I know we’re maybe supposed to talk to the cats about catnip… But it’s too much fun and they’re all having a good time. Jenny in particular, likes to chew on her toys. Especially after I place them in the catnip jar and shake it…
Chew, hug and toss ’em. This last time, of course, she farted when I reached down to pet her…
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.
Ah, San Francisco… We fancied a trip to Baker Beach yesterday and took a long walk barefoot through the edge of the surf, having the enchanting experience of watching porpoises breaching the waves just offshore.
At one point a sea lion pup watched us before slipping back under the water, while dogs chased birds and each other, a perfect jellybeansofdoom kind of day.
Continue reading “Traveling with pets: additional musings”
We’ve seen worse, but recent days have seen the thermometer dip to about 40 at night and it takes longer for the sun to warm everything up in the morning.
I took this picture a few weeks ago at about 7 a.m.
That means more cuddling time for Miss Jenny, Marshal Tito and the f****g fascist depicted in the banner, pardon my French…. It also means more noms for calories and Maz has now taught Jenny to wake mommy up for them. Lots of pawing, standing on hips, face-licks with hellish breath, etc…
Tito is the only one not begging for food anymore…
Every so often, I do forget and leave food unattended. Maz never forgets.
Wonder what they dream of… The cat version of “the King and I”? Complete with coo’s and chirrups?
Or maybe they dream of centipede bunnies crapping skittles. Who knows?
Naturally in the real world, cats would devour the bunnies, resulting in… Well, just watch.
All four of our kittoons here have needed a bit of socializing right from the start. It might seem that Maz Whang didn’t, but his universe was turned upside down when we adopted him, as he’d grown up a full year with Sphynx siblings, and a couple other cats and dog.
To be wrenched from his home was traumatic, and the poor beastie gacked and crapped all over himself in the cat carrier on the way to his new digs.
We had to stop, clean him up and comfort him as best we could before driving on.
Sphynxes are social, but on their own terms, which aren’t always easy to decipher. They really are driven by the two related needs of warmth and sustenance, with much playtime in between.
Just like you test the warmth of a baby bottle prior to feeding, you have to ensure your hands are warm enough before petting Maz or he’ll recoil and dart away in shock and horror. I call this “ghosting” because that’s what his reaction makes me think of. We’ve said he’s been very good for Tito (and vice versa), drawing Tito out of his ‘goth’ period following Boober’s passing.
Finally, Tito was able to chase and play to his heart’s content with the streaker, losing excess weight in the process, and bonding with, well, an alien. Even Miss Jenny finds Mazuzu irresistible: both want to nom on Maz, who’ll leap straight up a couple feet in the air and maybe growl if a tooth racks his spine. Mmmmh. Baby back ribs…
Given Tito and Jenny’s “affection” for shoes, I suspect they enjoy Maz’ gym locker smell when it’s time to give him a bath. That’s usually a signal for us to drag him into the tub, but then they love the new cat smell just as much and are all over him again.
Affection? They have it. Tito tricks us into feeding him and leaves the food for Maz, knowing the alien always needs more. Smart Tito…
Maz grooms both Tito and Jenny when he beds down with either in the basket atop the computer desk, later gacking hairballs and meowing his discontent, but what can you do..? Jenny also grooms both, focusing on Maz’ ears in particular, an unexpected boon for us since Maz and Q-tips don’t mix well.
One of the biggest changes is something Maz started and Jenny continues: helping Tito find his voice. Because he never was very vocal at all, this watchful little thing which grew into a big cat. He now trills and coos and meows, although always in the higher pitch of a kitten. And it may be early yet to tell, but I think Jenny’s going to be the same. They both will always sound like kittens.
This may sound like a sign of arrested development but I prefer to think of it as a display of happiness, along with Tito’s joy at being picked up and carried from room to room for a few minutes, purring and discovering a new perspective on his world with wide eyes, rubbing his chin on our cheek as we do so. And Jenny’s happiness at going to sleep hugging my hand to her head, like a pillow.
Our two little feral rescues no longer have to survive on mean streets, they only have to romp and warm each other and their “cousin” from outer space.
Love is in the air and scarcely displaced by Maz and Jenny’s farts. It’s all good.
Recently, Rudha-an posted about traveling by air in winter by air and its dangers. We know of a Sphynx cat who died from exposure in the cargo hold of a plane, a devastating experience for its new humans.
It’s said cats don’t travel, they are creatures of habits and the risk of escape is just too great.
On the other hand, I also remember watching this guy on the main road to Yosemite, stopping to take a picture (on timer) of himself with his cat next to the park’s entrance sign.
He was driving a Subaru Outback wagon, so if this sounds familiar, give us a shout, this was sometime around May 2008, and dude, you got me thinking…
The notion of hitting the road with three cats may sound nutty, but we do live in strange times… And I love road trips, which kind of limits how far we do go, and for how long since we can’t leave the Pointy Eared ones home alone too long. Three hours into our day-cation, one of us will ask “I wonder what [insert cat name] is doing?”
A few chuckles later, thinking about their antics, the next question will be slightly more serious: “I did close the front window, didn’t I?”, “did you refill the water dish?”, and on and on.
It’s not exactly paranoia, but well yes it is. Not enough to ruin the enjoyment but spoils it just that little bit.
I’m not sure when the notion occurred to me, maybe after watching Tommy Lee Jones in “the fugitive”: it should be possible to select the right vehicle and secure the rear compartment to transport our precious cargo in comfort and safety without possibility of escape. A little bit like Scooby-Doo and the gang but with a cage in back, draped in velvet, and probably with a DVD player playing “Winged Migration” in a loop.
Beyond the fold is NSFW due to a profanity in the video title.
Continue reading “Traveling with pets: cats in cars or Lastech’s traveling circus”
I couldn’t resist a bit of humor today. Simon’s Cat is always a bit of fun. Kitsy would do this, I’m sure. Tito is polite, but Kitsy is a food thief extraordinaire. You can NEVER turn your back on food when he’s around.
For a little inspiration, here is a video from Best Friends Animal Shelter in Kanab, Utah. One day, Lastech and I will manage to go visit the shelter. Dogtown, which is shown on the National Geographic Channel is filmed there. It is the largest animal shelter in the United States.
I just have to add a little bit of doggie to the mix.
For anyone who is a fan of Sphynx kitties, Nofuratu has a new post about his trip to New Orleans in his blog, Adventures of a Naked Cat.
If you have pets, you need to check on your pet food. It’s the holiday season and we don’t want any of our critter friends becoming sick.
Kroger has issued a pet food recall. The release can be read at the FDA website.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CINCINNATI, Ohio, – December 18, 2010 – The Kroger Co. said today it is recalling select packages of pet food sold in some of its retail stores because the products may contain aflatoxin, which poses a health risk to pets.
Kroger stores in the following states are included in this recall: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
The recall also includes Dillons and Gerbes stores in Kansas and Missouri; Baker’s stores in Nebraska; Food 4 Less stores in Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana (Chicago area); and Jay C, Hilander, Owen’s, Pay Less and Scott’s stores in Illinois and Indiana.
Stores the company operates under the following names are not included in this recall: Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, Smith’s, QFC, City Market, Foods Co., and Food 4 Less stores in California and Nevada.
Kroger is recalling the following items:
- Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088128
- Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071357
- Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088152
- Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074580
- Pet Pride Kitten Formula Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071903
- Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 22 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074566
- Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074563
- Kroger Value Cat Food sold in 3 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111000018
- Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 15 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071559
- Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code:1111000108
Aflatoxin is a naturally-occurring toxic chemical by-product from the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus on corn and other crops. If your pet shows any symptoms of illness, including sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, yellowish tint to the eyes and/or gums, and severe or bloody diarrhea, please consult your veterinarian immediately.
The safety of our customers and their pets is important to Kroger. The company is using its Customer Recall Notification system to alert customers who may have purchased these recalled products through register receipt tape messages and automated phone calls. Customers who have purchased a recalled item should not use it and should return it to a store for a full refund or replacement.
Customers who have questions about this recall may contact Kroger toll-free at (800) 632-6900. For more information, please visit www.kroger.com/recalls9.
Mee!
Today, I want to talk about disabilities. I want you to understand that if your pet becomes blind, deaf, or can’t walk anymore, that it doesn’t have to mean euthanasia. Veterinary medicine has come a long way. If surgery is not an option for a pet that can’t walk, there are carts and wheelchairs available. Don’t give up before trying.
You see, humans don’t give up on other humans. Please don’t give up on us. Cats and dogs love their people whether or not they are disabled. You should love them just the same. Some people say it’s cruel to put a cat or dog in a wheelchair. I say pppptttthhhhhhrrrrppppp! If we aren’t in pain or hungry and we have someone to love us, then we’re happy.
Did you know that an incontinent dog or cat can wear a diaper if you cut a hole for their tail? If you only knew how many animals were abandoned at shelters because of that problem. It’s usually a death sentence as they are the first ones euthanized. If you have a special needs dog or cat, try to explore ALL the options before making a decision. Pets don’t feel sorry for themselves. They just want to be loved and taken care of.
If you are creative, you can make your own. Here are a couple of kitty wheels.
Kitty and the pvc cart. This cat did not completely lose the use of his hind legs. This cart helped him get around and behaved like therapy. He slowly regained the use of his legs. I’m not sure this cart would be good for a kitty with absolutely no use in his/her hind legs.
Scooter, was injured as a kitten and suffered a broken vertebrae and paralysis of his hind quarters. His human is veterinarian, Betsy Kinnon and she saved him after he was rushed in to the vet hospital in shock. This is his first cart. It is made of a plastic box and a part of a three-wheeled planter.
HandicappedPets.com has more ideas for DIY doggie carts. They can be adapted for cats too. You can see them here.
As for Scooter, the clients at the pet hospital donated the money to get him a brand new custom made cart. In addition, Scooter is now a therapy kitty at the local rehab hospital. He has a good life because someone didn’t give up on him and gave him a chance to shine. I know my family would do the same for me. Here’s Scooter in his brand new wheels. As you can see, he’s wearing a diaper to prevent accidents.
I feel that if you adopt a pet, you are promising to take care of that pet and do what is right. If you can’t do the right thing and take care of them, then don’t adopt. If you find yourself suddenly dealing with a pet disability and you are disabled or going through hard times, then look for help. Many times, a shelter or vet can help place an animal. It’s better than just dumping them at a shelter. There’s a vast amount of resources on the internet, so put it to use. HandicappedPets.com has a lot to offer. They also have free classifies.
One more site to mention is Pets with Disabilities. This is a small, non profit rescue shelter for disabled pets. They do wonderful work. In addition to listing their own rescues that need adopting, they also permit courtesy listings for disabled dogs and courtesy listings for disabled cats. As this site is non-profit, do give to them if you can.
Mee! That’s all for today. For now, go give your pet some scritchies and think about how much they mean to you.
Sponsored by Jellybeansofdoom staff, Tito & Kitsune.
This is a heads up for our dog friends and their humans.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — SECAUCUS, N.J. – September 3, 2010 – The Hartz Mountain Corporation is voluntarily recalling one specific lot of Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs due to concerns that one or more bags within the lot may have been potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Hartz is fully cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration in this voluntary recall.
…
Hartz Mountain Corporation is recalling 74,700 8-oz bags of Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs, lot code BZ0969101E, UPC number 32700-11519, which were imported by Hartz from a Brazilian supplier, Bertin S.A., and which were distributed to a number of customers in the United States. While regular testing conducted by Bertin (prior to shipment to the US) did not detect the presence of Salmonella in any packages of this product, random sample testing conducted by FDA did indicate the presence of Salmonella. Hartz is aggressively investigating the source of the problem.
You can read more about it here.
We have to watch out for our pets. Best wishes to all the pets and their humans.
