Today Is "National Cat Day!!" And Mom Loses Her Mind...AGAIN

"National Cat Day" is celebrated on October 29th and was founded by Pet Lifestyle Expert & Animal Behaviorist, Colleen Paige to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued each year."

"Thousands of years ago cats were worshipped as Gods, cats have never forgotten this" by Colleen Paige.

HAPPY NATIONAL CAT DAY!!

Well I can't believe that Mom is going to put up this video. She has no clue what she is doing. She got a new Kodak Mini Video Camera Model Zm1 and this is her first (and incredibly sorry attempt at taking a video of me)

Mom gets easily frustrated. She opened the camera and the instructions are mostly in Spanish and French, hardly any English!

After an hour of Mom trying to figure out the camera and writer's block beginning to set in, Mom went from determined "techie" to "woman who has no clue about technology getting ready to crash and burn"

She proceeded to call Kodak's support number to no avail.

 While holding for an eternity Mom was consuming coffee like a banshee and was on the verge of a major meltdown.

 And then..."he"....answered.

I am saying "he" because Mom couldn't make a word out that the young man said when he answered the phone. Mom waited for the mumbling man to finish his opening spiel and then it was off to the races.

The call went something like this:

Mom: "Where is the on/off switch? I have never seen any camera without an on/off switch? How do I know if the phone is charging? Where are the instructions? How do I know what any of these symbols mean?"

Me: (staring at her in disbelief) "geeze, lay off the caffeine lady, come up for air, we know you learn by doing but let "unintelligible man" mumble SOMETHING to try and help you."

Support: "May I have your name please?"

Mom:  (becoming increasingly more frustrated and hysterical): "Do I charge this with the video camera on or off? How do I know if it is on? Where do I turn it on? I have never seen anything like this! Where are the instructions? Why is there NO on/off switch"

Support: "can you please read me the serial number?"

Mom: "how is anyone supposed to read this number? The numbers are so small I can't read them. I don't know... CD00 blah, blah"

Me: (paws over my eyes shaking my head from side to side) "Listen brainiac, YOU wanted this camera. YOU liked it because it was incredibly cute,  the size of a credit card and its super thin. Now, deal with the fact that you can't read the numbers, get over it"

Mom: "why don't the symbols on the camera tell you what you are supposed to do with them? I can't figure this out! I have a blog to do tomorrow and I have no idea what I am going to do!" (hyperventilating)

Support:(laughing) "once you play with the camera you will figure it out"

Yes, this ACTUALLY HAPPENED!

Mom: "What???!! Once I "play with the camera I will figure it out??!! Are you kidding?"

Support: "If this wasn't helpful let me please give you the website address for support, it is  blah, blah, blah, blah, blah"

Mom: "I was just there, it was no help. Thanks...I will figure this out. Bye"

Support: "Ma'am let me give you your case number in the event you call back"

Mom: "I won't be calling back...trust me! Thanks! GOOD-BYE!"

So, here is my Mom's pitiful first video....please ignore our stained carpet, it is from the Stone Age...there is no amount of carpet cleaner in the world that can get rid of these embedded stains!



Anyway, stick with us, the videos WILL get better!

HAPPY NATIONAL CAT DAY! Adopt a homeless kitty!!!

Love and kitty kisses, Cody

Black & White & Too Cute All Over! "Semi-Wordless" Wednesday

Meet "Sirius!!" the precious tuxedo kitty and "Ellie" the feisty dog owned by my dear friend Shari Tarantino.

They are getting to know each other!

She emailed me these photos a couple of weeks ago and I just had to feature them!

Sirius thinks it is a loooong way up!

Stare down at the "OK Corral"

"Nyyyahhh Nyyyyahh you can't see me!"

"The Familiars" Written by Adam Jay Epstein And Andrew Jacobson

CAT CHAT is pleased to present THE FAMILIARS, "the first in a series of adventures for the animal companions of magicians in the land of Vastia."

What exactly is a "Familiar?"

They are "the animal companions of wizards and witches or any spellcaster. It was common knowledge that familiars assisted their humans in tasks both remarkable and mundane. That they possessed magical powers of their own was known only by those who had a firsthand encounter with a familiar"

It features Aldwyn, an adorable Tuxedo kitty who is "street smart" after living the life of an alley cat. After a series of mishaps, Aldwyn meets Jack who is actually a "wizard in training".


There is also Kalstaff who is Jack's wizard master mentor, and two other novice wizards who have their own familiars, Skylark, a blue jay and Gilbert a tree frog.


"The Familiars" is geared toward children ages 8-12.

You can visit

 "The Familiars" authors online at

 http://www.thefamiliars.com/

"The Familiars" will be produced for film by Sam Raimi and Sony Animations.

CAT CHAT IS ONE YEAR OLD TODAY!!

October seems to be THE month of celebrations in my little world! First we had Dakota's "Gotcha Day", my birthday, and now my tiny little one, (CAT CHAT) turns ONE YEAR OLD, TODAY, OCTOBER 25TH, 2010.

What a year!

This blog originated as kind of a tribute to my beloved Bobo who allowed me to share HIS SPACE, and gave me his entire heart and soul unselfishly for the most wonderful 18 years of my life.

It was (and is) a thank you to HIM for the joy and comfort he brought to me.

I now have a precious silver tabby, Cody, who is fearless, silly and loving and who brought me more comfort than I ever could have imagined when I adopted him 2 weeks after my Bobo passed. I could not have made it through that time without his warm fur cuddled around my neck as he liked to do when he was a kitten. (He STILL tries to do that now, not realizing he is too fat to do it! lol)




My Beloved Bobo

  Bobo and Cody are the  HEARTS of Cat Chat, I am merely the messenger.




My husband put this on my birthday cake!

  There is still so much I have to learn, so much more to write about and I hope that all of you continue with me on this journey.

I can't have a blog without YOU, My fellow kitty lovers, and I would be remiss if I neglected to mention the many doggie lovers who have become readers and the wonderful fellow bloggers I have met along the way. That has been one of the most welcome surprises of all!

If I have done nothing more than simply make you smile, even for a moment, then I will view this blog as a success.

I was re-reading my very first post (with no photos because as I have said many times I had no clue how to post photos or video when Cat Chat was a newborn) and my objective with this blog  is the same today as it was one year ago, to make Cat Chat a cozy corner, where you can curl up with a comforter and a cup of cat nip and possibly have a grin as wide as the Cheshire Cat while reading! We all share an important trait, WE LOVE CATS!

Some of you have been with me since the very first post, others I have met along the way, to ALL OF YOU, Cody and I say THANK YOU FOR READING CAT CHAT!

I present to you my very first blog post EVER from October 25th 2010:




Cody The Brains Behind Cat Chat



WELCOME TO "CAT CHAT!!"

Hi All!


It is with great pleasure that I am announcing the long awaited "Cat Chat" is finally ready to roll!!

This is not only my blog but YOURS as well!

My goal for "Cat Chat" is to be a place not where I am spewing zillions of cat facts (who wants to read something like that?) My ultimate goal is for this to be a cozy corner (you know like the one your cat curls up in to relax?) A place for cat lovers to come to share their stories, their questions, their thoughts and their concerns and their passion for their furry little motor boat purrers.

The key? Interaction. I want to hear anything and everything about your favorite feline and I will share some feline fun as well.....


So grab your comfiest blanket, curl up in your coziest corner, grab a cup of catnip and let's get to know each other and the kitties in our lives!


Welcome To Cat Chat!!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!! Love, Cody and Dakota 10-20-2010!!

Ok I know you wanted me to wear one of the silly hats that you bought but sorry, I just couldn't handle the indignity of it all!

Sooooo....here is a card from ME to YOU!

Love, Cody



And....don't forget me!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!! Love, Dakota

My Brother, The DOG!!! Happy "Gotcha Day" Dakota, Love, Cody

Yeah, Yeah I know this is a CAT blog but I decided to take a moment to tell my "Sheltie Brother" Just what he means to me.....


We take the time to share a moment reflecting



We play the best of games!



We like to "chill" together



When I get tired of you I just lock you up



Of all the brothers I could have I am glad I have YOU!




There's Always Room on Mama's lap for both of us!



You always share your water with me


Happy Gotcha Day  Dakota!

I love you!

Cody

(enjoy it, I don't usually get all sentimental like this)



Can I Get Cat Insurance for my Adopted Cat? Guest Blog By Trupanion Pet Insurance

Cat Chat is pleased to present a guest blog by Stacy Kowalchuk from Trupanion Pet Insurance! Enjoy!

We (and pet insurance  companies in
general) often receive questions around insurance and adopted cats. Those who
have a basic understanding of cat insurance are aware that it doesn't cover the
costs of pre-existing conditions which often leads them to the question: how does cat insurance work if I adopted my cat?

The answer is actually quite simple. It works just the same way it would if you
were to have had your cat since kittenhood. When you file your first claim, we
request all available veterinary records, even if it's just an examination from
when you first adopted your new pet, and work from there.

You may be able to determine whether your cat has any pre-existing conditions
before filing any claims. Some cats that were relinquished by a previous owner
may come complete with their prior health records so you can easily see their
medical history. Or, if you notice that your cat had any health problems or
symptoms when you brought him home, then those conditions would be considered
pre-existing.

It's a good idea to get cat insurance as soon as possible, before any new
conditions occur. Cat insurance  is definitely helpful
for covering the costs of any unexpected conditions that may arise in the
future.



Stacy Kowalchuk is a rescue dog owner who works for Trupanion, an international
pet insurance  company based out of Seattle. Please feel free to contact her with any questions about pet insurance at stacy@trupanion.com.

Happy National Feral Cat Day! A Guest Blog By Alley Cat Allies

Happy National Feral Cat Day!

In 2001, Alley Cat Allies started National Feral Cat Day  to educate Americans about stray and feral cats. Today, the tradition continues!  Every year, we celebrate National Feral Cat Day by spreading the word about feral cats and Trap-Neuter-Return, the humane method of managing feral cat colonies and the best thing you can do to help feral cats.

Did you know that feral cats have lived outdoors alongside people for 10,000
years? They are the same species as pet cats—felis catus—but feral cats are not
socialized to people, so they cannot be adopted or live in our homes. Stray
cats also live outdoors, but they can become pets. Learn how to tell the two apart.

Instead, feral cats live happily outdoors in social groups called colonies and are just as healthy as outdoor pet cats

Since feral cats can’t be adopted, bringing them to shelters or calling animal
control is deadly—nearly 100% of feral cats entering shelters are killed.

Trap-Neuter-Return improves the cats’ health, stabilizes the colony, and allows the cats to live out their lives in their outdoor homes.

 As part of a Trap-Neuter-Return program, cats are humanely trapped, neutered,
vaccinated, and returned outdoors. No new kittens are born and the cats no
longer experience the stresses of mating and pregnancy. Behaviors associated
with mating such as yowling and fighting stop as well, contributing to the cats’
overall good health and making them better neighbors. Feral cat colonies are
often looked after by caregivers, who provide food, shelter, and ongoing care
for the cats. Learn more about how to do TNR  and care for feral cats .

Here’s a few suggestions of things you can do

 to celebrate National Feral Cat Day:

• Check our National Feral Cat Day event listings  to see if there is an event near you.

• Write a blog post (or link to this post) about feral cats and Trap-Neuter-Return.

• Dedicate your social networking status on Facebook  or Twitter  to National Feral Cat Day.

Alley Cat Allies is dedicated to transforming and developing communities to

protect and improve the lives of cats.

By reforming public policies and institutions to serve the best interests of
cats, expanding and promoting cat care, and increasing understanding of cats,
Alley Cat Allies is making the world a safer and better place for cats.

Learn more at http://www.alleycat.org/


 
Thank you for taking part in National Feral Cat Day, and for everything you do
for cats all year round!

Le Chat Noir: Breaking the Myths About Black Cats

For more information and to adopt black cats that are in dire need of adoption, contact Christine Michaels at Riverfront Cats or The Cat Network, thank you Christine for sharing your superb video with CAT CHAT!

"Tiger, Tiger..." Semi-Wordless Wednesday

Where is Cody?

"Tiger Tiger burning bright,

In the forests of the night:

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?"

The Tiger

William Blake

 

"Catspeak" Defined

This post was first published Friday, May 7th, 2010.  In honor of CAT CHAT's first birthday taking place later this month and the fact that back on May 7th I barely had any visitors to my blog, I felt this one deserved another look! Enjoy!

"Catspeak" Defined

The other evening while having dinner my husband looked at me and said "Hey! I have an idea for your blog! Why don't you research how many words contain the prefix "cat"? To other people that would be a strange suggestion but you see my husband and I were originally brought together through our love of words both written and verbal so I decided to delve deeper into his suggestion.

When I first researched this topic I found there were THOUSANDS of words that had the prefix of "cat" and many of them I had never heard of, so I decided to narrow it down to a list of more common words.

The following are not traditional "Webster" definitions but are words that are commonly used when cats speak to each other:

"Category" - a genre of movies that we would traditionally refer to as "screamers" or "thrillers"....in the cat world they contain blood and guts, hence the "gory".

"Catalogue" - a cat diary. It may contain some rather "catty" comments.

"Cattle" -cats telling on each other, "Nyyyyaaaah, Nyyyyaaaah Fluffy, I'm gonna "cattle" on you!"

"Caterpillar or Caterpillars"-the tall elongated pieces that hold up a structure usually called  a "Cat House".

"Cat House"-a structure where a cat resides, usually adorned with above mentioned "Caterpillars"

"Catwalk" -"Hey Fluffy!!!! The Vet said for better health we should be taking a minimum of a 30 minute catwalk a day!"

"Cataract"-A cat that can really act whether it be on TV or in the movies!

"Catgut" -"Ya know Simba really must go on a diet, his "catgut" is hanging down to the floor"

"Catsup" -cats don't say "Whaaazzzzz up?" they say "Catsssssssup?"

"Catteries" -what cats put in their battery operated toy mice

"Catmint"-prevents fishmouth, keeps their breath "minty fresh!"

"Catkin"-a family of cats. "Smokey our annual "catkin" reunion is July 5th, hope you can take a "catwalk" over and visit!"

"Catacomb"-styling tool for cats.

"Catatonic"-the euphoric state a cat experiences when he has an overdose of "catnip"...."I think we need to stage an intervention for Whiskers, he got a ticket for carrying open "catnip" and was in a "catatonic state."

Now...when you hear cats speaking to each other you will have this handy reference to decode what they are saying.......don't blame me for the "catastrophic, catch-all" definitions, blame my husband for leading my mind down this "Catwalk!"

I Loved John Lennon, John Lennon Loved Cats..."Imagine"

October 9, 2011. This is an edited version of a post I did last year on what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday. It was one of my highest rated blog posts and with today being John Lennon's birthday I decided to post it again.


Today, October 9th, 2011

Would Have Been 

John Lennon's 71st birthday....

"Imagine"....

I remember first seeing John (and the rest of the Beatles) on The Ed Sullivan Show back on February 9th, 1964. I was a little girl...7 to be exact...(yep, I am an old "Crazy Cat Lady", I am sure you are doing the  math by now).

I pointed to our rabbit-earred television and said "I like that one". I never changed my mind. John's music served as the back-drop for events in my life that are too numerous to mention.

I loved John's swagger, his "bad boy" persona, his genius, his sarcastic and sardonic sense of humor.

He marched to his own drummer.

He was independent. Like a cat.

What I didn't remember until recently was that John Lennon loved cats. Throughout his life he had numerous cats with names such as "Tich", "Tim", "Sam", "Elvis", "Mimi", "Baghari", "Major" and "Minor".

When I was 7 and began what would be a life-long love affair with John Lennon (which continues  even with his untimely death on December 8th, 1980), I had yet to fall in love with cats.

That didn't happen until I was 15.

When I was a little girl I always said I was going to meet John Lennon and marry him.

I thought we had a lot in common.

At age 7 I had yet to start my love affair with cats.

But I loved John Lennon....

I still do.

He loved cats, I loved him, we could have married and had a family of cats.

Ahhhhh  to what could have been.....


"Imagine"

Animal Care Network Sponsors Low-Cost Shot Clinic This Saturday In Pontiac, Michigan

 The Animal Care Network (ACN) announces a low-cost vaccination clinic, which is expected to be the largest of its kind in the state of Michigan. ACN has a goal of immunizing 1,200 animals!



"Lola" Available For Adoption

This low-cost clinic takes place on Saturday, Oct. 9, from 10am to 2pm at Center Stage, located at 536 N. Perry St. in Pontiac.

Distemper / parvo shots are available for dogs aged six weeks and older. Feline distemper CVR shots are available for cats aged 6 weeks and older. One-year rabies shots are available for eligible dogs and cats aged three months and older. The cost for immunizations is $10 per animal.



"Roxy" Available For Adoption

"In this recession, more people are reaching out for our assistance and for inexpensive options to keep their pets healthy. These vaccines are worth their weight in gold," said Pam Porteous, ACN Manager. Local veterinarians and licensed veterinary technicians will be on-hand to not only vaccine, but to also educate the public on what vaccinations EVERY dog and cat needs!

Residents of ANY city are welcome to come get their dogs and/or cats immunized.



"Sadie" Available For Adoption



For more information on this low cost shot clinic, 

 Please contact Pam Porteous at 248-678-2756

 For media inquiries,

 Contact Lindsay Warren at 248-444-7032



"Shadow" HAS BEEN ADOPTED!

Founded in 1994, the Michigan Animal Adoption Network is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization for animal rescue in the Metro Detroit area. MAAN frequently engages in special promotions and fundraising efforts on behalf of the animals. MAAN continually strives for new and different ways to educate the public, to raise money to continue its street rescue efforts and to find loving homes for homeless pets. To date MAAN has placed more than 4,500 dogs and cats through the Adopt-A-Pet program and visited over 90,000 addresses to offer assistance through the Animal Care Network. These programs recently received national recognition from Linda Ellerbee of Nickelodeon News.

For more information please visit

 The Michigan Animal Adoption Network's website:

 http://www.mi-aan.org

"Felix" HAS BEEN ADOPTED!




"Purr Purr" HAS BEEN ADOPTED!

 

CLEAN+GREEN®, GIVE-AWAY WINNERS And Thank You "Blogger" For Selecting CAT CHAT As Your October 5, 2010 "Blog Of Note!"

Cody was excited from all of the people who entered the give-away!

See full list of winners below

Hi All! My Mom is letting me type this part of the blog to tell you THANK YOU to all who entered the give-away!

CLEAN+GREEN® was picking 3 winners but my Mom and I are soooo excited about her blog being chosen by "Blogger" as the "Blog Of Note" for October 5th, 2010 that we wanted EVERYONE to win!

  Clean+Green is giving 3 cans of cleaner and my Mom is "pawchusing" more cans of cleaner as a THANK YOU to everybody who reads CAT CHAT and for commenting on the give-away to enter!

THE WINNERS ARE: Abby, Angie, Brian, Clarissa, Glam Kitty, Hilary, Janet, Lupie, Marg, Mariodacat, Mom2ACat, Peggy Frezon, Pumpkin Puddy, The Kool-Kittie-Krew and Rabbit (who hopped in right at the contest deadline). Please email your names, addresses and phone numbers to my Mom at cgittleman@mi.rr.com so that she can send the information to Clean+Green and they will mail you your prize!!

  We do apologize that there were 3 people who live outside of the U.S. and Canada that are not eligible to win, the product cannot be shipped to other countries and we are deeply sorry.

In celebration of CAT CHAT'S first birthday month that is what we decided to do because we like to give back.....that's just "how we roll"...........Love, Cody

Buckley's Story, Lessons From A Feline Master Teacher, By Ingrid King

I knew this book was going to be a hard read for me because I knew the ending was going to be sad, but I had no idea just how hard it would be for me to read, how very, very deeply it would affect me and how it would resonate with me on so many levels.

Buckley's Story ripped my heart out.

Buckley's Story starts out quite nicely. It details how the author (Ingrid King) came to meet Buckley "the little cat with the huge spirit" and a deformed rear leg when she was managing a Veterinary hospital.  Ingrid describes this strong and feisty tortoiseshell cat by using the word "joy"

"She was a joyful being, and she brought joy to everyone who came into contact with her. Joy can be an elusive quality for many of us, but it is the ultimate goal of a life well lived." Webster's defines joy as "the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune, or by the prospect of possessing what one desires."

Ingrid knew deep in her soul that a few of the things that Buckley desired was to live without the confines of a cage and to live in Ingrid's home along with her patient, understanding and wise cat (also a tortoiseshell cat) Amber.

"Buckley was one of the two little cats, and she believed with all her heart that there was such a place and such a person just for her. She knew in the very depth of her being that some day she was going to find the person and that place. She never gave up on her dream, no matter how bad things were in the present moment."

 It took Ingrid a number of attempts of trying to move Buckley home with she and Amber to really "get" this.

Ingrid also learned through Buckley that her own joy would come not by being employed by others but by listening to her heart and setting off to start a business of her own, a business that has led to many successful side ventures that without Buckley quite possibly she may have never tried.

 "Some of Buckley's freedom-seeking spirit started to rub off on me, and I began to explore other career options."

 Of the many lessons that Buckley taught Ingrid, one of the most important was to "stay in the moment and not get ahead of myself with worry."  She had to repeat this to herself many times when Buckley was diagnosed with a heart condition.

This is where the book hit too close to home. My beloved Bobo was diagnosed with a heart condition when he was approximately 16 yrs old. I was told during the original diagnosis that he would maybe have days, weeks or months. With the love, caring and professionalism of my Veterinarian (I was lucky enough to have a Vet similar to Jack and Janet who were Ingrid's friends/initial employers) my Bobo lived for 2 more years.

I cried when Ingrid described with great professionalism/knowledge the details of the disease (labored breathing, water retention, etc.). I relived those final days spent with my "baby" as I read how Ingrid relived hers with Buckley.

I cried at the frustration that Ingrid felt when she was forced at one point to take Buckley to an emergency clinic (I had had a similar experience)

I cried along with Ingrid as she detailed her struggling with the inevitable decision to let Buckley go, to let her be at peace. (To this day I second guess myself.)

I cried when Ingrid clipped and saved some of Buckley's fur. (Some of Bobo's fur is in a heart-shaped porcelain box in my dresser)

I cried when she had Buckley euthanized at home. (My vet also euthanized Bobo at home which I am not sure if I could go through again.)

I cried as if I had lost my baby the day I read the book instead of the nearly 3 and a half years it has now been since he passed. Pet lovers "get this", not just cat lovers but anyone who has had to say a final goodbye to a beloved pet.

A few of my favorite and most comforting  passages from Buckley's Story are the following:

"I think it's impossible to ever be completely comfortable with the decision to end the life of someone we love so much. We do not want our pets to suffer, and when we are really in tune with our animals, we know when they are ready to make their transition."

"However, our animals also love us so much that they often stick around longer than they might want to because they know how much we will miss them when they're gone."

"I believe that animals and humans are eternal beings. We never really die, we simply transition to a nonphysical state, and so do our animals."

"The connection from soul to soul is eternal."

That is one of the many "lessons from a feline master teacher" that Buckley has left us.

That offers me great comfort.

"Animals open our hearts. It's hard to resist unconditional love. We may try to stay guarded, but once an animal opens your heart, things change. And once your heart opens, life starts to expand."

That....is Buckley's Story, and despite the tears, I loved it!

For more information about Ingrid King or to purchase Buckley's Story, visit http://www.ingridking.com/ or http://www.iuniverse.com/, or call 1-800-AUTHORS, or visit your local book store or preferred on-line retailer.

Thanks to Ingrid King the consummate cat professional for affording me the opportunity to review this wonderful book. I received no compensation, just a copy of a book that I will always treasure.