Stealth Kitchen Cat: Wordless Wednesday

World Spay Day 2015-Why It’s Important to Have Your Pets Spayed or Neutered

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT

 WORLD SPAY DAY 

CLICK HERE

I Love My Little "Calendar Boy!!!"

LOOK WHO IS ON THE

WEEKLY PAGE

OF THE

CAT BLOGOSPHERE

CALENDAR!

Thanks to "Mom Paula"

from Sweet Purrfections

for all of your hard work!

We are loving the calendar!

We also love seeing

all of the other

ADORABLE kitties

that are featured here!

Have a great week all!

Funny Feline Friday! Book:Learn To Speak Cat (2), The Latest Mews, By Anthony Smith, A World-Wide Give-Away Too!

Hi and happy Friday all!

It's Cody! I don't know about you, but I sure could use a good laugh this Friday and I have a feeling that YOU could use one too!

A few weeks ago my Sheltie brother featured a doggone funny book on his blog.  It was called:
 Bad Dog, No Biscuit. by Anthony Smith. 

Well, it seems that Anthony Smith knows a thing or two about kitties too!!!  Knowing the sarcastic guy that I am, he knew I would appreciate his latest book for kitties (and their humans), so he sent it to me. Here it is!!

At first, I thought that this book was going to divulge our deepest feline secrets. There is NO WAY that I wanted that to happen! Thankfully, I couldn't have been more wrong!

Learn To Speak Cat (2), The Latest Mews,  is chock full of vibrant, hilariously illustrated cartoons that help our humans understand how WE view the world!!

The book is easily transportable (150mm x 150mm x 8mm), and is 96 pages (hardcover) . Make that a belleh laughing funny 96 pages!! It's BOLD, SNARKY AND SASSY, just like ME!!

Learn To Speak Cat (2), The Latest Mews, is book TWO in the series,  (Mom didn't get to read Book One, but it is called Learn To Speak Cat:The Purrfect Guide)

Learn To Speak Cat (2) teaches humans that:

THIS IS HOW A CAT-CENTRIC WORLD

WOULD LOOK, FROM ESKIMEOWS TO

THE CAT DESIGNED REFRIGERATOR

-------------------------------------------------------

Check out the photos

of ME enjoying this 

CATABULOUSLY FUNNY BOOK!!

Please don't sue us for showing
those pages, we don't have
any kibble to pay you with, we're broke!!!!

See that photo right above my head? It says "Lassie Leave Home" that was my purrticular fave because it reminded me of a certain furry someone who just might be a Sheltie, who will remain unmentioned!!

Mom loves that much of the book is a play on words (whatever THAT means!) Mom loves sarcasm and wacky humor, she says that this book fits the bill purrfectly! 

A few things that made Mom laugh:

•  Two cats sitting on a doorstep, the caption says "Don't feel too put out."
• A cat draws a picture of "The Purrfect Dog"-----what do you think it was?
• A drawing of a window with birds saying things and the caption is "Abusive Tweets"
• A drawing of two cats, one is holding a mouse and instead of saying "DON'T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD" it says "PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD!!" Cause it's CATS, GET IT!!??

Learn To Speak Cat, The Latest Mews is for all of you hip cats (and your humans) who have a rocking, sarcastic, and wacky sense of humor, (that would be pretty much ALL of you!)

It's available on Amazon.uk (you know the Brits have the BEST sense of humor!!)

Of course it is available on Amazon in the U.S. too!

You can also pawchase it on the Book Depository website  (that's DEPOSITORY, NOT SUPPOSITORY!!! OMC I KILL ME!!)

YOU CAN ALSO ENTER OUR

 WORLD-WIDE GIVE-AWAY!!

Because I want to make at least ONE kitty smile and purr with delight. Anthony Smith said I could have a WORLD-WIDE GIVE-AWAY! One lucky kitty will win a copy of this book to make them laugh their belleh off!

Entering is super easy, just enter on the Rafflecopter below.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We were not compensated for this review/give-away. We were sent a copy of Learn To Speak Cat in exchange for our honest review.

Happy Birthday to the Cat Blogosphere's Chief "CAT DADDY!!"

Today somebody SUPER SPECIAL

 is having a birthday!!!!!

Thanks to Ann from Zoolatry for this great graphic!

"Herding Cats" is no easy task but Mo works tirelessly on the Cat Blogosphere website keeping us all informed and in touch with each other, all while working full time!

Without Mo, I think all of us would be lost!

Thanks for your love and caring that you show towards 
ALL OF US!!!

We wish you the HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS!!!

Love,

Caren and Cody

"Brother, can you spare a BONE?" Wordless Wednesday

Are you feeding your cat treats or poison? #Sponsored #guestpost

Now, we’re not saying you’re intentionally feeding your cat poison here; that would be daft! But how aware are you about what is actually good and bad for your cat to eat? Many of us like to treat our cats to treats from leftovers or even from the dinner table from time to time, but cats are not like us humans – their little stomachs are quite delicate and that food you’re giving them as a treat may actually do more harm than good.

It can be difficult to refuse a meowing cat a little treat every now and again, and some foods are perfectly safe for your little kitty to eat, but pet experts Vet Medic have produced an infographic about cat treats vs poison, listing some of the things we should and should not be giving to our cats.

Set out in an easy to understand format, the infographic may come as somewhat of a surprise to many cat owners who thought that certain foods were perfectly safe for their cats. It also says exactly why these foods may not be good for cats and what could happen were they to eat too much of it.

For example, did you know that eating too much raw fish is not good for your cat? That may be a shock as we know that many cats love fish, but it actually contains thiaminase which can cause neurological conditions, convulsions and even coma in the long-term. Also, did you know that most cats are lactose intolerant and therefore should not have cow’s milk?

The infographic also lists a number of foods that you can give your cat as a treat, again some of which you may not have thought of. Melon, for example, contains fiber, potassium and vitamins A & C, as well as plenty of water which promotes a healthy urinary tract. It’s a really handy little guide that could help your cat live a longer and healthier life.

Vet Medic has a wealth of other information available on the website, including tips on how to reduce stress in vet visits for your cat, signs that your cat may be ill, and information from famous vets that have written for national newspapers and worked on TV.

For more tips on how to keep your cat (and other pets) healthy, head over to Vet Medic and see what invaluable information they have on their website.

Book:Catsong by T.J. Banks

"Serenade:A musical performance given to honor or express love for someone,  often by one person."

When I finished reading Catsong, by T.J. Banks, and  was pondering what would be the best word to sum up the spirit in this touching book, the word serenade kept appearing in my mind.

In it's traditional sense, the word "serenade" is typically defined as,   "a musical greeting performed for a lover, friend, person of rank or other person to be honored. The classic serenade usage would be from a lover to his lady love through a window."

While a serenade is normally directed towards a female from a male, in my opinion, it also is an appropriate word to describe what author Banks has created in Catsong.

To me, Catsong is not only a compilation of Bank's best cat stories, it is much more than that. It is a songbook  of SERENADES. It, is a collection of essays that are in reality, SONGS. My reference to "songs" for the purpose of this review,  would be words that honor by using the most beautiful of lyrics. The words written in Catsong are vehicles that convey love, a love of the purest and most genuine kind. The "serenades" in Catsong are essays dedicated to the many cats who have graced T.J. Bank's life.

From Catsong: For all the cats who have graced our lives-the strays and the purebreds, the soul-cats and the heart-cats, the generals and the goofballs. You all gave us so much.

  Songs that convey love evoke the strongest of emotions. While often these memories are beautiful, inspiring and happy, they also can be full of grief  that often seems unbearable. Catsong is a beautifully woven compilation of these emotions.

Many who will, or have read Catsong, have had numerous cats touch their lives.  Sadly, I have only had three, (an abandoned newborn calico kitten that was in my life for merely a month when I was fifteen, my Angel Bobo, and my Cody). Whether or not one has had one cat, three, or dozens, the intense love and raw emotion that was so beautifully conveyed in Catsong, will be recognizable and felt by all.

 Catsong  was the winner of the 20007 Merial Human-Animal Bond Award

ISBN:978-1-63263-540-2
Published by BookLocker.com, Inc., Bradenton, Florida

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:T.J. Banks is the author of Sketch People:Stories Along the Way, A Time for Shadows,  Derv & Co.: A Life Among Felines, Souleiado and  Houdini a novel which the late writer and activist Cleveland Amory enthusiastically branded "a winner" and which I had the pleasure of reviewing.  A Contributing Editor to laJoie, she has received writing awards from the Cat Writers' Association (CWA), ByLine, and The Writing Self. 

I was not compensated for this review. I was sent a copy of  Catsong in exchange for my honest review. It is my pleasure to share a book as marvelous as this one with my readers.

It's a Love Connection on Valentine's Day!

Hi every furry!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

It's Cody and I am extra light on my paws today!! Yesterday I found out the most PAWESOME NEWS!!! WAIT TIL YOU HEAR!

First, allow me to set the scene. A little over a year ago I wrote a blog that stated that I was tired of being alone. That is no way for a handsome mancat like myself to exist. So, I put out a request for a ladycat to while away the hours with me, or even one for a quick prance around town.

The responses were OVERWHELMING!!!!! I was approached by a chickin' lovin' ORANGE MANCAT,  (sorry pal, you aren't my type), I even had a response from a WOOFIE!!! (That woofie needs counseling, and FAST, but I digress...)

What was a mancat to do? 
Well, not wanting to hurt any kitty's feelings, I picked ALL of the special ladycats who were kind enough to respond. (Sadly, the beautiful Harley unexpectedly went to the Rainbow Bridge last year, and it broke my heart). 

There were a couple of  kitties however, that stood out from the rest. One, was the adorable Lucy pictured above. The problem was, she was (and is), still considered to be in kittenhood and her overprotective Jewish father was afraid that I would corrupt her. Moi? NEVER!!

Then, late in 2014 Truffles , (also in the photo above),  and I started purring to each other, around the time that she was my Secret Paws pal. But Truffles lives soo far away!!

There was one response however that I just couldn't shake off of my tail. It was from the exquisite (and oh-so mischievous) Crepes from Cat In The Fridge (even her blog name piqued my interest! Any cat who ties in a "Fridge" and "Food" already earns bonus points with me!). Here is the comment that she left.

CatInTheFridgeJanuary 15, 2014 at 11:36 AM

I've been waiting for this moment...- Crepes.

The game of cat and mouse began!!

Throughout the year, when I would least expect it, she would leave me the most "lascivious messages" (by her own admission!) on my blog.  We all know that sometimes certain mancats aren't that quick on the uptake and I would just let them slide. Until...I saw this week that Crepes was seeking a date for Valentine's Day!!

Photo Courtesy of Cat In The Fridge

Being the master of translating the meaning of non-verbal cat poses that I am, I knew that I had to take a chance and pounce on this incredible oppurrtunity!. So, I put together some photos (well, Mom helped me with them but I did all of the writing), and set out to impress that saucy little wench!!

Then, I received the surprise of my LIFE!!!! Crepes chose ME to be her MAIN DATE!!! Why am I saying "main date?" Well, it appears that she has two other mancats who are hot on her tail, (Boomer and Tuna from Da Tabbies O Trout Towne.   But I guess they chose to be mystery dates cause they never sent in photos!! MOL!!!)  Being the polite ladycat that Crepes is, she is going to be entertaining THEM during the day, but is SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST!!! WHO?? ME!!

That's fine, let her have her fun, I have her in the night, (and we all know the "night time is the RIGHT TIME!!"),  where we can do some hot prowling around, and you know what they say about the number THREE?  "The THIRD one is the CHARM!!"

This is my HAPPIEST Valentine's Day EVER!!!

Love, Cody

Kitty Kisses and A Party!!!!

Hi every furry! It's Cody!

In honor of Valentine's Day being tomorrow, I wanted to share the most adorable video that our furiends at the ASPCA shared with us. The video features cats from their adoption center being paired with their potential adopters. The video features the ultimate sign of feline affection, the "slow blink", which is also known as "Kitty Kisses!" Enjoy!!!




Along with the “Kitty Kiss” video, the ASPCA will  be hosting a “Cutest Couples” social media photo contest celebrating the love people have for their pets. They are encouraging people to submit adorable photos of themselves with their pet, or a pair of pets using the hashtag #ASPCACutestCouples.

Also, for the one or two of you who might not  know, my furiend Summer is having a Valentine's Pawty today!!!!! I am on my way over and you should join me! You can visit her here!

I'm gonna get my sexy on and see what lovely lady cats I can meet  there!

See you there!!
Love, Cody

Photo Shoot Blooper:Who You Callin' "Piggy?" Wordless Wednesday

Read our review HERE!!

Almost Home Animal Rescue is one of many Michigan Animal Shelters participating in the Best Friends Animal Society “The One” Promotion Offering National $10 Pet Adoptions Feb. 13-16

Artwork courtesy of the Almost Home WebsiteAlmost Home Animal Rescue
 Southfield, MI   248-200-2695
   www.almosthomeanimals.org ---- my "bonus" daughter is a Manager at Almost Home
 and they do an AMAZING JOB!!

My "bonus" daughter, Marla Weingarten
is a Manager at Almost Home
My husband (her Dad), is on the right
I am on the left
Photo was taken at the Novi Pet Expo

MORE MICHIGAN SHELTERS

WHO ARE PARTICIPATING INCLUDE:

Sanilac County Humane Society, Carsonville, MI   810-657-8962   societypets.org

Barry County Animal Shelter, Hastings, MI   269-948-4885   https://www.facebook.com/BarryCountyAnimalShelter

Copper Country Humane Socety, Houghton, MI   906-487-9560   https://www.facebook.com/coppercountryhumanesociety

Humane Animal Treatment Society, Mount Pleasant, MI   989-775-0830   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Humane-Animal-Treatment-Society/164742666926644

Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter, Negaunee, MI   906-475-6661   https://www.facebook.com/upaws

It's almost Valentine's Day!! Flowers. Candy. Declarations of love. For those happily coupled, Valentine’s Day can be one of the best times of the year. For some of the 102 million singles in America, according to Census.gov, the holiday can be awful.

With millions of people looking for love online, Best Friends Animal Society asks the question: Why limit the search to the two-legged?

“Ask just about any pet owner and they’ll tell you, dogs and cats provide them with a lot of joy, comfort and companionship,” said Gregory Castle, chief executive officer of Best Friends Animal Society. “And with so many dogs and cats in shelters or rescues waiting to be your one and only, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time of year to adopt a pet.”

To further promote prospective people and pet matches, Best Friends Animal Society is offering $10 adoptions during “The One” promotion taking place February 13-16 at its adoption centers in Utah, New York, or Los Angeles, as well as through participating No More Homeless Pets Network partners across the country. More information about the promotion can be found by clicking here.

Still not sure about a four-legged Valentine? Best Friends Animal Society offer 14 compelling reasons why a pet might just be “The One” for you:

1. Pets won’t play hard to get.

2. Pets won’t break up with you on Twitter.

3. Pets won’t mock you for eating ice cream out of the carton.

4. Pets will never take the last beer.

5. Pets don’t care what kind of car you drive.

6. Pets love binge watching “Orange is the New Black” as much as you do.

7. Pets have no desire to trade you in for a newer model.

8. Pets couldn’t care less about your hair or what you wear.

9. Pets love it when you leave your clothes on the floor (instant nap spot!).

10. Pets won’t look at their smartphone when you are trying to have a conversation.

11. Pets are cheap dates – no fancy dinners or expensive jewelry required.

12. Pets drooling and snoring are pretty cute. Humans, not so much.

13. Pets will snuggle whenever you want.

14. Pets think every day is Valentine’s Day – just one more chance to show you unconditional love!

“We encourage anybody looking for love to go to one of our adoption centers or your local shelter or rescue to find that perfect match,” Castle said. “Big and small, young and old, there’s a wonderful adoptable pet waiting to meet you and make this your most special Valentine’s Day ever.” 

About Best Friends Animal Society®

Best Friends Animal Society is the only national animal welfare organization dedicated exclusively to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters. A leader in the no-kill movement, Best Friends runs the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals, as well as lifesaving programs in partnership with rescue groups and shelters across the country. Since its founding in 1984, Best Friends has helped reduce the number of animals killed in American shelters from 17 million per year to about 4 million. By continuing to build effective initiatives that reduce the number of animals entering shelters and increase the number who find homes, Best Friends and its nationwide network of members and partners are working to Save Them All®.

 Like Best Friends Animal Society on Facebook 

Follow Best Friends on Twitter: 

Book:"Piggy" by Karen Malena

Adorable, charming, engaging, humorous, sweet, loving, are all adjectives that describe Piggy by Karen Malena.

Those adjectives are Mom's, but since this is ME, Cody, telling you about the book, and since I am a  cat who has a deep rooted love for MICE, Piggy is a book that I could read again and again. If you know of any little 2-legged humans, they will love it too! So will their pawrents!

My friend Piggy dispels the myth that cats and mice cannot be friends!!  Sometimes the most unlikely of  pairings make the BEST of furiends! Kinda like me and my woofie brother, or my own mousie that you see in the photo above.

Photo Courtesy of Melvin the Mouse's Facebook Page

The story begins when Goober, (a mother cat), is cleaning her kitten, (Peanut) before bedtime.  Peanut couldn't understand why he had to be clean before going to bed, and to distract him, the wise Mama cat decided to tell him a story.

She chose to tell him a story that is "TRUE." "It's about an unlikely friendship, great bravery, heroes and villians. This is the story of the great mouse rescue! THIS IS PIGGY'S STORY!"

Photo Courtesy of Piggy's Facebook Page

Piggy  lives with his human, "Matt" (who happens to be Karen Malena's son), and Matt's Uncle Rick. Piggy , and his buddy Melvin, are ALWAYS on the prowl for FOOD! (Just like ME!)  When Melvin the mouse helps Piggy escape the "claws" of the Skill Crane machine (better known as they giant claw machine that you see that has stuffed animals inside that you have to put coins in to operate the cranes, and then they lift the stuffed animals), they make a deal. Piggy agrees not to eat or hurt Melvin, and Melvin agrees to keep Piggy hooked up with all of the snacks that she could ever hope for!

While sharing adventures such as the giant claw machine, and moving, Piggy and Melvin also had to beware of the mean cat Bolivar, the neighborhood villain!

Piggy is a story of a brave, beautiful cat who got the best of that mean cat Bolivar, and of the incredible and most unlikely friendship that he shared with Melvin the Mouse. 

Mom and I pawticularly loved how Karen describes Melvin's home inside of his mouse hole, (you see, Piggy and I aren't the only ones who love mice, Mom does too!) Piggy is a nervous, hyper sort, (kinda like my Mom, but I digress...), forever moving furniture until it is purrfectly to his liking, he had a spool of thread that served as his table and a small match box that served as the frame of his bed.

Piggy is a story that teaches,
"we don't always have to fight or prove ourselves to be big and strong. Sometimes it's the smallest of creatures who can teach us life's greatest lessons."

Piggy and Melvin experience challenges, obstacles and setbacks. Through it all, their friendship endures. They demonstrate repeatedly how they will risk life, limb (and TAIL!), to help and protect each other. Piggy is a story of of bravery and devotion not just for children, but for those that are young at heart as well!

Background:
Piggy's story came to author Malena while she was working with her Facebook page. She thought, "wouldn't it be nice to give back to Matt's fans all the love and support they give to he and Piggy?" That's how it began. It was Karen's goal to "convey a "tail" which would capture not only children, but people of all ages, especially cat lovers." Peggy accomplished this and so much more in SPADES!!

Karen has a special love for the cat and pet communities and to those who follow Piggy on Facebook.    Some of the proceeds of this book are being shared with some special cat friends on Facebook, My Ferals.

If you can, be sure to get your paws on a copy of Piggy which is available on Amazon. 

Karen and Piggy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Karen Malena is a cat lover living in Western, Pennsylvania. Her compassion toward others is evident in her writings and blogs. Her interests include reading, weekend trips with her husband, music and nature. Karen is active in her town encouraging others to write though local library programs and author events. She's a member of Pittsburgh East Scribes, a monthly writing group in Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

Piggy is a domestic shorthair cat living in Western Pennsylvania. Her interests include tuna, Doritos, Spaghettios, and chicken. She lives with her human, Matt.

Winners of the Neko Napper Pet House By Nekochan!!

Oh I know some KITTIES are going to be happy today!!!! Thanks to all who entered our give-away for the Neko Napper Pet House by Nekochan!!!

Now, on to the impawtant business of announcing the winner(s)!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

HUGE CONCATULATIONS!!!!

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THEIR BLOG

It's A Party!!!!!!!

Winner! Undercover Cat: Book 4 In the Klepto Cat Mystery Series by Patricia Fry

Thanks to all who entered our give-away for:

HUGE CONCATULATIONS TO:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Allia happens to be an author herself!!

 I reviewed her pawtastic book:

Back on January 30, 2012

You can read the review here!

It's a "win-win" all the way around!!

Ground Hog Day 2015

Happy Ground Hog Day All!

I have always had an issue with Ground Hog Day which is celebrated in the U.S. and Canada.  Supposedly, if the ground hog emerges from his burrow and sees his shadow, that means there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't see his shadow, then we will have an early Spring.

Why do I have an issue with Ground Hog Day?

Because Spring begins March 20th (some years it  begins on  March 21st),  if you do the math, that is SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER regardless (slightly more).  Then, depending on where you live, Spring NEVER starts until after April 14th, (in the Midwest we have had a number of significant snowstorms the first week of April!)...thus making Ground Hog Day and the skewed opinion of the Ground Hog useless.

Found on Pinterest, it was pinned by someone else 

from britsintheus23.blogspot.co

'Nuff Said!

And the WINNER of Super Bowl XLIX Is....