New Year's Eve 2011- In Our Life, We Love YOU More!

Thank you for sharing another year with us....


In OUR Life, We Love YOU MORE!!


Caren & Cody

Book Review: Pampered Pets On A Budget: Written By: Jeffrey L. Barnes And Kristen M. Levine

I was excited when I was contacted a few weeks back asking if I would like to receive a copy of Pampered Pets On A Budget by Jeffrey L. Barnes And Kristen M. Levine to read and review.

My pets, like everyone else's are pampered and since I am virtually unemployed and my husband has recently retired, the idea that I could read about how to pamper my pet and receive ideas/suggestions about how to do so AND maintain a budget had my ears perked and my tail on alert!

These are tough times in which we live. Every day people are losing jobs and struggling to make ends meet, while the prices of groceries, medical care, etc. continue to rise. Sadly, when a family experiences a financial blow one of the first casualties is often the family pet.


As pet lovers we can never have too many tools in our tool belt to help us not only care for our pets but to maintain a budget while doing so and this book sets out to do what it promises, and that is to:

"help pet parents uncover new ways to save on the products and services you need to take great care of your pets, without compromising your pet's health and wellness care or severely damaging your pocketbook."



This book is short (74 pages) but don't let that fool you. It is 74 pages that are jam-packed with must-have information for today's pet owner.

Take a look at some of the chapters:

Chapter 3-The Internet is not Always Right: this chapter was written by Jeffrey Barnes and is one  of my personal favorites. We have all fallen victim to running to the internet when our animal is ill. It can be anything from a Google search to posting a problem on Facebook and receiving 500 differing opinions. Many of those opinions include horror stories that when you are already stressed and worried, are the LAST things that you need to hear.

This chapter explains:

• How the internet is NOT a substitute for your veterinarian, your veterinarian knows YOU and your pet!
• It reinforces how when you are reading ANY information from the internet you need to look at the qualifications, licensing and formal education of the source providing that information!
• It mentions how drug and vaccine manufacturers stand behind their products ONLY when they have been purchased directly from your veterinarian.

Other great chapters in this 10 chapter book are:

Chapter 4-Trusted Online Pet Resources-

in this chapter Kristen Levine points out that there is some online information that can be trusted but that it should NEVER take the place of human professionals when it comes to your beloved pet.

 This chapter talks about:
General pet information and adoption sites such as petfinder.com and catster.com
 It also mentions reputable Veterinary and Health Sites such as VeterinaryPartner.com 


Chapter 5-The Value of Your Veterinarian: as explained by Jeffrey Barnes one of my favorite points made in this chapter is "your veterinarian is your pet's medical health care captain and is the only authority on medical issues."


Chapter 7-Pet Health Insurance is discussed by Kristen Levine and is relevant to me because I am still pondering the issue as to whether or not to purchase pet insurance for Cody and Dakota. Some points that Kristen mentions that are important to consider are:

Consider Premiums, Co-Pays and Deductibles
Pick Coverage, Not Cost

This book contains so much information and delivers it in an interesting,  straight-forward, concise and  reader-friendly style.

I loved that at the end of each chapter there is a page called Chapter Highlights which is a summation of information listed in an easy to refer to bulleted format.

Pampered Pets On A Budget  will be your newest, invaluable resource to help you "properly position yourself to give your pet the best lifestyle possible."


For more information about this book please visit:
 www.PamperedPetsOnABudget.com


Pampered Pets on a Budget is available from: www.lulu.com and www.amazon.com.
Paperback · ISBN: 978-1-105-20415-9 · $15.99
Kindle · ISBN: 978-1-105-20415-9 · $9.99

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Jeffrey L. Barnes: is a business advisor, consultant, and business intermediary, who strives to give veterinarians and business owners sound business advice in their day-to-day operations and represents them when they buy or sell their practice or business. His professional experiences with such respected companies as Aventis, John Deere, Merial, and the Sandler Sales Institute has afforded him the extensive sales, client service, and marketing knowledge that he now shares with countless veterinarians, practice managers, manufacturers, distributors, local, state, and national veterinary associations. Jeffrey lives in Tampa, FL with his wife and two dogs.

Kristen M. Levine's  volunteer work led to a fifteen-year career as the Public Relations Director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Tampa Bay, Florida, where she played a critical role in promoting pet adoption and pet lifestyle education. Kristen's knowledge of pet lifestyle concerns and family dynamics coupled with her understanding of public relations led her to found Fetching Communications, the nation’s first marketing and public relations firm wholly dedicated to serving the pet industry, in 2003. Having logged over 1,000 live national radio and television show appearances, Kristen is also a frequent contributor to pet and veterinary trade magazines nationwide. Kristen serves as Bissell Homecare’s official pet spokesperson, educating pet parents about pet clean up solutions, as well as on the Toyota Pet Expert Team (P.E.T.), where she shares her knowledge to help develop programs to teach pet parents the importance of properly protecting and securing pets in automobiles. Kristen lives in Florida with her husband, dog and a pair of miniature donkeys.

I received no compensation for this review. I received a copy of the book to read/review.

Mr.Chewy, Our New "Go To" For Pet Products!

Like many others that I have noticed in the great cat blog-o-sphere I was contacted by a representative of a website called Mr.Chewy

They offered me $50 that I could use on any products of my choice from their website. I was skeptical at first (notice that says "at first") until I visited their website and saw the bounty of name brand pet products that awaited me!

They have name brand dog and cat food, dog and cat treats, cat litter, etc. I was amazed and thrilled that they are all name brand, high quality products. They even have a page on their website where you can literally SHOP BY BRAND (click to check it out.)

The product I chose was (3) 17-lb bags of World's Best Cat Litter Multiple Cat Formula (yes I don't have "multiple" cats, but I like the multiple cat formula.)

I placed my order on the super easy to navigate website and figured I would be waiting for some time for it to arrive.

I thought wrong!

I placed my order on December 15th and it was delivered on December 17th! I was shocked!

( I didn't photograph my order because the bags arrived in 2 giant boxes that I have yet to open, I know, I am awful!! I didn't open them because I am still finishing another bag of litter.)

I cannot begin to tell you how pleased I am with Mr.Chewy  I am DEFINITELY going to be a regular customer. Here are reasons you should check them out as well:

Hold on, it gets better. Today my husband brought in the mail and there was a card for me.

 Here is the front:

too cute isn't it?

Here is the inside:

It was from none other than Mr.Chewy!! 

This company "gets it." They fill their website with high quality products at great prices, they have an easy to navigate website, the order is delivered efficiently and FAST,  then they follow up with a "thank you" note after I had agreed to blog about them?

They are not only a "class-act" they understand the concept of making someone feel special.

To win my support, have a great product, deliver on that product and make me feel special.

 Mr. Chewy has done all three!!

In return they will have ME as a customer for the foreseeable future!

Secret Santa-Mom And Dakota's "Epic Fail"

Our Secret Santa Gifts!!!

Hi Everyone! It's Cody!! If you haven't noticed already, my Mom is SUPER lame! She was excited to take part in the Secret Santa festivities this year but neglected to post about it!

What's worse is she only took ONE photo! What a loser!!!!

Mom was confused about when she was supposed to post because she joined at the last second (procrastination is her strong suit). She noticed that the kitties that we sent our Secret Santa stuff to didn't post about it so Mom wasn't sure what to do!

Anyway, see the super cool stuff in the photo above that Dakota and I got from our Secret Santa? It is all HANDMADE and was made by Cattitude Creations!!!  You can visit them on Facebook here and they have a CATABULOUS Etsy Shop which you can visit here!!
(Nikki Bessette is the shop owner and she is on vacation until January 14th)

We DO have some SAD and EMBARRASSING news to report and it pertains to my brother Dakota.

See the duck in the above photo?

Well, part of the reason Mom didn't let me blog about our Secret Santa gifts is because within FIVE MINUTES (yes, FIVE MINUTES)...Dakota acquired a taste for duck and experienced a strong craving. The craving resulted in the duck being forever grounded because:

 DAKOTA ATE HIS WING!!!!

Mom didn't have the heart to photograph it.....

Nikki even wrote in her Secret Santa note:

"Dakota, I hope you enjoy playing with your new duck! I know a dog who has one and he loves it!!"

Guess Dakota took the concept of love a little too far and thought that "love" meant to devour the duck...

You will have to trust me when I say that I LOVE my mousie and my fishie!! Unlike SOME "animals" that reside in this house I have a strong appreciation for anything that is handmade! The thought of making a meal out of one of my toys (and a HANDMADE TOY that was a GIFT to boot!) would NEVER occur to me.

I have a much more discriminating palate.

A cat would never behave in such an unrefined and primitive manner.

I'm thoroughly disgusted.

The Holiday Season is almost over, but there is Still Time to Give to Animals (and Cats) in Need!

I was notified about this charity initiative the other day, and I must say it sounds wonderful. It is also fresh in my mind because the Michigan Humane Society also did the “Twelve days of Catmas” which I found entertaining and emotional, as I hope those cats have now found a home.

Until the end of December, there is charity initiative going on to help the Michigan Humane Society. MOBIBO, a locally created mobile app that sends you deal and discounts (think mobile coupons) in the Southeast Michigan area, has partnered up with the MHS in order to create a donation initiative to their cause, which they are calling “Download to Donate”.

Until December 31^st at midnight, every free download of the MOBIBO mobile app will count as a .25 cent donation to the Michigan Humane Society. There is no limit to how much MOBIBO will donate and you get paid .25 cents to view each discount and deal from MOBIBO. That’s right cat lovers and followers, a free mobile app download will count as a donation to the MHS and you can get paid to use it. What a great idea!

The Michigan Humane Society needs your help in raising donation funds so they can continue to provide their services to animals in need, especially during this cold holiday season. Here are a couple quick facts about the Michigan Humane Society that were given to me:

·         The Michigan Humane Society is the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in the state of Michigan.

·         They care for more than 100,000 animals each year through life-saving programs and services, so you know their plate is full this holiday season.

·         The MHS has reached their goal of 100% adoption rate the past two years, each year finding homes for 10,000 animals and reuniting 1,200 people with lost animals.

  

·         They receive no government funding, so it is up to charitable donations (such as this one) that keep them operating and providing their services.

So if you have an extra minute this holiday season, and we know we all do, take a moment and go to your local Android market or iTunes store to download the MOBIBO app. The money they will donate will help provide services such as educating children about respect for animals, staffing workers to operate an animal cruelty hotline, providing emergency rescue services 365 days a year, funding rehabilitation clinics for stray and abused animals, and so much more.

You can find out more information about this initiative by visiting the Michigan Humane Society website and viewing their article on this charity initiative here: http://www.michiganhumane.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=21828#.TvnuhjVDt2A

Another Year Is Almost Gone...

It is hard to believe that in less than a week we will be saying our good-byes to the year 2011 and will be ringing in 2012.

Cody checking out
The Cats of Cat Wisdom 101 Calendar

When I was young I used to laugh and make fun of my parents when they would say that time goes by so fast, now that I am older I find myself echoing their sentiments more than I should probably admit.

I actually get excited when a new year is upon us. I think I can equate my excitement to the same reason that I am a "morning" person.

A new year is a clean slate, as is the dawning of a new day. It is 365 days that lie before me that are pure and untouched. No mistakes have been made.  You can either dive in and rip the decorative paper off of the gift you know awaits, or you can take your time, lovingly and leisurely unwrapping first the bow, then the tape and finally the paper until you reveal the pleasure that is inside.

Layla's calendar (desk version)
the wall version is the same
only it is obviously larger

Another reason I love when a new year is beckoning is that I ADORE calendars!
 I actually have a number of them, in my office alone I have four.  One is a wall calendar,  one is more of a photo calendar that you can't write on and I have two more that I use as blogging calendars.

My favorite of the calendars I have bought for 2012 is The Cats of Cat Wisdom 101 Calendar by "Award-Winning Photographer" Layla Morgan Wilde.

Anyone who reads Layla's blog, Cat Wisdom 101 knows that Layla is not only a talented wordsmith, she is also a perfectionist.   Layla is also an artist. She has a knack of capturing cats as they go about their day, be it cuddling with a stuffed animal, or communing with nature and turning it into a work of art. Her use of lighting,  the scenery already present in the woodsy expanse of her yard, and light bouncing off of the fur of her beloved cats are indeed a delight! Layla then makes use of her love of words by adding captions of her own creation that are sure to make us pause, think and smile.

Layla's calendar, back cover
with a view of the photos
that are inside

I ordered two of her calendars,  a wall-sized version that is hanging in my office, (which is solidly made and offers large squares for writing important appointments, etc.).  I also purchased the desk-sized version of the same calendar that functions as an editorial calendar for Cat Chat. (If you are a blogger I can't stress enough how important and useful keeping an editorial calendar is!)

The calendars are everything that you would expect them to be coming from Layla Morgan Wilde's loving mind and hands. They are a cat lover and quote lover's delight.

Everything that Layla does is the epitome of "purrfection."  You will find these calendars to be utterly delightful.  I have had mine hanging since it arrived a few weeks ago just so I could keep looking at the snowy splendor captured on January's photo.

Begin the New Year on the right "paw" by purchasing one, or a few! (they make great gifts!) of these stunning calendars. You can purchase them here

Book Feature: "Cat Telling Tales: A Joe Grey Mystery" By Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Almost exactly a year ago I reviewed Cat Coming Home another mystery by Shirley Rousseau Murphy (click on title to read). This year, I was the recipient of another mystery in the Joe Grey series: Cat Telling Tales.

This post is listed as a "feature" because due to Cody recently being ill (he is fine now!), a non-functioning internet connection (my fault!), and a slew of holiday obligations, I am embarrassed to admit that I haven't had a chance to read it.  After having LOVED Cat Coming Home and not wanting you to have to wait any longer for a review, I wanted to at least  share information with you that the publisher,  William Morrow, an Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers graciously provided:

"The book takes place in the bright coastal village of Molena Point, where a rash of foreclosures due to the economic downturn is causing many residents to abandon their family pets. While feline P. I. Joe Grey's human friends join together to care for the starving cats, a suspicious fire leaves a twelve-year-old boy homeless. The body of his alcoholic guardian is discovered in the smoldering ruins, causing Joe to wonder if escape was really impossible for the elderly woman."

"Meanwhile, a self-invited houseguest descends on the Damen household with her two children, claiming to have no money and nowhere else to go. But Joe Grey soon uncovers her relationship to a missing real estate agent, a homeless woman, and the fire. Then the houseguest's cat arrives, bringing with him a number of answers----but could he himself be the answer to tortoiseshell Kit's dreams of one true love with whom she can share her wildest adventures?"

"CAT TELLING TALES mixes humor, love, and a unique species of mystery. An intriguing story of strong friendships and new beginnings, CAT TELLING TALES is a delight for both cat lovers and mystery fans."


"It is the 17th installment in the award-winning Joe Grey series"


The reading order of the Joe Grey novels is as follows:

Cat on the Edge
Cat Under Fire
Cat Raise the Dead
Cat in the Dark
Cat to the Dogs
Cat Spitting Mad
**Cat on the Money
Cat Laughing Last
Cat Seeing Double
Cat Fear No Evil
Cat Cross Their Graves
Cat Breaking Free
Cat Pay the Devil
Cat Deck the Halls
Cat Playing Cupid
Cat Striking Back
Cat Coming Home
Cat Telling Tales


(from www.joegrey.com)


ISBN: 9780061806926

ABOUT SHIRLEY ROUSSEAU MURPHY- In addition to her popular Joe Grey mystery series for adults, for which she has received nine national Cat Writers' Association Awards for best novel of the year, Shirley Rousseau Murphy is a noted children's book author who has received five Council of Authors and Journalists Awards. She and her husband live in Carmel, California, where they serve as full-time household help to two demanding feline ladies.

To purchase visit: amazon.com, and  Barnes & Noble.com

Not Just At The Holidays, But ALWAYS...We Love YOU!

AND

We can't forget Dakota!!!

The above graphic was designed

by Rosie Phang

(click on her name to see her work!)

we love IT and HER!

you can read about her

on Dakota's blog 

Cody, Dakota and I wish you and your families (furry or not), good health, happiness, tasty food for your bellies, comfortable and safe homes, fun and loving times, not just at the Holidays but ALWAYS!!

We love and appreciate each and every one of you, we thank you for your visits, for your comments, for your support, for your love, but most importantly for the things that make ALL OF YOU the UNIQUE and SPECIAL individuals that you are!!!!

"Be The Change For Animals": Meet Blogger/Animal Advocate, Kim Thomas, Of "CindyLu's Muse"

FROM CAT CHAT- Today Cody and I are honored to have Kim Thomas, author of the blog CindyLu's Muse here as a guest blogger.

Visit Kim & CindyLu Here

 If you don't know Kim or CindyLu please stop over and visit. Kim has devoted her life to helping animals and is tireless in her efforts. I have become good friends with Kim and am in constant awe of her never-ending energy, razor sharp humor and devotion to both her friends and animals. Kim's blog primarily features dogs but Kim has a secret, read on!!!

"Chester"

Hi! If you aren't familiar with us, let me just say - it's great to meet you. And, of course, a big shout-out to you who have been our readers. Our blog began it's humble beginnings back in August of 2010. I was looking for a way to work on my writing skills and to get some of it out there on the public highway of the internet.

"Bo"

I had no clue what I was doing. Seriously. I didn't even know what "blog" referred to! It's been a steep learning curve since then, that's for sure. Yet, a glorious adventure - filled with so much to learn and so many wonderful people to meet. Caren and Cody's blog was among the very first sites I became a regular reader of (and still am). Little does she know, I learned just from visiting her site daily.

CindyLu  donning reindeer antlers

CindyLu has been the perfect spokespet for the welfare of animals - something I'm very passionate about. Through the blog, I've been able to highlight the good works of many working ceaselessly to make the world a better place for our fellow creatures. It has also served well to inform and enlighten others on issues they might not be aware of.

I became an avid advocate for animal welfare only a few years ago. My neighbors joined a pet rescue organization, later becoming the cat team coordinators. They asked me if I would help out - I had no idea just how much I would be involved until my four kids and I were up to our ears with foster cats in our home and weekend adoption events to attend.

"Rascal"

Yes, cats. It amuses me sometimes that people assume my blog is a "dog blog", because it features CindyLu. Dogs are only a part of what we represent, and that CindyLu herself speaks on behalf of, on our site. Admittedly, a larger portion of our posts tend to be about dogs. That's just because there seem to be more issues about dogs than cats. Okay, and more people wanting to read about dogs.

Am I biased? Yes. But not the way you would think. I'm an admitted cat freak lover. All things feline. As I type, I have a foster kitty snuggled up against my chest and shoulder, one of my own curled up alongside my hip. I spend my days online - leaning against a cushion, half-stretched out across the sofa, laptop on my thighs. Nuts, right? Maybe. But it affords the cats the most comfortable positions to snuggle with me. And that's my top priority each day. Serving them well.

"Chandler & Sophia"

After I joined the pet rescue group (Almost Home Foundation), our house filled with litters of foster kittens and the occasional adult. Over 60 cats have found their forever homes after staying with us. We then were invited to assist a foster team created for special needs cats. I would spend two nights a week tending to the care and nurturing of these precious animals. Over the course of 4 1/2 years, I helped care for hundreds of cats, loving every minute of it. Each and every one of these has left a pawprint on my heart. Guaranteed.

"Chan"

To this day, I feel I know much more about cats than dogs, even though I've had both as pets, written about both, and become a regular reader of both types of blogs. As for what matters, though, I love them both and want to see a better world for pets and all living creatures.

That's why I jumped at the opportunity to join the team at Be the Change for Animals - an amazing website that enables people to do what they can for animals, even if they are limited on time and resources. The founders, Kim Clune and Amy Burkert, had the most wonderful idea for what has become an amazing community of those caring about animals and promoting animal welfare causes.

So if you don't find me around town, doing something to benefit animals - you'll undoubtedly find me around the web, doing the same. If there is one single message CindyLu and I wish to convey, it's that we have within our power, each and every one of us, to do something positive for animals. Caring about them is the first step, but with just a little effort everyone can find some way to make our world a better place. Caren, Cody and Dakota do this every day. We love them for it!

Christmas Cards, "When You Care Enough To Send The VERY BEST" (Thank you Hallmark)

This isn't the post that I was going to put up today but when I opened my mail I realized that this just HAD to take precedence over anything else that I was going to post on Cat Chat today.

Cody and I  LOVE all of the Christmas cards that we have received and we THANK YOU ALL  for thinking of us ...we have them all displayed in "our office".

If you don't see your card here
some of them are
being displayed in the kitchen!

Then THIS arrived

 it is the card of 2011

 that had me doubled over with laughter.

The card was sent to
Cody, Dakota and I
by the GORGEOUS, SARCASTIC and BRILLIANTLY INSIGHTFUL CAT
CATHY KEISHA
If you don't know Cathy, (how could you NOT??)
She is the author of the blog:

"The World's Most Stunning Cat"
Check it out HERE

As I said  above, the card looks innocent enough. It was definitely "Awwww-worthy"  Looking at Cathy Keisha's stunning face, totally made my day.

 I thought to myself, "What a sweet kitty"

UNTIL...

I

SAW

THIS...

Cathy Keisha may be the world's "Most Stunning Cat" but her "PEEPS" (or should I say FEMALE "PEEP")  is DEFINITELY ONE SANDWICH SHORT OF A PICNIC!!!!


In full disclosure: we did not solicit this card, we were merely the THRILLED recipients. I am sure that no cats with the name of "Cathy Keisha" were harmed in the making of this card.

Litter Lifter Winners!!!!!!

Whew!!! It has been a looooong over 24 hrs!!

It's Cody and I thought I would NEVER get on here!

You see Mom really goofed up big time yesterday. She was running around trying to arrange some new lamps that she got and in her usual impatient way she started unplugging everything in sight!

Well, she pulled out so many plugs that she disconnected our Internet! There were so many tangled cords, it was a MESS!

The nice cable man came today but then Mom and I couldn't come on because we were busy with Chanukah.

So now it is after 11pm and we are just getting on....

We apologize for the delay in announcing the winners of our Litter-Lifter give-away but here they are!!!!

Normally Mom and I link to their bloggies but we hope you understand if we don't this time...we just wanted to get this posted on the date that we promised that we would!

Thanks to all who entered, now...on to the winners!!!!

MEOWMEOWMANS

C.RICHMAN

HUMANE CATS

MARG

BRIAN

MUMSY & HER FURKIDS

SAMMY

DEBBIE R.

We have some of your addresses but those we definitely need are:

Debbie R.,  Sammy, Mumsy and Humane Cats.

 Please email Mom your address at cgittleman at mi dot rr dot com.

Book Review: The Cujo Cat Chronicles Musings Of A MAD HOUSECAT By Douglas Dunn/Cujo

I first discovered the book The Cujo Cat Chronicles because I follow an incredibly well-written blog of the same name, whose narrator (Cujo), superbly communicates the thoughts of a cat by using language that honors the superior intelligence that cats possess. The blog as well as the book are written by the obviously brainy Douglas Dunn, with assistance from his (no slouch in the cerebral department) cat, Cujo.

The Cujo Cat Chronicles are musings of a tyrannical housecat named Cujo.  Cujo lives up to his name which  means "killer cat or dog",  something that is "often cute, but will turn around and kill you". Cujo also means "your God, your Owner, someone you will bow down to."

  Cujo refers to his family as well as his fans as "minions" a word that is aptly used because minions aren't just servants, they can also be:

"a  slavish follower or one that is generally regarded as important or a "favored" person"  (what caught my attention was a word located  below the definition of "minion"  and that word is "dogsbody", which is defined as: "somebody given menial jobs: a worker who does boring tasks that others do not want to do.".

 Cujo often mentions in this book that if you expect certain behavior from him then "get a dog." 

Cujo's "Minions" are:

Doug- "a creature of the hairless 2 legged variety."  His activities consist of feeding  Cujo, buying him fuzzy toys that seem to amuse him more than they amuse Cujo, and "cleaning the royal litter".

Kathy- Doug's mate. She also feeds Cujo and tells Doug to "clean the royal litter."

Ivan the Tolerable- a fellow feline and Cujo's acting "aide de camp". "He is very large, easily mislead and quite dim." He is also Cujo's "lead enforcer."

Tiger Lily- a female gray tabby. "She's an accomplished whiner" Cujo chooses to keep her around because she makes "cool sounds when he smacks her."

What about Cujo?  By his own admission he is "without humility." He is sarcastic, sadistic, sardonic and as it says on the back cover of this intelligently written, FUN book "one could almost say that Napoleon had a Cujo Cat Complex." Being a huge fan of Simon Cowell, (coincidentally or not, American Idol is mentioned a few times in the book)  I would say that Cujo's personality is reminiscent of his as well. 

The Cujo Cat Chronicles  "is a journey into the mind of a small cat with a huge ego. He welcomes his readers into his Kingdom and then seeks to subjugate them."

There are few cat blogs and books about cats that have an "edge."  The "stars" of the book usually have a soft spot somewhere, not Cujo.  Everything annoys him, his enjoyment comes from the less than intelligent antics of others, his observations are spot on and are conveyed by using humor that isn't sophomoric.

I greatly enjoyed this book but there was one thing that I found to be lacking.  Dunn did such a brilliant job of verbally painting the personalities of all three of his cats, (Cujo, Ivan and Tiger Lily), that I would have enjoyed seeing some photos of theirs  interspersed throughout the book.

Doug Dunn and "Cujo"

Looking at the photo of Dunn and Cujo on the back cover, I think they bear a striking resemblance to each other. I think that Doug Dunn who appears as mild mannered as a temperate summer day, must have many of Cujo's personality traits, which whether or not they will admit it, seems to be the case with the majority of pet lovers whose animals "speak" for them.  Dunn's blog and his book are the perfect vehicles for him to "release his inner Cujo."

If we dare to admit it, there probably is a little 

 A LOT of Cujo in ALL of us, there certainly is in me, which makes this  book (as well as the blog) the perfect guilty pleasure, a place where you can  embrace your "Evil Twin"

and laugh yourself silly while doing so!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Doug Dunn was born and raised in Central Texas. He now lives in Oak Harbor, Washington with his "lovely bride" and he has enough animals to provide the cast of a Disney movie. Doug hopes that this book is the first of many books to come. (I hope so too!)

To purchase The Cujo Cat Chronicles  click here  or here

Follow Cujo's blog here

I received no compensation for this review. I received a complimentary copy of Doug's book to read/review.

Guess What???

Pets And The Holidays, From Trupanion Pet Insurance

Pets and the Holidays graphic created by Trupanion.

Bring On The POOP!!

Yep! That was me yesterday. It happened. I was happily resting on my favorite blanket when Mom came over to me and said she had to have a "talk" with me. She told me that because I wasn't eating or pooping I was off to the V-E-T... AGAIN!

You guessed it. I had the "Big E"...they should call THAT the "Big Easy" cause not long after "Dr.Smiley's" gang (he was off yesterday planning his next assault on me) invaded my private spot....things began MOVING!! Boy did they MOVE!!! I HAD A HUGE POOP!! IT WAS SUPERB!  EPIC!  You would have to travel far and wide to find a more perfect poop!! On the "poop-o-meter" it TOPPED THE CHARTS!  So fine in fact, that the nice female doctor said she was so EXCITED that she was gonna TEXT "Dr.Smiley!" (If you ask me, that's pretty sick, wonder if she photographed it. Sure hope it doesn't turn up on Facebook!!)

Not long after the "poop that rocked the world" I came home. I ate a hearty dinner, snuggled alllll night on the couch with Mom, let my Sheltie brother kiss me and kiss me and even had my usual rabbit nightcap before bed!

This morning when Dad got up to feed me I was READY and WAITING! I ate EVERY BIT AND I WANTED MORE!

You are NOT gonna believe this my friends, Mom just got up to check and see if I have pooped yet this morning (boy does she ever need to get a LIFE!) and so far there isn't a poop in the pot!

If you excuse me, I think I better get my butt moving and get busy producing my next epic poop!!!

 I have had ENOUGH of the V-E-T for one week!

Stay tuned....



Thanks for all of your love, concern, advice and messages! Mom and I really appreciate it! We are sorry we haven't been able to visit many of you and hope to start visiting everyone again soon!!

Holiday Photos Part II AND The Winner Of The Bissell Holiday Gift Bundle!

Here we go! I am thrilled to show you the remainder of the photos that were submitted! They are all so great that I am glad that I didn't hold a contest to judge them! Now without further adieu I bring you the HOLIDAY PHOTOS!! Thanks to all who submitted them!

"Baby"
"Baby thinks she is a present"
She is the kitty of Ann Marie Graff

"Jack"
He is the adorable doggie owned by:
Janette Gussler

"Johnny Walker"
He is available for adoption!
I love the contrast of his black fur and the flowers!
He was submitted by Christine Michaels.
From Christine:
"Shopping for Christmas is stressful and on top, recipients either return the gift or forget the next year. Well  this Christmas you will be remembered and make a difference. Please consider a small donation of $20 or even $10 to help homeless pets. They never forget and are always grateful." www.riverfrontcats.com

Jack is an adorable elf!!!!
He was submitted by:
Cynthia Downer
Cynthia has a newer blog,
I happen to follow it and I love it!
It is called "My Household Zoo"
you can check it out here

"Tabatha"
with Rudolph and her stocking
submitted by Marg
from the  wonderful blog:
Margs Pets
you can check it out here

How cute are these????
Both photos were submitted by
Cathy Keisha's Mom (aka TW)
from the blog:
"The World's Most Stunning Cat"
check it out here
it is hilarious!!

"Mickey and Smidgen"
I just love how Mickey is decorating the tree!
Sweet Smidgen crossed the Bridge last August
These precious babies were submitted by:
Reneda Baer

"Socks" with Santa!!
Look at that tongue!! lol
Socks was submitted by:
Alasandra, from the beautiful blog:
"Alasandra, The Cats & A Dog"
please be sure to check it out here!

How festive and ADORABLE is THIS??
This was submitted by Layla Morgan Wilde
the beauty and brains behind
the BRILLIANT blog:
Cat Wisdom 101
please take a moment
to visit Layla and her cats, here!

"Percy"
this is one of my favorite photos
I love the cozy warm feeling I get when viewing this
Percy was submitted by
my newest blogger friend:
Elaine Foley
you can check out
her wonderful blog, Cafe Chatelaine
right here!

What an incredibly FUN give-away this was!  Thank you to all who took the time to share your most precious photos with us!

I bet after looking at all of those adorable photos you just can't wait to see who won the Bissell Holiday Gift Bundle!!!

Well, I will end the suspense for you now...

The WINNER as chosen by

www.random.org was number 28

 (out of 76 entries)

The winner is:

JANET!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

please email me your complete name

and mailing address to:

cgittleman at mi dot rr dot com


If I do not hear from you
within 48 hrs
a new winner will be chosen!

Janet has 2 dogs and a cat so I am sure she will put the holiday bundle to good use!

Janet also has a blog called:

You can check it out here

CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN!!

HUGE THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!!


AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO


 BISSELL


FOR THEIR GENEROSITY!!