How ironic that I should see this cartoon today because Elly and I were *JUST* talking about this tendency in our babies. I have spent at least a bajillion and one dollars on kitty toys, beds, and kitty trees for my fuzzy family, and they seem just as happy with empty boxes and up-ended waste baskets. :) Oh well. Today I read an article with a checklist to make your home both safe and happy for your kitties, and I am okay and then some on every point. :)

You knew that the closer I get to school, the more infrequent my posts become, right? I'm not sure whether I want to know if you consider that good news or bad news. In either event, even when school starts, I promise to *try* to post at least once a week. Finding kitty topics to cover isn't the problem ~ the problem is finding the time to write about the topics!

Since this is also time to be working on my September newsletter as well as on school-related material, I am spending a lot of time in my office, an office that includes a fairly common device called a paper shredder. Since I first plugged it in, I have been concerned about its convenience for me and its safety for my kitties. To have the best of both worlds, I kept it turned on, but over the openings to the blades, I placed an old mousepad to keep kitty paws, tails, and tongues away. After reading this article, I threw convenience out the door, and now I keep my shredder turned completely *OFF* between uses.

From PetPlace.com:

Hi! My name is Erica Cacioppo. On May 26th, 2006 my lab/pit mix, Shelby had a horrific accident involving a paper shredder.

I woke at 6 AM to a horrible sound. It was Shelby screaming! It was a sound I have never heard and can't get out of my head. I ran downstairs and asked my husband Gino, who was holding her, what was wrong. Before he could answer I saw the most horrific sight of my life, Shelby's tongue stuck inside our paper shredder. Our other dog Sophia, thinking Shelby was being attacked was pulling relentlessly and with all her might on the shredder, not knowing she was making matters worse. Even though in shock of the situation we worked as fast as we could to get Shelby to the vet. We had to pry Sophia off and put her in the bathroom. In that time Shelby had bit her own tongue off. I suppose in animal instinct.

Gino got Shelby in the car as I got dressed and got together our purse and wallet.

This all happened in a matter of 5 minutes. Our closest animal clinic was an agonizing 20 minutes away, at which time Shelby was bleeding profusely. We got there just in time. She started going into convulsions just before being put under for surgery. During the operation she got between 40 to 50 stitches and loss her entire tongue. After the surgery the vet, Dr. Emo, told us she didn't know how Shelby would be able to eat and drink, as she has never seen or heard of an injury like this. At this point we had decided to put her to sleep. Thank God the vet did extensive research and found a study on dogs with the same injury and they adapted to the situation over time and had the same attitude and a great quality of life. We then decided to give Shelby the chance she deserved.

It paid off! She is very happy! Shelby getting her voice back was no problem, 2 weeks later she was barking at the neighbor dog again. She can eat wet food very easily with our help and as of mid June is doing okay with trying to learn to eat dry food again. She is drinking water through a syringe that we give to her. She lets us know when she wants water. She is starting to learn how to scoop up water on her own and on June 17th ate her 1st rawhide that she stole from her sister! She still drools some, but has learned to wipe her own mouth on towels we have in the house and outside for her. We have no doubt she will completely adapt with some time and effort. She's our miracle baby!

We want people to know that this happens and that if it does you can save your baby! If you are in a similar situation please e-mail this web site and they will contact me and I can help you with any questions you may have. I beg you to please tell everyone you know and please UNPLUG your shredder or GET RID OF IT!!!! You NEVER want to go through what we did!!!!!! It was utterly horrible. We couldn't eat or sleep. We have bad nightmares about what happened. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!!

Thank you,
Erica Cacioppo, Shelby's owner

From Shelby's vet:

One night while I was working at the St. Louis Animal Emergency Clinic a 4-year-old female spayed Labrador retriever named Shelby came in. Little did I know this would be a dog that I'll never forget. Shelby presented after recently getting her tongue caught in a paper shredder. Despite the owners' and the family pitbull's valiant efforts to rescue her, the traction on Shelby's tongue was too great and it gave way at the level of her epiglottis. Basically, Shelby lost her entire tongue. Despite this, Shelby presented bright, alert, and responsive but was a little head shy and per owners could be unpredictably "snappy" at times making an oral exam difficult without sedation. She had blood dripping from her mouth but the rest of her physical exam
was within normal limits.

In order to provide the owners with a realistic prognosis (in terms of swallowing, prehension, laryngeal reflex, voice) and because the case was so unusual, phone calls were made to the University of Missouri Veterinary Teaching Hospital (UMC-VMTH), a specialty practice in St. Louis called Veterinary Specialty Services (VSS), and my father, Phillip Hornbostel M.D. (a general surgeon) for advice. I learned of a recent study done at UMC-VMTH which showed the prognosis for dogs after traumatic glossectomy (tongue excision) was excellent and explained these results to the owners. The owners were satisfied that an acceptable quality of life was possible for Shelby and opted for surgery.

The immediate and most pressing concern was blood loss. Stabilization was the highest priority since fatalities due to traumatic glossectomy have been reported. In Shelby's case, a preoperative bolus of fluids was given and was adequate for stabilization prior to anesthesia. Pain medication was also given. Preoperative bloodwork to determine if Shelby was anemic was done and her value PCV was 55% which is normal. Upon intubation an oral exam was performed revealing not even a "stub" of tongue, but only a small amount of tissue remaining at the back of the throat. The edges were trimmed and the remainder of the defect was closed with suture.

Shelby recovered well. Her red blood cell count after the surgery but she showed no clinical signs of anemia. She was offered water with a syringe 16 hours after surgery which she took relatively well. Just 24 hours post-op she was offered canned i/d meatballs but it was another 12 hours before she was successful in getting them to the back of her mouth and swallowing them. Shelby was eating and drinking well (syringe drinking) 36 hours later and likely could have gone home at this time. At the owners request Shelby was allowed a full 72 hours of recovery before returning home.

Shelby has been pretty famous since this "freak" accident and has even made the Channel 4 news in Saint Louis! At the time of the news story a few weeks ago she was still getting syringes of water which was likely not necessary but was a result of Shelby training her owners.

University of Missouri recommends kibble for these patients. One post-op patient ate canned food in the form of meatballs in order to get adequate daily water intake. Most of these dogs learn to drink water by scooping it out of the bowl. Another consideration might be a wall mounted watering device with a nipple attachment.

Quality of life was the owners' number one concern and they are thrilled at how much she still enjoys life, including food. All in all Shelby is a happy, albeit very lucky, dog.

NOTE: the most common reason for this traumatic even to occur with paper shredders is from children feeding food into them and dogs licking at the food. We recommend that you NEVER keep your paper shredder on auto feed and keep it out of the use of children.

Dr. Emo works as an Emergency Room veterinarian in St. Louis, Missouri.

So, *PLEASE,* don't take any chances with your precious pets! They should be shedding, not shredding. :)

To follow up on one of yesterday's *Kitty Bits,* I did a *bit* of browsing, :) The consensus seems to be that carriers are the best means of transporting kitties by car. However, no mention was made of the best location for the carriers.

Pet harnesses were also mentioned ~ though they seem to be more for dogs than kitties. They clip to seatbelts and allow pets enough freedom to sit, lie down, or stand comfortably while keeping them contained in a small area. These harnesses come in a variety of sizes and colors.

You can find them just about anywhere that sells pet items online. The best picture I found was at My Pampered Pets, but since that place is located in New Zealand, you might want to find some place closer to make a purchase. :)

Cardinals Trade for Holliday
Why am I not surprised that the Cardinals didn't listen to me? Oh well. We'll see how this works out. I also said Cincy would be the sleeper team in the Central, and it looks like Houston will be. :)

Kitty Bits

I am borrowing the title idea from Bernie Miklasz, one of my favorite Post-Dispatch sports writers. Each Saturday, his column contains *Bernie Bits,* brief news items or comments instead of one specific thesis for his whole article. Today I have some *Kitty Bits* for you. Hold your joyful applause please! :)

First up, Trey. He had his booster-shot appointment this morning and received a glowing report from Dr. Britt. He is up to 3.8 pounds now, just about where he should be for a kitten his age. Considering how pitifully emaciated he was when he came to my doorstep, he has made tremendous progress, and I am so proud of him. Dr. Britt said it was easy to tell that Trey has become a mama's boy ~ and his mama doesn't mind one little bit. :)

We live only about 5 minutes from the Douglas Vet Clinic. Unless neighbor Elly happens to be with me, I put the kitty carrier on the front seat beside me so that I can talk to whatever kitty is making the trip. None of them are ever happy about it, so I try to alleviate their anxiety as much as possible. This morning, however, I got to thinking about air bags in my Toyota Corolla, and I couldn't help wondering what a deploying air bag would do to the carrier and, consequently, to my fluff of love. I know there are special car seats for dogs, but kitties are at the mercy of their carriers. Maybe the wise thing to do is to put the carriers in the back seat each time?

Yesterday I went grocery shopping with Elly, and Super Wal-Mart happened to have those Fancy Feast Appetizers that I mentioned in an earlier post ~ $1.29 for a teeny package, so I bought only three for my six babies to share. Usually a bag of Temptations Treats will last me 4-5 days for 5 kitties ~ Elly Fae won't eat treats for some reason. So we're talking the mother of all treats with these appetizer things ~ barely enough for a couple of bites per kitty. And pulling the foil top off required the muscles of Atlas. In fact, I stupidly tried using the leverage of my teeth on that easy-to-open corner, only to get a mouth full of that *Delicate Broth.* YEEEEEEWWWWWW! But the kitties seemed to like it ~ a lot. I hope they savored each bite because they won't be getting any more until their mommy wins the lottery or marries a millionaire. And since I don't buy lottery tickets and I don't date anymore, I'd have to say that my odds of doing either are considerably diminished.

Nonetheless, just today I read an article in the good ol' P-D stating that even in this recession, two out of three pet owners continue to pamper their pets. In these dismal economic times, pet retailers are reporting steady to rising profits. Even Hallmark Cards has reported an increase in sales of their "from the cat,* *from the dog,* and pet sympathy cards. You know that I very much want happy endings for all little animals, but even with all this pampering, animal shelters are bursting their seams as more and more animals are sent to them by people hurting financially. I would like to see maybe a little less *material* pampering and more love given instead to an extra kitty or puppy in the household.

I am always reading to find better ways to care for my fuzzy family. During summer, one of my special concerns is bug spray. You can buy some that is safe for animals, but you often have to order it, and it can be pretty pricey. Yesterday I read that Listerine can make an effective repellent, and hair spray can make an effective bug spray. Sticky hair spray will gum up a bug's wings so that it can't fly, and the spray will also seal breathing orifices so that the bugs can't breathe. It has been used effectively on wasps, ants, and roaches. Since it's water-soluble, it can be cleaned up easily with a damp cloth, and it won't stain fabrics. If you can get past the suffocating-a-bug thing, it would be a good alternative to a chemical bug spray.

I *thought* I had found something else to help my youngest babies when I read that daily doses of castor oil would help kitties' immune systems. Kittens who lose their mamas too early, for whatever reasons, can suffer from stunted immune systems, so I was happy to hear this tip since Deuce and Trey *lost* their mamas before they were fully weaned. However, thanks be to God that I always go looking for more information because in all other articles, I read that castor oil is actually toxic to kitties. It can be part of a concoction for treating external wounds, but it should never be given to the kitty as oral medicine. Two lessons here: (1) Don't give castor oil to your kitty. (2) Double- and triple-check everything you read online, even if it's something you read here. My feelings won't be hurt, and if I'm wrong, I want to know what's right!

I'll finish with a couple of baseball thoughts since I started with one. Dear St. Louis Cardinals: Operating under the old baseball bromide that good pitching stops good hitting, I would rather have Roy Halladay than Matt Holliday. I know the chances of getting either are equal to a snowball's chance in Death Valley, but I thought I would throw my two cents in there. :) And...Dear Cardinals' Fans: Don't worry about the Cubs. When a member of the Cubs' ground crew was mean to a kitty in the spring, I put the Calico Kitty Curse on the team. Combined with all the other curses on the Cubs, they stand...well...a snowball's chance in Death Valley of winning the Central.

Okay, everybody, *NOW* you break into that joyful applause! :)

Since Trey goes to the vet tomorrow to get his booster, I thought this was an appropriate chuckle for the day. And goodness know we need some extra smiles this week!

Melinda called me today with sad news. We had lost another former student, the fourth this year. Although our grief is nowhere close to that of the loved ones of these girls, we are devastated. And at the core of our grief is the opinion that burying our babies just isn't right. They should be burying us.

Kathy Lynn Rutledge Ruscher was only 48 years old. I do not know the details of her passing except that she died at home and the family has requested memorials be made to the Heart Association. Kathy's obituary appears at the WJBD Web site, so I won't give those details here. Instead, I will share memories.

She was a superb student and a bright young lady who was also athletic. In fact, in my last year of playing on an organized women's softball team, she and two other of my *barely-former* students were teammates. One of the coaches, a good friend of mine named Mike, had a huge crush on her. He had a thing about women in white shorts, and when he saw Kathy in her white shorts, his tongue hit the ground. :) He asked me to fix him up. I did. And later they married and had three children.

Usually I try to avoid weddings ~ I'm just not into ceremonies of any kind. However, since this was probably the one-and-only fix-up that had ever reaped positive results, I attended this wedding. I remember Kathy's desperately needing a safety pin that I happened to have in my purse sewing kit. She commented that she knew if anyone would be prepared, it would be Miss C. :) Their wedding was basically a small, family ceremony, and afterward the newly married couple walked among the guests and greeted everyone warmly and lovingly ~ so much more satisfying than stereotypical receiving lines.

Mikey and Kathy lost their son, Kevin, a few years ago, and not too long afterward, I ran into them at Super Wal-Mart in Mt. Vernon. I will never forget the absolute agony on her face at that time. I have no children, other than furry ones and students, but my mother always said to multiply the grief of a child losing a parent by a billion, and *maybe* you would understand the grief of a parent losing a child.

Perhaps ironically, the last time I saw Kathy was just a few days ago, again at Super Wal-Mart, but here in Salem. She was with her lovely daughter, Kaitlynn, and I was thrilled to see Kathy so happy again. We chatted for many minutes about how busy she was with her family, which now included son Christopher's two boys, Sam and Jacob. Oh my, but she was *SO* proud of her grandsons, though she was somewhat concerned that one of them seemed to prefer his grandpa to his grandma. :)

And now, suddenly, I hear that she is gone. I won't say *forever,* for she left too many special memories behind for a lot of us.

Instead, I will think of her being reunited joyfully with Kevin as they wait patiently for the rest of us to show up.

My neighbor, Donna, is moving to Virginia soon and needs a new home for her kitty, Lacie. As an adult kitty, Lacie will sadly have some trouble finding a new family, but we're trying. She is a well-behaved orange-and-white kitty who is current on all her shots and has been spayed. At this time, Lacie is an inside-outside kitty, but I'm guessing she could easily become all one way or the other so long as she has someone to love her. The Cleveland Kitty Cottage is filled beyond capacity, so taking Lacie myself is out of the question. If any of you have any leads in the Salem, IL, area, please let me know ASAP. Donna is moving in three weeks.

This request offers a good segue to the North Shore Animal League. As you know, I am an enthusiastic proponent of no-kill shelters. The League is the largest no-kill shelter in the world.

This information is from Wikipedia:

North Shore Animal League America, headquartered in Port Washington, NY, is the largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization in the world. Since 1944, The League’s mission has been saving the lives of pets through adoption, rescue, spay/neuter and advocacy initiatives. Every year, the League reaches across the country to rescue, nurture and adopt nearly 20,000 pets and to date, the League has placed close to 1 million puppies, kittens, cats and dogs into carefully screened homes. One of the first animal rescue agencies on the ground in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the League rescued more than 1400 pets from the region.

The League is also home to the Alex Lewyt Veterinary Medical Center, which provides 24-hour care for the pets sheltered at the League.

In 2007, the League received three Chihuahuas born without front paws. They resembled pint-sized kangaroos, and got around by hopping on their back haunches. The pups were evaluated, and, in a special initiative, toy-sized aluminum wagons were custom built, allowing them to move more easily. They now live in a home with an employee of NSALA.

Every year the medical center takes care of more than 10,000 outpatient visits, administers more than 15,000 vaccinations and performs over 11,000 free spay/neuter procedures for every adopted animal, preventing over 132 million potentially unwanted litters. Additionally, the League’s SPAY/USA program is a nationwide referral service for affordable spay/neuter services. The League is also home to a National Shelter Rescue and Humane Education Team. North Shore Animal League America offers a wide variety of programs such as a mobile adoption program, adoption counseling, training and foster care for pets with special needs.

At the League's official site, you can read their mission statement and also learn about *mutt-i-grees,* the mixed-breed dogs looking for loving homes, too. Kathryn Erbe of *Law and Order: Criminal Intent* is a celebrity spokesperson for The Mutt-i-Gree Club. Through links from the home page, you can learn how to adopt pets, donate to the League, or sponsor a pet if you are unable to take one into your home. There are also links to news and advice articles, animal programs, and other no-kill shelters.

Please bookmark the site and shop here, too, whenever you need a gift for yourself or other animal lovers!

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? :)

This just in from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

ST. LOUIS — Secrecy was a must. Inside Nestlé Purina Petcare headquarters,
they used a code name: Project Trident. Plans were afoot to shake up the $17
billion U.S. pet food industry. The goal was a new cat food. Not a meal. Not a
treat.

"A game-changer," said Vincent Biroscak, senior brand manager for Fancy Feast.
"A paradigm-shifter."

A team of 40 at Purina worked 3½ years to develop this new product, shape it,
fine-tune it. They spent hundreds of hours on research and design. When a
select group of St. Louis area cat owners last year tested the product at home,
they were forced to sign nondisclosure agreements.

And then, late last month, the new product quietly began to appear on store
shelves nationwide.

Fancy Feast Appetizers for cats.

After reading the entire article, I got to feeling like something of a negligent mommy to my six. According to a survey attached to this article, Fancy Feast is the top-selling canned kitty food in the USA ~ with 440.2 million units sold a year. With so many feline mouths to feed, inside and out, I can afford only the runner-up kitty food, Friskies, at 360.9 million, and Whiskas pouches, which weren't even in the top five. I save Fancy Feast for special occasions and treats.

However, now, apparently, I should throw appetizers into mix. Again according to the article. the consistent Fancy Feast customers are the ones *highly devoted* to their kitties. My ego can't help being somewhat crushed to know that I'm a notch less than devoted to my babies. I wonder if they will settle for extra cuddles and kitty kisses instead of more Fancy Feast? :)

Nevertheless, I will probably give the appetizers a try ~ as treats for my fuzzy family. Which of the eight varieties should I try first?

Flaked Skipjack Tuna? Steamed Tilapia? Tender Tongol Tuna? White Meat Chicken and Shredded Beef? Seabass and Shrimp? Steamed Wild Alaskan Salmon? White Meat Chicken and Flaked Tuna? Or simply White Meat Chicken? All come *In a Delicate Broth,* so the decision becomes even more difficult.

I visited the Fancy Feast page at the Purina site in hopes of finding a coupon. Not only was there no coupon, there was also a warning about counterfeit Fancy Feast coupons being sold on eBay ~ so, buyer, beware!

In the meantime, I wonder if Ameren would mind sacrificing my monthly tribute to them so that my babies can have appetizers? :)

The Surveys:

Top-selling wet cat foods

Units sold (June 2007-June 2008)

1. Fancy Feast (Purina) 440.2 million

2. Friskies (Purina) 360.9 million

3. Private Label* 123.9 million

4. 9 Lives (Del Monte) 102.1 million

5. Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys (Purina) 59.3 million

* Excluding Wal-Mart sales, private label includes all generic/store brands.

Source: Information Resource Inc.

Top global pet food makers

1. Mars
Some brands: Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin
2007 global sales: $11.8 billion

2. Nestle SA (including Nestlé Purina Petcare)
Some brands: Purina, ALPO, Friskies, Fancy Feast
2007 global sales: $10.9 billion

3. Colgate-Palmolive
Hill's Science Diet
2007: $3 billion

4. Procter and Gamble
Iams, Eukanuba
$2.99 billion

5. Del Monte Foods
Meow Mix, 9 Lives, Jerky Treats
$1.7 billion

Source: Euromonitor International

Just a quick smile today! Lots on the Saturday agenda! :)

I'm starting this day with a much-needed smile. A bad storm last night destroyed neighbor Elly's beautiful Bradford pear tree. It *just* missed hitting her covered deck and carport on the way down. Now the outside kitties are filling the downed tree, enjoying their new *jungle gym* while they have it. :)

Yesterday I told you about *Kitlers.* My close, personal friend Emmie Jean in Shakopee, MN, sent me a picture of her former baby boy, a Kitler named Gully. She has submitted his photo to the Kitler site, but you can see it here *first!* :)

The *cause for claws* is on my mind today.

My friend Stephen sent me a Care2 article about the kitty declawing controversy. Even though my four oldest are declawed, I have been struggling with the thought of declawing Deuce and Trey. In my mind, they have already gone through enough no matter how much more convenient their declawing would make things for me. They will still have to be neutered Octoberish, but for boys that procedure is relatively minor.

I didn't think twice about having my girls declawed ~ for purely selfish reasons. They had zero problems recuperating, and there were no behavioral changes afterward. The trick is to have the surgery done when the kitties are still very young and light on their feet.

However, after Elly Fae, I was reading more and more online about just what the procedure involved: something similar to our cutting off our fingers at the first knuckles. By then, too, Elly and I were feeding two *declawed* stray males that someone had dumped, and we fretted every day that they would be unable to defend themselves ~ though we learned later that a kitty's back claws are really more important for defensive purposes.

Nonetheless, when Joey joined my household, I did, briefly, consider *not* declawing him, but ~ since his sisters were declawed ~ I thought he should be, too. Joey had a little more trouble with recovering. These days the resulting wounds are glued shut rather than sutured shut, and Joey managed to tear open one of his wounds and bleed a bit. A little TLC and Neosporin fixed him right up, but I was having more and more doubts about the whole declawing thing in general ~ intellectually speaking, for I surely didn't think I would need to make any personal decisions about it for a long, long time.

Then Deuce and Trey came along, and the controversy was suddenly personal again.

They played so roughly with each other that I was sure declawing was the *smart* thing. Otherwise, I would have two scar-faced kitties on my hands. However, as they grew, their play became less injurious, and they really are very well-behaved, responding well to *NO!* when they hear it and, even better, *remembering* the no-no things and responding appropriately without further reminders from their mommy. I have lots of sisal surfaces for claw sharpening, so my furniture isn't necessarily at risk ~ though, truth be told, my furniture is so *used* that a few claw holes won't make much difference. :)

I am also re-learning the skill of claw clipping ~ this time, on the advice of Dr. Britt, using baby nail clippers instead of regular claw clippers. The baby clippers are easier to maneuver and cut more cleanly. I try to handle the pedicures when my baby boys are sleepy, and so far I have encountered very little resistance.

After a conversation with Dr. Bailey, I definitely decided that the twins will not be declawed. He assured me that they can live harmoniously and safely with four declawed kitties. As a vet, he is reluctant to perform the surgery and will only if *not* doing it means that an inside kitty will have to move outside.

The article that Stephen sent to me says that San Francisco is considering a ban on declawing kitties, and I know that places in Europe have already outlawed the procedure. In fact, in these areas, vets who are willing to perform the surgery can be reported for animal cruelty.

By no means am I saying that those who opt for the surgery are being cruel. In the right circumstances, I would choose it again myself. I just like considering all the angles before I make decisions like this one ~ especially when the decisions involve the welfare of an animal. And declawing is one thing my sweet little boys will not have to endure. As I said, they have been through enough.

As an alternative to clipping, I am also considering nail covers called *Soft Paws* and/or *Soft Claws.* They come in jazzy colors, and the new, improved versions are supposed to stay on better than the prototypes did.

I wonder if my energetic little boys would mind wearing *pink*???? :)

[The photo at the top of this post was borrowed from ShackSpace.]

How offended would you be if someone told you that you look like Hitler?

Apparently there is a huge difference of opinion regarding kitties that have this particular facial phenomenon.

Enough *fans* exist that there is a Web site devoted to these *Kitlers,* as they are called. Cats That Look Like Hitler has the following tease for the site: "Does your cat look like Adolf Hitler? Do you wake up in a cold sweat every night wondering if he's going to up and invade Poland? Does he keep putting his right paw in the air while making a noise that sounds suspiciously like 'Sieg Miaow'? If so, this is the website for you."

Besides photos of qualifying kitties, there are links to Kitlerwear and the Kitler Community ~ as well as a forum for people who love Kitlers.

On the other hand, some people are offended by the whole comparison ~ both in general terms and in kitty terms. For these people ~ and in a sense of fair play ~ the site also offers a forum for the *We Hate Kitlers* faction.

So long as we're talking about *looking* like Hitler and not *acting* like Hitler, I'm not one of the offended kitty people, but you can draw your own conclusions.

However, purrsonally I would be more impressed if the kitty looked like Elvis or my most major-yums man, Dennis Farina. (How happy am I that I had a good excuse for including his picture in my blog!)

Okay, I have to share the latest havoc wreaked by the Terrible Two. :)

Some background: I almost always eat at my desk, working or reading on my computer as I eat.

More background: My Terrible Two are very playful little guys who seem to think their mommy should share her meals with them.

At lunch time today, they were playing in the living room, so I thought I could have a peaceful lunch. I made my salad, grabbed a diet sodie, and headed for my desk.

Just as I sat down, I heard the pitter-patter of eight galloping feet, and here came the Terrible Two, around the corner, up over the second shelf of the bookcase, over the top of the cart with the kitty beds on it, over the top of the cart with the TV on it, where they then skidded onto my desk and right *INTO* my salad ~ knocking my newly opened diet sodie into Kingdom Come.

Sigh.

They seemed to enjoy licking the Ranch dressing off themselves and each other as I was washing them with a wet washcloth. Fortunately the Diet Sunkist didn't stain anything of any major importance.

I should have known that chaos would ensue as soon as I tried to eat healthier food. Deviating from the usual crapioca that I eat has only upset the natural order of the universe.

And in the future, I think I will eat standing at the kitchen counter. :)

Today in Yahoo News, I read an article about how cats control humans. The article cited a study by Karen McComb of the University of Sussex. I had the same response to this monumental thesis as I did when KSDK ran a story about how the St. Louis pools had more people in them when the weather got hot: DUH! Good grief, tell us something we don't already know!

I ended up with six kitties inside because they control me. Because of allergies and asthma, I'm supposed to have *zero* kitties. I had settled on two, Melanie and Chelsie, but then my neighbor, Florence, a dog person, found a stray kitten ~ an adorable calico ~ who needed a home. First of all, I'm a sucker for calico kitties. Second of all, this kitten broke into loud purrs as soon as I cupped her in my hands. So that's how Elly Fae became a member of the Cleveland Kitty Cottage.

Okay, three kitties. That's not so bad. Mama had three kids. Three has always been my lucky number. I was born on March 3. Then a hungry black kitten showed up in the neighborhood. I swear I intended only to feed him, but then I made the mistake of sitting in my glider swing outside while he ate. When he was done, he climbed into my lap and licked my nose to say thank you. So that's how Joey became a member of the Cleveland Kitty Cottage.

Recent posts told you how Deuce and Trey were added. So like I don't already know that kitties can control us? For goodness sake, I added the expense and care of two special-needs kittens when I have property taxes to pay and a novel to write! The former will be taken care of today, the latter ~ well, who knows? Summer's running out on me fast!

My good friend Melinda has advised me to put on kitty blinders whenever I leave the house now. I am too easily controlled by fuzzy cuteness, purring, kitty kisses, and fluffs of love, either big or small. I think maybe God has stamped *SUCKER!* on my forehead in letters only feline eyes can see.

So I could have told Ms. McComb about the kitty-control thing a long time before she went to the trouble of studying kitty purrs. Of course, if I were to be studying something, I would probably choose kitties, too. :) Can I get a grant for that?

Another Doting Mommy Alert!

I just cleared the digital and wanted to share some of the photos with you. At least I give you fair warning when all I will be doing is sharing photos and/or anecdotes of my fuzzy family, right? :)

Here the twins, aka the *Terrible Two,* have some quiet moments together. Those quiet moments don't happen too often unless they are sleeping. I have two *very* energetic baby boys ~ and considering how pitiful they both were not too long ago, I am thrilled and thankful that they are so rambunctious now! :) In the middle picture, you may notice the nick next to Deuce's eye. That's a battle scar from one of his wrestling matches with Trey. As they get older ~ and get regular pedicures ~ they don't play quite so roughly. :)





Melanie is eleven years old now and not entirely happy about the new additions. She tolerates them better than Elly Fae, not so well as Joey and Cheslie do, but if they get too close to her, she does hiss and otherwise show her displeasure. Therefore, I knew there might be some trouble brewing because both she and Trey like to sleep in front of the TV in my office. Much to my surprise, they shared the space. Well, kinda. Trey sneaked in while Melly was sleeping. Not too long after these photos were taken, Melly woke up and wasn't so agreeable about finding another fluff of love there. :)





Deuce absolutely, positively worships his big brother, Joey. Until Trey joined the household, Deuce followed Joey around like a shadow, even to the point of standing between Joey's front legs when Joey was trying to drink. Joey has been fairly good-natured about it all, though sometimes he'll growl his displeasure. However, Deuce mostly ignores it. Both he and Trey know that Joey is a gentle, sensitive giant who would never hurt anyone intentionally ~ so, no, Joey isn't licking his chops prior to chomping down on Deuce in the first picture. :) Deuce still breaks into loud purrs whenever he even sees his *big bubby.* Though Joey doesn't always like to share his sleeping space, Deuce will inch ever closer until he's close enough to be content. :)

In an earlier post, I told you about a Web site, freekibblekat, that offered opportunities for us to provide free kibble to shelter animals.

Here is another one: The Animal Rescue Site.

Their Mission Statement

The Animal Rescue Site focuses the power of the Internet on a specific need — providing food for some of the 27 million unwanted animals given to shelters in the U.S. every year. Over 10 million animals are put to death every year in the U.S. alone because they are abandoned and unwanted.

Each click on the purple "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Animal Rescue Site provides food and care for a rescued animal living in a shelter or sanctuary. Funding for food and care is paid by site sponsors and distributed to animals in need at the Fund for Animals' renowned animal sanctuaries (including Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Texas and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in California), pet shelters supported by the Petfinder Foundation , North Shore Animal League , and other worthy animal care facilities supported by the GreaterGood.org foundation.

100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to our charitable partners.

How You Can Help In Mere Seconds — Every Day

The Animal Rescue Site provides a feel-good way to help promote awareness and prevent rescued animal deaths every day — through easy and quick online activities.

Please remember to click every day to give help and hope to those most in need. Every click counts in the life of a rescued animal.

You Can Help Even More

In addition to clicking the purple "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button, visitors can help more by shopping in The Animal Rescue Site store . With each item purchased, shoppers generate funds for the feeding and care of animals in shelters and sanctuaries. The store offers a wide array of items to show your support.

So here is another site that I hope you will bookmark and visit daily! Thanks! :)

[Personal Note: My condolences and prayers to the family of Kelly Jo Cain, who was found burned to death in a pickup truck in White County. Kelly was a former student, and I cannot imagine anything more horrible for her and her loved ones. Hold your loved ones close each and every day, for some day will be your last chance to say, *I love you.*]

A message worth passing along for the sake of *ALL* pets!

This isn't my kitty. Her name is Roadie, and she owns neighbor Elly. Roadie and Elly have been together 16 years since Elly found her as an injured kitten that someone had thrown beneath a bridge. Roadie had bounced off the concrete, but fortunately survived to have her happy ending. She had some damage to her back legs and still walks like a coon, but she's a happy, healthy coon. :)

Yesterday I rode shotgun when Roadie had her annual trip to her vet in Flora ~ a wonderful lady named Dr. Deb, who saved the life of my third kitty, Elly Fae, in 2004. The clinic was in a bit of chaos yesterday because of a power outage, but the vets and staff were soldiering on and Roadie got her check-up and allergy shot.

Yep, poor Roadie is allergic ~ to flea meds like Advantage ~ so each season when she gets dosed for fleas, she also has to be dosed for a reaction to the med. This kind of allergy, called a *contact allergy,* is not that uncommon in kitties. Last summer, my own ~ my oldest ~ Melanie had a *seriously* negative reaction to a new flea med called ProMeris. Trying to save money since I have so many kitties, this summer I tried flea collars, but they were so potent that *I* had an allergic reaction to them. Usually for contact allergies, you just have to remove the irritant. In Melanie's case, I had to give her a bath with Dawn dish detergent. Sometimes the irritant isn't chemical. It can be something like fabric used in bedding.

The fleas themselves can cause allergies of their own. Again, I have a personal example because my second oldest, Chelsie, has this problem. Good ol' flea spit caused severe itching to the point that Chelsie was scratching herself hard enough to leave scabs and biting and licking her fur enough to leave bald spots. Consequently, each flea season, April to December, I try to be vigilant to nip any flea problems in the bud. I have learned to stick with Advantage despite the cost. It gets the job done without being so toxic that my kitties can't handle it. Last year Chelsie had to have a series of allergy shots to get her straightened out.


Like their purrsons, kitties can also have food allergies. Melanie can't eat ocean whitefish at all. She likes it well enough, but within minutes she hacks it up onto the carpeting. Elly's Roamer responded the same way to salmon. I can't offer mine too much variety because Melanie responds with digestive problems if I deviate from what she's used to. On the other hand, some allergies do arise from foods that kitties have eaten for a while ~ a reaction to the protein component of the food. Sometimes a simple change in diet ~ to a hypoallergenic diet ~ will help. Sometimes allergic responses to food involve respiratory and/or itching problems, too, so your vet will have to become involved.

The fourth kind of kitty allergy is an inhalant type. The same things that can bother us can bother our kitties. However, where we may respond by sneezing, kitties may respond with serious itching. Treatments can involve everything from hypoallergenic shampoos to allergy shots to desensitizing treatments.

A helpful article from Pawprints and Purrs, Inc., will give you additional information on all these kinds of allergies. However, I wish an itchless future for you and your furry loved ones. :)

[A personal note: In the right column, you may notice some links to certain shopping-for-pets sites. I am affiliated with these sites and earn pennies if you browse or shop there. Please click my links if you need something? Thanks!]

*Scruffing* is the topic for today, as per the suggestion of my close personal friend, Emmie Jean. :)

One of my vets explained the process to me last week when he was clipping Deuce's toesies, but I also did some supplemental research online before mentioning scruffing here.

A scruff is the loose skin on the back of an animal's neck ~ any animal, though I will be focusing on kitties since I am the Crazy Cat Lady, after all. :)

Scruffing is *GENTLY* pinching or gathering this skin between your fingers and lifting. As Dr. Bailey explained it to me, it is used for calming or desensitizing your pet. However, my online reading also mentioned using it as a training technique and/or a method of establishing dominance.

You really don't want to use it as a means of exerting your dominance because all kinds of behavioral or emotional problems can arise. You don't want your kitty to be afraid of you or to become aggressive either to defend himself or exert HIS dominance, right?


As a training technique, scruffing should be saved for the especially bad no-no behaviors. Again, *GENTLY* scruff your kitty and press him to the floor ~ *NOT* roughly ~ as you either hiss like his mama or firmly say the word, *NO!* Hold the kitty against the floor until you feel him relax. Speak to him softly then and pick him up for cuddling so that he knows that love will not be withheld because he's been a bad kitty.

Do not, do not, *DO NOT* lift your kitty by his scruff. Kittens might not be affected so much since they are not so far removed from being held and carried that way by their mamas. However, older kitties could be hurt or injured if you don't support their body weight as you lift.

What Dr. Bailey and I discussed was simply using scruffing to soothe a kitty for something like claw clipping ~ or administering medicine. By first massaging the scruff, you will release endorphins that will tranquilize your kitty. Older kitties who have not been scruffed since kittenhood may not be affected. Dr. Bailey said regularly massaging a kitty's scruff will keep his system responsive to the process.

After you have massaged the scruff, then you may *GENTLY* pinch the scruff and tug or pull up on the kitty ~ again remembering not to lift a kitty entirely by his scruff.

I *KNOW* this calming technique works because I used it on my older kitties, Joey and Elly Fae, when I had to apply their Advantage. Previously, both of them had fought me like wildcats at Advantage time ~ to the point that I had to call neighbor Elly for back-up. Using Dr. Bailey's suggestion, I was amazed by how miraculously easy applying Advantage on both of them was this time. Joey is 20 pounds of kitty muscle, and I had no struggle with him at all. Elly Fae may be the smallest of my adult kitties, but she is also the alpha kitty in this household, inclined to being a bit of a you-know-what about things that don't please her. The most resistance I had from her was the faintest little prolonged growl as I administered the Advantage ~ but, again, no struggling!



In fact, since then, Elly Fae has been especially loving and cuddly. When she is on my lap now, I will massage her scruff and tug ever-so-gently on it. She purrs all the more deeply and looks at me with dilated, half-closed eyes. I think I may have an endorphin junky on my hands! :) So long as she is a happy kitty, I don't guess it matters so much, huh? We can't have the Terrible Two harshing her mellow. :)

[The first two pictures in this post were borrowed from HelpWithPetTraining.com. The third picture is of my tranquil baby girl, Elly Fae. :)]

Except for the summers when I lost my daddy and mama, this summer has been the worst and most disappointing ever. I won't bore you with the reasons why, but I will tell you that having the Terrible Two around in addition to their big-kitty siblings has been the salvation of my summer.

No matter how dismal and worrisome things have gotten, I find tremendous joy in watching my fuzzy family play and romp and interact. And when I need a hug or some loving, I don't have to look too far before I have a lapful of furry, purring affection.

I realize that I have reached my limit of kitties now. When my friend Patty has accused me of being a kitty hoarder, I have always said that a person isn't hoarding so long as she can afford to care for the kitties that she has. Well, I have reached that limit ~ my budget has stretched as far as it can go with six kitties now. However, I had planned to stop two kitties ago. I'm glad I didn't. Though the Terrible Two have required more attention, care, and expense than most new kittens, I wouldn't trade either of them for a bajillion dollars now.

One of my friends has also been coping with blues wrought by a crappy summer and even crappier economy. She and her husband already have two pampered kitties, and I recommended to her what I am recommending to you now: Visit your local animal shelter and adopt another kitty or two ~ or a dog if that is your preference. Shelters are bursting at the seams now because so many people are surrendering pets because of money problems. However, my thought is to open your pocketbook and your heart a little wider to bring another pet or two into your household. *Love* is the most powerful force in the universe, and goodness knows we need as much of it we can get. I can guarantee that watching your pet play and receiving his/her expressions of love will do more to perk up this dismal time in our history than all the other therapy in the world.

Your new addition doesn't have to be a kitten or puppy if you're not into that intensive training thing. Older kitties and puppies need love, too.

Give what I'm saying some thought, okay? My animal rescues happened to be in my own back yard, but you will probably need to make the trip to a local animal shelter. Many animal shelters will help you with costs of shots or neutering as part of the deal for your taking home a new loved one.

Then send me pictures and your pets' stories, and I will post them here.

We may not have much money these days, but we always have love to give, right? And it's an investment that will *always* give you huge dividends in return. :)

Warning: Obsessive, Doting Mommy Alert!

Yep, I just had to share some of the absolute adorableness of one of my baby boys, who apparently has inherited his mommy's passion for baseball. :) A couple of nights ago, as I was working at my computer and keeping an eye on the Cardinals' game, the Terrible Two were napping next to me when Deuce awakened and began, first, to watch the game and then to participate. Those pictures are shown here. Trey preferred to remain a spectator. :)

By the way, Deuce had an appointment for his booster yesterday. He is up to 3.1 pounds! When he was in my ICU kennel, he weighed in at only 13 ounces, so he has made tremendous progress! :) He's still on Amoxicillin through the weekend, and I had to buy Advantage for six kitties ~ can I get a stimulus package payment, y'think? ~ but I am hoping and praying that we are rounding the corner to better health in my kitty M*A*S*H unit here. :)

Next up: convincing Trey not to poo on the shag carpet!

In the *Crazy Cat Lady Faves* area, you may have noticed a link to help feed shelter kitties: freekibblekat.com. I check into this site every day to answer ~ or try to answer ~ the kitty trivia question there. Besides being a quick bit of fun, each visit also means free kibble for shelter kitties. There is a corresponding page for puppies, too.

An article by Mia Carter at PetcareSuite101 highlights the young lady who is helping so many shelter animals:

With the difficult economic situation, more and more cats and dogs are landing in animal shelters, but many animal welfare organizations are in trouble. With more homeless pets to care for, the bad economy has put animal shelters and animal rescue organizations in a difficult position, as they've seen fewer donations due to the economic downturn - all at a time when the animal shelters must care for more homeless pets.

This has many dog lovers and other pet lovers wondering "How can I help homeless pets?"

For these animal lovers looking for a way to help hungry dogs and cats in need, there's a solution: FreeKibble.com.

What is FreeKibble.com?

FreeKibble.com is a website designed to gather food for homeless dogs living in animal shelters.

The site is the brainchild of 12-year-old Mimi Ausland, of Bend, Oregon. Ausland came up with the idea for the website as a way to help the homeless animals at her local animal shelter, and the site is now benefiting animals in shelters from Oregon all the way to Florida.

The website works like this: Visitors to this pet-friendly website answer a dog-related trivia question. Regardless of whether the FreeKibble.com visitor gets the pet trivia question right or wrong, the website donates 10 pieces of dog kibble to an animal shelter to help feed hungry homeless dogs.

FreeKibble.com makes one donation for each website visitor who plays the pet trivia game, called Bow Wow Trivia.

Freekibble.com's primary mission is this: "To provide good, healthy food to dogs and cats to those shelters who are working so hard to see that none of them go hungry - they need our help. In addition to providing free kibble to the Humane Society of Central Oregon, we've added 10 new shelters to the program (from Oregon to Florida!) and plan to expand the program to many more!...every piece of kibble counts!"

How Will I Remember to Visit FreeKibble.com Every Day?

Can't remember to visit FreeKibble.com every day? Dog lovers can sign up for an e-mail reminder to answer the daily dog trivia question, which means 10 more pieces of kibble will be donated to a hungry dog.

It does not cost website visitors any money to donate pet food to homeless pets. The website is supported by an array of pet-related businesses, so FreeKibble.com visitors are urged to support the pet companies and websites that make it possible for the website to donate food to help homeless animals.

From April, 2008 to January 2009, more than 680,000 meals of Castor and Pollux pet food were provided to homeless animals.
Is there a Website to Help Hungry Homeless Cats Too?

FreeKibble.com helps provide dog food to animal shelters, but this has many friends of felines wondering "What about the cats?"

FreeKibbleKat.com is the solution; this cat version of FreeKibble.com works in the same way. Website visitors play the cat trivia game - Meow Trivia, as it's called - once a day. And for each person who plays the cat trivia game, FreeKibbleKat.com donates 10 pieces of kibble (for cats) to an animal shelter....


Please bookmark both kibble sites and visit often! :)