Tito and Jenny are both nervous wreck kitties. In Tito’s case, it has taken him 4 years to learn to relax…mostly. He’s still terrified of shoes and he smacks the crap out of anything that doesn’t look right to him. Aside from smacking inanimate objects that make him nervous, he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He’s a gentle soul and he adores Miss Jenny.
I managed to get some photos of him practicing the dead bug. He’s getting quite good at holding the position for a long time. Miss Jenny is still too nervous to attempt this position.
Lazy semi-dead bugHappy dead bugDead bug with a bit of a twist
The furkids love the basket. I put a small basket on the shelf above the computer. It was a refuge for The Boober when Tito was a kitten. Tito was unrelenting about playing and The Boober was fighting cancer. By the time Tito got big enough to get to the basket, he was calm and content with merely snuggling. Now Tito and Miss Jenny use the snuggle box.
Happy kitties sharing the snuggle box
I don’t have a much as a bonus pic. However, yesterday we went out to the Conservatory of Flowers.
If you wonder where this is, just look at the message that begins to the left of the stairs and ends on the right.
Ok, it’s a bit of exaggeration. The Flying Wallendas have been defying gravity for a century. Recently, Nik Wallenda became the first aerialist to walk across the Niagara Falls.
This pooch doesn’t walk across the Niagara Falls, but what he does is pretty impressive. According to his Facebook page, Ozbert Humpledink is a 3 yr old collie/kelpie cross. He was born in Wales. With the help of his human, he has learned some amazing tricks.
As you can see, Ozzy really loves to perform for his dad.
Now it’s time for the gratuitous cat pics.
We hope you have enjoyed this acrobatic interlude.
It’s Halloween, but JBoD would like to give a shout out to fellow critters and their humans who were caught in the path of Sandy. It is so sad to see the devastation. Our hearts are with you.
Please take time to donate to a charity or animal shelter in order to help. Best Friends has an emergency animal rescue crew on their way. They will work with their affiliates in the NE to rescue as many animals as possible. Their hurricane page is located here. You can also follow the Best Friends New York on their Facebook page.
Don’t forget the humans. There are a vast amount of people who are without shelter or who have lost everything. Please donate what you can to help.
WARNING! There will be scam charities. Beware of donating without checking out the charity first. You can check out charities at BBB charities page. At that page you can see how a charity rates and if there are complaints. There are also links to good charities.
Yes, it’s Caturday and I even have some pics today. The last week or two has been a bit chaotic. Lastech is starting a new job next week. He no longer has a long commute to work. Yipee! Now back to the important stuff.
I left this too late. However, here in light of that monster of all storms bearing down on the East Coast, here is a disaster plan for pets and their humans. I truly hope this list won’t be needed by anyone, but just in case… This disaster plan can be found listed under the blog header.
The fur babies can be found below the disaster plan.
Before Disaster Strikes: Identify Your Pet
Keep your pet’s license current.
Make sure that collar and identification tags are worn at all times.
Consider having a safe, permanent microchip implanted in your pet. This type of ID cannot fall off or be removed. Most veterinarians offer microchipping services to their customers.
If your pet is already microchipped, make sure that you register with the manufacture’s database, and remember to notify the company if you move or change phone numbers.
Crate Train Your Pet
Train your pet to enter his/her carrier or crate at your command. Try putting your pet’s favorite treat in his/her carrier and sounding a bell at the same time. Repeat this process every day, until your pet comes running at the sound of the bell. Continue this routine often enough to keep it fresh in your pet’s mind. This training will be extremely helpful when locating a frightened animal.
Also important — make sure your pet is comfortable being handled.
Prepare a First Aid Kit — Include:
large and small bandages
scissors
tweezers
cotton swabs
antibiotic ointment
hydrogen peroxide (to induce vomiting or clean deep wounds
elastic tape
eye wash (saline)
ear-cleaning solutions
K-Y Jelly (water soluble)
any special medications prescribed by your veterinarian
Secure Bird Cages and Aquariums
Because these items may move and/or break during a disaster; securing them on low stands or tables is advisable.
Tighten the latch on your birdcage so that the door cannot be shaken open easily.
Develop a Neighborhood Plan
Get to know your neighbors and their pets.
Keep an updated list of their home and work phone numbers (remember to update these frequently).
Select a neighborhood coordinator who will be ready to assist should a disaster occur when you are not at home. Make sure this person spends much of their time at home, or that they work within walking distance of your neighborhood.
Select one or two backup coordinators in case the primary person is not available.
If Your Pet Is Lost
Immediately call or visit the nearest animal shelter to report your missing pet.
When it is safe, return to your neighborhood to post or distribute Lost Pet posters. Be sure to include your name, home address and home and work phone numbers. It’s always helpful to include a current photograph of your pet.
Continue to search the area for your missing pet. A frightened animal can stay hidden for days.
Call neighbors and service workers, such as mail carriers, police, firefighters and PG&E workers for leads.
If You Find a Lost Pet
Notify your local animal shelter as soon as possible. Be prepared to give a full description of the animal. Include breed, color, and sex and the location where the animal was found.
Remember that sick and/or injured animals can become unpredictable from fear and pain, and should be handled only by professionals with proper equipment.
In Case of Evacuation
Red Cross shelters do not accept pets. Prepare a list of back up arrangements, such as homes of friends and family, hotels that allow pets, boarding facilities, veterinarians and/or shelters.
It is generally not recommended that you leave your pet behind during an evacuation. If you must, follow these guidelines to help ensure your pet’s safety.
Post a highly visible sign in a window to let rescue workers know how many pets were left behind.
The date you left on front door with chalk, paint or marker.
Leave plenty of water in a large, open container that cannot be tipped over.
Leave plenty of food in timed feeders (check local pet supply stores). These will prevent your pet from overeating.
Do not tie or cage your pet! The chances for survival are greater if he/she can escape easily.
Pet Disaster Kit
A prepared disaster kit, kept in a safe and easily accessible place, will enable you to provide immediate care to your pet in an emergency. A calm, well-trained pet, who is either on leash, or in a carrier, will be more welcome wherever you go.
Items to Include:
Sturdy crate and/or pet carrier;
Identification tags and collars;
Leashes;
Food and water (a 7-day supply for each pet);
Non-spill bowls;
Litter box and litter;
Any special medications;
Manual can opener and plastic lid;
Copy of your pet’s vaccination history;
Recent photos of each pet;
Pet First-Aid book;
Pet First-Aid kit;
Phone number of a local emergency veterinary hospital;
Phone number of your local animal shelter (Animal Care and Control (415) 554-6364 for emergency services 24 hours a day, seven days a week);
Long-term confinement equipment: chains, cable-runs, tie out stakes, portable caging
Large plastic bags for pet cleanup; and
Emergency phone numbers: ( ) _____________________ and ( ) _____________________.
Tito with curly doodadsMiss Nightshade Jenny with color
Yes, it’s a happy monday for me. We had RAIN! I love the smell of wet pavement and grass. I love the sound of it on my roof. I just love it.
Here are a few pics from the last sunset we went to watch. We didn’t get any rain, but there were a few storms offshore. You can see the rain off on the horizon. Did I mention that I love rain?
Hi folks. Actually the fog has returned, but it was an ugly and hot couple of days. This is normal at this time of year as we begin the change from the summer fog to the winter rain. While it was fine outside, it was a wee bit warm in the apartment for the furry ones. Still, we managed to get a pic or two.
Miss Jenny managed to find a cool spot to hide in. She only emerged in the evenings.
Miss Jenny resting on her little crocheted blankets. She very carefully paws them into the position she wants and then she sleeps on them.
Tito tended to stay in the room with me, so I had another way to keep him cool.
Here’s a wet and somewhat cooler Tito. I soak a washcloth and then wipe him down. He doesn’t mind at all, as you can see.
The fog has returned for the time being and we’re supposed to have a good rainstorm coming. Yahoo!
Today is the day to think about and remember the feral cats that live among us. The nation has millions of these forgotten and abandoned kitties. JBoD endorses the trap-neuter-release (TNR) method of control. This way is far more humane than mass euthanasia. The kitties are caught in traps. They are then spayed or neutered and given rabies shots. Their left ears are notched and they are released back to their colonies to live out their normal lifespans.
Our wonderful San Francisco SPCA provides free spay or neuter for any community cat that needs it. You can read about it here.
Many areas have their own feral TNR programs. You should contact your own shelters to find out. If there are none, become an advocate if you can.
A good friend of JBoD, Nofuratu participated in a walk to benefit his own local feral TNR program. He took first place for fundraising in the Cat Walk. Hooray for Nofur!!! We wrote about his fundraising efforts back in September. Please take time to visit his blog and his Facebook page. He’s a wonderful advocate for kitties as well a foe of any form of bigotry. In addition, he’s an excellent fashion model. In short, he’s a kitty of many talents and much charisma.
Now it’s time to show off some of the ferals we have seen in our area.
Here are the daytime kitties.
And now we have the night kitties.
These are Lastech’s favorites. He calls them Mack the Knife and Pirate Jenny. He’s been watching them for more than a year.Macky, Jenny, and Bob sometimes wind up sharing their food with the raccoons
While their lifespan outdoors is considerably shortened with an average of 6 years, they are happy and alive. They didn’t ask to be neglected and abandoned and they shouldn’t have to die as a result. Please consider supporting this option instead of euthanasia.
Our wonderful furballs have feral roots. Tito was born in the shelter to a feral mom. Miss Jenny was feral when she was picked up on the streets as a kitten. Both are wonderful members of our family.
Another Caturday has come around and it’s time for the furbabies to shine. The blog has been a tad neglected lately, but Lastech and I were both under the weather. We’ll try to make up for it. Miss Jenny and Tito are quite happy to have starring roles in our creepy new banner so they aren’t too upset.
Once in a while, Tito allows me to sneak up and get a closeup photo.Tito during one of his many lazy momentsMiss Jenny having a roll on her favorite little blankiesMiss Jenny showing that she’s daddy’s girl. She adores Lastech
As a bonus, here’s a video guaranteed to melt the hardest heart. I don’t mind admitting that stories like these make me cry. The website is Hope For Paws Animal Rescue. If you have a dime or two to spare, please help them rescue more dogs like Watson.
