Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Day to be Thankful for.

Today is Thanksgiving. This is a day to give thanks for all that we know and love. Today is also a day to remember loved ones far and near. Sometimes people say I have nothing to be thankful for, but just maybe deep down in your heart you know you do have at least one thing. So let me remind everyone that at this time of year when we are busy preparing for the Holidays we may have people whom we forgot to check in with, a distant friend or family member, an elderly neighbor or even your own parents. So this year instead of being stressed out because your children want all of the fancy new gadgets you can't really afford, do something nice for and elderly neighbor. Donate your time and your kids time to help feed the homeless. Donate time at a rescue shelter for animals, or just donate a portion of the money you were going to spend on that ugly sweater for Uncle Harry, or that toy for Little Johnny will break in two days to doing something good for someone who has nothing. Even the smallest thing can bring joy to someone who maybe lonely during the Holidays. I am grateful for my children and grandchildren. I don't hear from or see them a lot, but I am still grateful that they are in my life. I love my children, they are good kids. Check on your Mother kids. I am grateful that I have five wonderful cats. They make me crazy some days but, bring joy to my life. I am grateful that I have a job I like, and people whom I work with are good people. They can also make me a bit crazy but that's life. I am especially grateful for all of my family who are far and near. I am grateful for the lessons my Mom taught me, and for my Dad teaching me how to be a farmer. So today take a moment and reflect on what you are grateful for, may it be small or large, and love one another all year long. Happy Cat.

Thanksgiving Safety Tips For Pet Owners.

If you wish to feed Harry the Dog or Miss Priss the Cat turkey, keep these things in mind. Fully cooked turkey no bones, and no skin or fat. Just a few tidbits mixed into their dry or wet food is suffice. If you like stuffing with your turkey, great. Harry and Miss Priss don't. Most stuffing contains a herb called sage. This can cause gastrointestinal upset and also central nervous system depression to pets, if eaten in large quantities. So best bet, don't serve stuffing to your furry babies. Better safe than sorry. Keep in mind a lot of Vets are also are taking the day off and if you have a pet emergency an Animal hospital is going to cost double. Keep them from raw eggs as well. Some tips for dog owners. Yes to turkey. No to onions, garlic, leeks, and scallions. Yes to plain mashed potatoes. No to grapes or raisins. These can cause kidney failure in dogs. Yes to cranberry sauce. No to Xylitol, artificial sweetners. Yes to macaroni and cheese. No to chocolate. Yes to green beans. No to alcohol. So as we all know everyone over eats on Thanksgiving, well most people sometimes myself included. But that doesn't give us free license to over feed our furry babies. They can suffer from stomach distress as well as we can, but in their case it can make them more miserable than humans. So even though you want to fix Harry or Miss Priss a plate do it in moderation. They will thank you and you will feel better knowing that you didn't over do the sharing of the Thanksgiving meal. Happy Cat.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Relax, Ha, Ha.

I just felt it in my bones, today I would go home and enjoy a nice cup of hot coffee, and some relaxing music, maybe do a load of laundry, just kick back and enjoy the evening. Right, I mean wrong, wrong, wrong. I feed the kitties their food, and as they finish Jekyll cleans up everyone's dishes, I sit down to relax. Nope not happening. Jezz for once is sitting peacefully on the couch and Phantom decides to aggravate her. He runs right up to the couch and takes a stance of dominance. Well she isn't having any of that nonsense and starts batting the couch, like she is trying to make him back off, and he keeps coming at her like the Roman army. I have to get up and stop the nonsense as everyone else decides to get in on the act. Little Sophia starts snarling, then Jinx gets her tail in a knot, Jekyll saunters over to check it out gets swatted for his efforts by Sophia, Jinx starts advancing on Phantom. Mom grabs the nearest weapon. The dreaded squirt bottle. Makes the fiendish clan scatter to the far reaches of the domain. Everyone finally comes back to the living room and settles down, I get back to my now cold coffee, and think maybe, just maybe tomorrow will be my day. Tired Mom, Settled Kitties.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Cat Love.

Do you think it is possible to love your cats to much? Well I certainly don't think so. But of course I have been referred to as The Crazy Cat Lady. I have drugs for that, I'm not crazy. Beside the point. I do think that some people are more in touch with their pets then they are people, and I have heard that, those people just don't relate well to people. Now everyone has an opinion about some thing or other. I for one think that having pets are healthy. They can help to keep you active, if you have a dog, walks are needed, its you moving, and they like to chase things, keeps you moving. Sure you have to pick up their poo, but it is just part of owning a dog, keeps you moving. Cats also like to play and this can be very interactive. Cats like to be chased around, they like to have you at eye level, and in my case they style my hair. Pets can keep you occupied if your alone, and they do enjoy having a cup of coffee with you in the morning, they can keep you company when you read the morning paper, and make you laugh when you are grumpy. Just try making a bed when a cat is around, at my house it is a challenge to make the bed, but we make a game of changing the bedding, and it makes me laugh. So I guess if loving your pet makes you a crazy person, then I guess you can call me The Crazy Cat Lady. Jinx I'm done, no leave the keyboard alone, no I don't need help, Jinxxxxxxxxxx.

Toxic Plants.

Tis the season for people to bring plants into the house for the holidays. The biggest plant that people buy for the holidays of course re Poinsettia's. These are beautiful flowering plants, and come in many colors, and some are dyed to achieve the blue and green colors which are beautiful at best. But the Poinsettias are highly toxic to cats, and children as well. I checked on line to see how many plants where toxic to cats and the list contains 399 plants. Here are just a sample. Aloe, Amaryllis, also a holiday favorite, American Holly, Apple, Peace Lily, Pothos, all things many people have in their homes or yards. Here are some things to watch for. Since many plants are irritants especially for the gastrointestinal tract, most symptoms seen will be the result of irritation or inflammation. Such as redness, swelling, or itchiness of the skin or mouth. Some toxic principles directly affects a particular organ, the symptoms will be related to that organ. Examples Difficulty breathing (airways affected). Drooling or difficulty swallowing (mouth, throat, or esophagus affected). Vomiting (if stomach or intestines affected). Diarrhea ( if the intestines or colon are affected). Excessive drinking and urinating (if kidneys are affected). Fast, slow or irregular heart beat (if heart affected). Should you see any of these signs, contact your vet immediately. The best thing to do is of course not have these plants in your home, but should you be careful. Children as well as dogs can be affected by these plant as well. So here in the Catdom we wish everyone a Happy Holiday, but we also wish our many furry friends a Safe and Happy Holiday.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Cats Do Their Own Thing.

I love my cats, I must I have five of them. Some days I just have to wonder why. Most days they have their own agendas. This does not include me. I got a beautiful large house plant, and to most cats house plants are the lettuce of life to them. Now my Jinx is a house plant eater. I don't care what kind it is, she will try and eat it. My youngest son and his wife gave me a beautiful African Violet for Mother's Day, well she wanted to munch on it. So off to work it went. It is doing beautifully at work. So now I have a very large plant in the kitchen area, it has a tall stand, and a spray bottle close by. This is not just to mist the plant it is also to mist the cat when she gets near it. I just pick up that bottle and the kitty runs, as a matter of fact they all scoot to other rooms. I sometimes get great satisfaction squirting them, just because sometimes they wake me when I don't have to be up or they are just being annoying. Yes they can be annoying, to the point I just want to leave the house. But as I am the top cat in the house I just put up with it. Okay I don't put up with Jekyll chasing Sophia into a corner, and attacking her, nor do I put up with Phantom chasing Jezzabel until she is ready to pack her catnip and leave home. But back to house plants, they are in serious danger in my house, as well I brought in some roses from my yard one day, and didn't put them out of Jinx reach, and when I came back in the house, here was Jinx just munching down on my beautiful roses. How she never gets sick is beyond me. A lot of house plants are toxic to cats. So for our next visit with you we will talk about the types of house plants that are toxic to cats as well as people. So enjoy and we will be back soon. Happy Munching Jinx.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Cold Weather Tips For Dog Owners.

Yes I am talking about dogs, as I know some cat people also have dogs as well. What does that make you? Super Pet Parents. Colder weather brings with it the hustle and bustle of the Holidays, between Thanksgiving and New Years. Sometimes we get so busy we forget to take those extra few minutes required to make sure our dogs are cozy and warm when going outside. This is true for those little dogs and shorthaired dogs. Did you know that your dog loses its keen sense of smell during extremely cold weather, if this happens your pet can become lost. Best to have them on a leash. So bundle up and go with. Make sure to wipe paws, legs and stomach when they come in from the snow. Plenty of things stick to paws when they come in from the snow, sleet and ice. These include salt, anti freeze and other yuck. Dogs love to lick their paws and you do not want them licking salt or antifreeze from their paws. This will upset their stomachs and or poison them. Invest in a warm coat for those short haired dogs. You need it to cover from the base of their tail and bellies. Get a good insulated one, not those fancy coats. What dog seriously needs swag to go outside. Insulated is best. Another thing do not leave your dog in a cold car for any length of time. This is as bad as hot weather. The car acts just like an ice box. In the winter you can leave food in your car and it won't spoil, but hey dogs aren't food, so don't leave them in the car while you shop. Quick stop at the gas station okay, but that's it. Well I hope my Dog Lovers enjoy the fact that I have branched out a bit and offered some tips for your Pups. Take care and Sophia says keep your dogs warm. She's my dog lover. Happy Dogs.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Seasonal Pet Health Hazards Associated With Fall.

This article is from Dr. Patrick Mahaney. Although fall has many things that appeal to humans, fall does have potential health hazards for our pets. Decreased Hours of Daylight. Lots of people walk their pets early in the day or evening and with less daylight it can cause potential hazards for you and your pet. Drivers have a harder time seeing you and your pet. If you walk your dog or let your feline out be very observant to prevent them from being hit by a car. Dangers due to Leaves. If you are outside with your pets and using a leaf blower be cautious as it may scare them and they will take off, and leave your property. Additionally gas powered leaf blowers can leak oil or fuel, which creates a source of toxicity should your pet ingest when your pet walks through it and then licks their paws. Leaf piles laying on your lawn can cause problems as well. They can quickly accumulate moisture, which promotes bacterial and mold growth. If your pet ingests these microorganisms, digestive tract upset can occur. Burning leaves also cause smoke and plant based oils, especially if poison ivy is mixed in these can irritate your pets eyes, lungs, nose and throat. Better to leave them inside. Dangers due to Plants and Mushrooms. The Chrysanthemum is a seasonally blooming flower that is commonly associated with fall. Toxicity can occur if your pet ingests the mum's flowers. I have a bad little cat called Jinx, you know her as my editor. She is awful about eating flowers. I have a beautiful African Violet my son got me for Mother's Day that I had to take to work, just so she would leave it alone. It is nice to have there. So the signs of plant ingestion are as follows. 1) Ataxia - Stumbling 2) Dermatitis - Skin Inflammation 3) Ptyalism - Increased Salivation 4) Vomiting 5) Diarrhea. Other Plants include Meadow Saffron/Autumn Crocus, and Clematis. Mushrooms can also occur in mulch and some may not be as toxic as others are so make sure your pets stays from these as well. Other Dangers Include all types of Rat and Mice Poisons. When it gets colder the rodents seek shelter wherever they can. Take care where you place any type of rodent poisons. If you suspect your pet has been poisoned call your Vet or Vet Hospital immediately. These tips are for Dog and Cat lovers alike, so as the year winds down and the cold weather moves in watch for the dangers that the Fall season can bring for your Beloved Pets. Happy Cat.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Ten Ways to Help Shelter Cats.

1) Put a donation box in your work place for food and toys. After you take it down thank your coworkers for their help. 2) Collect old towels and blankets, the cats can use these in their cages to keep warm and cozy. 3) Make some catnip toys, they are really easy and inexpensive to make. 4) Volunteer to play with the kitties, it helps to make them more social, and offer to help clean the cages. 5) Hold a cat toy and food drive. The easiest way to do this is at your next social gathering or family party. 6) Foster a kitty if you can. Foster homes are always in need, when rescue shelters get full. 7) Volunteer for a Trap-Neuter-Release program. Call your local shelter for details. 8) Take photos for shelters if you are good with a camera. It helps when posting details in papers, and on Face Book if the shelter has good pictures. 9) Put your change to work. At the end of the day, stick it in a jar, and every couple months donate it to a rescue. 10)Donate while you shop. Amazon has Amazon Smile which donates a portion of its proceeds to your favorite charity. Another good one is the Greater Goods.com. Whatever you can do is helpful, and even if you can take a bag of food or cat litter to the shelter it is always received by very grateful shelter workers and the Kitties. So this Holiday Season think about shelter animals, and every little bit does help. Thank You from all of us here in the Catdom.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Cat Styled Hair.

I don't know if I am the only person who gets up everyday with hair style by a large black cat. I never know what it will look like. I got up Monday and it was really bad. I looked like he slept on top of my head, my hair was every which way. I wasn't sure if I was going to get it straightened out before I had to leave for work. I got it fixed. Tuesday I did wake up with him on top of my head, and I really didn't look to bad, just a minor fix. Wednesday was a bit crazy but a little hair spray I got it to lay flat. So today I actually had great looking black cat styled hair. I cannot believe that it actually looked good. So tomorrow is Friday, and I really wonder what I will look like. So if you have cats just know this if you wake up with super crazy hair, you probably should blame the cat. Now I know what you are thinking who lets a cat sleep on your head. I don't let them do this on purpose, when I am sleeping I have no idea what the heck they are doing, unless of course they are running around the house and knocking everything off the dresser and the cupboards. Cats are cats, and cats do as they will, so I am okay with that. So I will let you know how my hair turns out on Friday. Happy Cat.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Isn't it to early for "Cabin Fever"?

I think cabin fever has already struck my house. The cats are crabby, not much sun to speak of so the house is dreary. I believe that they are thinking all day about how they are going to make me crazy when I get home. Of course you all know I take care of their needs when I get here and then sit down to relax for a few minutes. Not today. I was busy with something after I fed them and then they just went nuts. Like crazy nuts. Like squirrels would take them and hide them for the winter nuts. So do you get the picture? If not this is what it was like. Phantom was stalking Jezz and she was hissing and running away trying to find a safe spot, and stalk her he did. I had to pick him up and move him to another room. He didn't stay and ran after her again until I cornered him, and then he just looked at me like WHAT? Jekyll chased Jinx around and she gets all scatter brained and starts flying through the house, with her tail fluffed three times its size, she ran up the counter onto the top of the cupboards, back down across the bed and then landed on the computer. Sophia's eyes where bugged out of her head and ears flattened to her head just waiting for the action to head her way. Unfortunately she didn't have to worry, I decided I had enough of the caterwauling. At times like this I really wonder what I was thinking, you know five cats. But then again I wouldn't know what do without them. So for now everyone has picked a spot and are being perfect peaceful little kitties. So Happy Momma.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Revisiting Pumpkin for your Pets.

This article was found on Petplace.com. I know we talked about pumpkin some time ago for pets but this article is more informative. Also as usual I will have my own personal both input at the end. 1)Combating Dehydration. Pumpkin flesh is 90% water. If you top dry cat or dog food which is moisture deficient it will help combat dehydration. I recommend about a teaspoon, every few days. 2)Helping with Constipation. Fiber from pumpkin works in pets the same way it does humans. A tablespoon or two can resolve the symptoms in a few days. Some cats can develop decreased colon activity as they age. So the added fiber is good to help things along. Please do not over do it though. 3)Reducing Hairballs. By increasing the volume of waste in the intestines, pumpkin can help your cat digest and eliminate fur swallowed during grooming. This can reduce or even prevent the formation of "hairballs" that are eventually thrown up. 4)Resolving Diarrhea. Yes it works in both ways! Pumpkin can soothe constipation but diarrhea can also be remedied with the addition of pumpkin to a dog or cats food. All it takes is 1 teaspoon for small dogs and cats, and medium to large dogs about 1 tablespoon. 5)Boosting Weight Loss. With 3 grams of fiber per cup pumpkin can help in weight loss in both dogs and cats. This is so they feel fuller and eat less. Do not give them a cup at a time though, and always check with your vet on the proper amount to feed. 6)Supplementing Nutrition. One of the biggest benefits of pumpkin to pets and humans is its wealth of nutrition. Pumpkins carry a variety of vitamins and minerals. Do not over load your pet on pumpkin, to much isn't good. I suggest about a teaspoon a week. 7)Adding Antioxidants. Pumpkins contain antioxidants which help moisturize skin, helping your pet maintain a healthy coat and skin. Ladies this may also be good for us. I might just give it a try. 8)Providing Essential Fatty Acids. Pumpkin seeds contain essential fatty acids. You should only use fresh roasted seeds. Lightly coat with cooking oil and spread on a cookie sheet, roast at 375 degrees for about 5 to 10 minutes. No salt! Either store in an airtight container or freeze. Freezing is better. Small pets need them ground up so as not to have a large piece get caught in the intestines and are easily to digest. Once a week should be good. Use just a small amount maybe 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon. 9)Controlling Parasites. Pumpkin seeds contain cucurbitacin a possible anthelmintc that eliminates tape and roundworms. Additionally the seeds may inhibit the formation of kidney and bladder stones. The seeds should be ground up and poured over the food. Again only a small amount. The best pet safe sources for cats and dogs is fresh cooked pumpkin. Small pie pumpkins would be best. Check a cookbook or online on how to prepare pumpkin to cook, or ask your granny. After cooking package in an airtight container and freeze in small batches. No spies are added to this. Opt for only pure pumpkin that is canned not the type for pumpkin pie. Also do plan on putting canned pumpkin in the freezer as it only will last for a week refrigerated. I have found this article to be very informative. So as you can see pumpkin is a great food, and not just for Halloween to carve or for pies. Happy Cat.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Good Morning From The Catdom.

Well good morning everyone. I hope your Halloween was fun, and no one played any tricks on you. I see that Sophia wrote the blog for me last night, such a clever girl. Must be I have magical cats as a couple of them can crack the passwords on the computer and have learned to type. I always wondered why they liked to watch when I do the blog it was so they could write their own stories. Very helpful I must say. I woke up to Jekyll chewing on my hair and licking my arm. This means one of two things, I want you to wake up or feed me. It was just wake up you've slept long enough. That was okay as I have a lot to do today. But my hair now looks frightful, I wish he could of done that last night so I could scare the kids. I checked the weather and that is frightening as well, it is cold and may rain or snow mix today. I am glad my furry babies will be snug a bug in a rug in the house. The wind has died down it was really windy last night as well. We will see you later today with more news from the world of cats. Have a splendid day. Happy Cats.