

Mimi is giving Pandora a run for her money in the bitch department. They fight over who gets to sleep ON meowmy. It’s amazing how much alike they are. Their build is similar, their expressions say “leave me alone” and they both paw at you for attention, or stalk your hand to pet them. When fed, they both just take a few bites and walk away. When they play with toys, it’s more like killing. They are meaner then the boys!

The only difference I’ve noticed so far is Pandora HATES to be picked up. She literally squeaks, then lets out a warning growl. Meems doesn’t mind when I pick her up, unless other cats are around, then she acts tough and growls. If I walk away from the crowd she purrs and lets me pet, squeeze and give her my version of head bonks. OH and Mimi likes to burrow under covers and Pandora freaks out if you cover so much as her paw up.

This is the current scorecard. Mac likes everyone in the house, and everyone but Pandora likes him back. Lucien loves having a buddy to tear the house up with. The only time they really fight, is when they both want to be at the top of the cat tree. Go figure! Mac either sleeps with Mimi at the foot of our bed, or with Grandmeowmie.

Mimi loves her brother, and is starting to tolerate Lucien and Elvira. Sometimes she trips out and forgets that she likes them and hisses. She hates Pandora and whatever she dishes out, Pandora dishes it right back.

Lucien and Elvira love everyone.

Pandora loves Elvira. They nap together all the time and she bathes Elvira like a baby. She tolerates Steve when he follows her rules of petting ettiquette. Grandmeowmie is awesome when she’s giving treats, but there is no question she loves her Meowmy.

For the record. NO MORE KITTIES!! I PROMISE. Well, at least until we find a bigger house. *giggle*

Taken by Steve’s cell the night Lucien was brought to our house.

While at work one evening, Judy a housekeeper, came to my window and asked if I wanted a kitty. While replying yes, I was shaking my head NO. Elvira needed a kitty, but now was not the time.

Apparently a few of the employees were outside on a break and a little fuzzball ran across the street to hang out with them. He was a talker and purred up a storm as they took turns holding him. They tried to shoo him away, but he wouldn’t budge. He had a collar, but no tags. On occasion they’ve witnessed cars drive by and swerve to hit squirrels and cats. They didn’t want him to get hurt so what do they do? Yeah, you guessed it.

Judy had spent countless nights hanging out with me on her evening breaks listening me go on and on about my furkids. When they all agreed something had to be done with kitty, she knew where to go.

“Judy, I can’t take a kitten right now. I don’t have the room and the girls will hate me!” Once she told me about seeing cars swerve, the look on my face gave her the answer she wanted. Kitty wasn’t allowed inside the hospital, so I called Steve to come rescue the fuzzy baby.

I was dying to know the sex of the kitty and what it looked like. I called and begged Steve to take pictures and text them to me. What a precious boy! He belonged to someone though. He had to! He had a collar. I had two hours left on my shift so I decided to place an ad on Petfinder.com and in the local lost and found in the paper.

When I got home I loved him up and down. He was in heaven! The girls were in hell. Pandora hated him at first sight. Elvira didn’t know what to think. She was curious, as I knew she would be, but if she got to close kitty hissed at her. After awhile she said forget it, and started hissing back. *sigh*

Days went by and nobody called. Steve was already attached. OK, I was too. We decided he owned us now so I called the vet to set up a check up, shots and a snip snip.

I secretly had been thinking of names since the first night. I’m not stupid. I knew I’d get attached and he’d stay. I wanted to stay with the “vampire” theme. Pandora was named after a vampire in an Ann Rice novel. Elvira, well, I couldn’t think of another female vampire that would be easy to yell and spell. She’s all black so, that was that. Elvira, mistress of the dark. I didn’t want to name the new kitty Louie or Lestat. To me it would be like naming a white cat snowball.

It finally hit me! His long face and the tufts of hair behind his ears made him look like a little Lycan. So from the movie Underworld, we named him Lucien.

Poem For Cats

And God asked the feline spirit
Are you ready to come home?
Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul
And, as a cat, you know I am most able
To decide anything for myself.

Are you coming then? asked God.
Soon, replied the whiskered angel
But I must come slowly
For my human friends are troubled
For you see, they need me, quite certainly.

But don’t they understand? asked God
That you’ll never leave them?
That your souls are intertwined. For all eternity?
That nothing is created or destroyed?
It just is….forever and ever and ever.

Eventually they will understand,
Replied the glorious cat
For I will whisper into their hearts
That I am always with them
I just am….forever and ever and ever.

Author Unknown