Memorial Day 2018

Friday Fun! The Pet Photo Fail Blog Hop! #PetPhotoFails

Cody and I are happy to be participating in the first Pet Photo Fail Blog Hop!! (COD knows we have a zillion photo fails to choose from!)

The hop is hosted by our dear friends at Cuddlywumps Cat Chronicles and we are happy to join in the fun! 

The photos I chose were all taken this past week when Cody was trying out a toy that we will be reviewing on June 1st.

In order for me to get even 5 somewhat decent photos that I can use on any post, it often involves taking about 50 pictures that end up getting trashed for all sorts of reasons........the collage below shows you just a few of my TONS of FAILS! I  have sooooooooo many more!

I didn't edit these at all (color, exposure, etc.) to keep them just as awful as they already are. I can't wait to see the others that people posted!

Thanks Cuddlywumps Cat Chronicles for this fun blog hop! 

"Cat bed? I'll sleep where I want, thank you!"

Do you see Cody?

Celebrating the Royal Wedding with the "Cat formerly known as Prince"

Hi all it's Cody and oh what a special day it is! Today Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are getting married!! When I was adopted my name was actually "Prince." My Mom calls me "the cat formerly known as Prince." 

I thought it was only fitting that since I started my life as a "prince" that I would celebrate this most wonderful and momentous occasion by posing in my Royal Prince Bed!

Will you be watching?

Wishing the happy couple

 a lifetime of happiness!!

Winner! Custom Pet Portrait Jewelry by MeowLoverClub

Thanks to all who entered our give-away!!

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS

TO THE LUCKY WINNER

LISTED BELOW!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THEY ALSO HAVE A BLOG

CLICK HERE TO VISIT!

"It's a Bird!!" Wait! It's a Bird in a Cage Electronic Action Cat Toy from OurPets®

It is FINALLY feeling like Spring! Those of us living in certain parts of the country have finally emerged (or so we hope!) from the cold and snow.  The warmer temps have enabled us to sleep with our windows open and it is a delight to awaken to the sound of birds chirping away. Cody is enjoying listening to the birds as well, and he has taken a special interest in a bird's nest that was built on our second floor balcony.  Cody isn't used to seeing birds that close because he doesn't have the luxury of living on the first floor where he could watch them all day if he chose to.

Recently, I was contacted by our new friends at OurPets® asking if I would be interested in sharing information about a few toys that they have for cats. When I saw that one of them was the Bird in a Cage Electronic Action Cat toy I pounced at the chance!

The second I saw the box I KNEW that this was going to be a favorite of Cody's and I was right. He INSTANTLY took to it.

OurPets® understands that physical activity from play is important because it helps keep our cats physically fit. If you have younger cats they are more naturally active, but for those of us with senior kitties like Cody, we have to keep our eyes and ears open for toys that will help keep them active as well as enrich the quality of their life (especially with indoor only cats). Whenever I introduce a new toy to Cody that he particularly loves it enriches OUR bond as well!

Bird in a Cage is SERIOUSLY Adorable!!

The OurPets® Bird in a Cage makes every cat's fantasy of teasing  a bird come true!! The bird is life-like, (it looks like a little canary) which is the first thing that Cody noticed. Before I even turned it on he was extremely interested. 

  You noticed I said "turned it on", there is a little switch at the bottom of the base where you insert 2 AA batteries (not included), it is super easy to insert them. Once turned on this adorable birdie begins to shake around in its cage, while making RealBirdTM  chirping sounds!!! (It will also stay on for approx. 10 minutes unless you turn it off). Turn up your volume and watch Cody play in the video below (I apologize for the poor video quality but you WILL be able to hear how cute the bird sounds are and see how much Cody LOVES this toy!)

The way the toy bobbles and wobbles along with the life-like fluttering and chirping bird, it will engage your kitties while giving them mental stimulation and physical activity.

The string that the bird is attached to will NOT tangle, and the wobble base ensures the toy will stand upright during play.

It has been a long time since I have seen Cody THIS focused on ANY toy! The Bird in a Cage met ALL of my expectations, it is a delight for me to see Cody this intrigued and this happy! We give it a RESOUNDING FOUR PAWS UP! We do NOT have ONE complaint!

For those of you who have kittens or live in a multiple cat household, you will have a complete blast watching them play with the Bird in a Cage! 

WE HAVE A SPECIAL SURPRISE!!!

A Special Rebate for our Readers!!

Visit  https://goo.gl/tay7oC   to obtain a $5 rebate gift card from PetSmart when you

purchase the OurPets cat toys from a PetSmart store.  Ecommerce purchases will

not count. After you fill out the form online, OurPets will handle the 

distribution of the rebate.  We are pleased to tell you that the Bird in a Cage Electronic Action Cat Toy is the first of FIVE toys we will be sharing with you over the next few weeks and the rebate will apply for ALL of them!

About OurPets® 

The OurPets® Brand offers product lines that feature a variety of premium and innovative toys, accessories, feeding solutions, and waste management solutions specially designed to awaken a pet’s natural instincts. Available exclusively at pet specialty retailers, no other brand offers products specifically designed to foster a healthy relationship between pets and their parents.

Get Social with OurPets®
 

Facebook 

Twitter 

Instagram 

 This post is sponsored by OurPets® . I received the Bird in a Cage, batteries,  as well as compensation for featuring this content , but Cody and I only share information we feel is of interest to our readers. I do NOT receive any sort of commission by you, my readers using the rebate link, that is a treat for all of YOU!

It's Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day

To all of the purrfect Mommies, 

as well as men who have taken 
on the role of "Mommy"


and all of the other fabulous
"mothering" role models
  out there, that may not
have textbook "children" of their own!

It doesn't matter if the babies are

 2-legged minus fur,

or 4-legged with fur,

or if the babies,

swim, slither, 

fly, crawl, gallop or hop...

a Mother's love is just the same!!

Ok, so Mom's hair
doesn't look like this anymore
but Dakota and I love this photo

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Love, Cody 

Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love® Disaster Relief Network (National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day)

FEMA's National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day is always the second Saturday in May.   Today we are joining Hill's (this is NOT a sponsored post),  in raising awareness about the importance of being pet prepared when disaster strikes.

From devastating hurricanes,  to fires, tornadoes, the current emergency situation in Hawaii, just to name a few, it is important to have a plan in place should any one of a number of natural disasters take place where you live. Thank you Hill's for sharing this info with us!

Be sure to follow Hill's on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for disaster preparedness stories and tips throughout the month of May.

Pet Adoption: 25,000th Pet to Find a Home During "Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo"

The Michigan Humane Society will mark a major milestone on May 18-19 during Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo, presented by Purina. That is when one local family will browse among more than 30 organizations to adopt the event’s 25,000th pet.

Photo Credit: BoMo Photo

Shelters as far away as Battle Creek are bringing more than 600 cats, dogs, and rabbits to Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo. Visitors can meet these “best friends” for free in the Detroit Zoo’s parking lot from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday  and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Photo Credit: Gabi Vannini

“This event is truly unique because of its incredible size and impact,” said Matthew Pepper, president and CEO of MHS. “It is a celebration of how much our pets mean to us and a great opportunity to add a new member to your family through adoption. This event is an amazing example of the power of collaboration and compassion.”

Suburban Subaru of Troy will show its support for local animals at 1 p.m. on May 18 when it awards the proceeds of its Share the Love campaign. This seven-week promotion netted nearly $70,000 for the Michigan Humane Society and Detroit Zoo to split. Suburban Subaru raised this money last fall when it pledged $250 for every new-car purchase.

Photo Credit: BoMo Photos

The Michigan Humane Society first collaborated with the Detroit Zoo in 1993 to host Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo. That spring participants approved 90 adoptions. This time MHS hopes to beat last year’s spring total of 556 adoptions. However, the shelters need less than half that goal to reach 25,000.

Visit MichiganHumane.org/zoo to discover how you can Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo, or call 866-MHUMANE. Adoptions fees and policies vary among participating organizations. Personal pets are not permitted at the event and strollers are not permitted near adoptable animals.

About the Michigan Humane Society

The Michigan Humane Society, founded in 1877, is the oldest and largest nonprofit animal welfare organization in the state. Each year, MHS achieves 100 percent placement of more than 10,000 healthy and treatable animals through compassionate care, community engagement, and advocacy for humane treatment. The MHS operates three shelter and veterinary centers in Detroit, Rochester Hills, and Westland; five adoption partnerships with Premier Pet Supply, Petco, and PetSmart; and both a Cruelty Investigation Department and a Statewide Animal Response Team. Learn more at michiganhumane.org.

Winner!! Custom Canvas Pet Portrait By Petsy and the Petsy Indiegogo Campaign!

Thank you to all who entered our give-away sponsored by:

In total there were 61 LEGAL ENTRIES...(the 61 includes the bonus entries, anyone who came back and commented multiple times, those comments were disqualified.) Only the FIRST comment was entered.

So, out of the 61 comments, I entered the numbers on random.org and the lucky comment number that was chosen is #29

The kitty who was lucky #29 is:

DEZIZ!!!

and her blog is:

DEZIZ WORLD

HUGE CONCATULATIONS!!

WE KNOW HER MAMA

IS GOING TO LOVE THIS!!!

TO THOSE WHO DIDN'T WIN
THERE IS A 
Petsy Indiegogo Campaign:

CLICK TO VISIT THE

PETSY INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN

TO SEE THE AVAILABLE PERKS!

Custom Pet Portrait Jewelry by MeowLoverClub (World-Wide Give-Away!)

I am as finicky as the most finicky feline when it comes to wearing (or purchasing) ANYTHING that features a cat and/or a dog. I have passed up purchasing (as well as reviewing), a number of items that  feature cats and/or dogs because the majority of the time the animals on the items, whether they be mugs, photos, paintings, T-shirts, jewelry, etc., do not resonate with me. Recently, I have been lucky. Last week I featured canvas portraits that are special because they feature YOUR pets and today, I am featuring Custom Pet Portrait Jewelry from MeowLoverClub that truly blew me away.

Cat lover, Capri, (isn't that the PRETTIEST NAME?)  from MeowLoverClub contacted me back in March asking if I would be interested in featuring her custom pet portrait jewelry/keychains on the blog, and while I was extremely interested, I was somewhat skeptical. Why? Because it isn't easy duplicating someone's cherished pet on a necklace, bracelet or a keychain and I thought that there was no way it would look like my pet(s).

I could NOT have been more wrong.

 If you look at the photo above you are probably wondering why you see TWO cats. Well, Capri was kind enough to not only make a necklace featuring Cody (who is on the right), but she also made one honoring my Angel Bobo (who is on the left). These necklaces could NOT be more special!

It takes Capri approximately 3 weeks to make a custom product, but once you see the results, you realize why. The detail is AMAZING. ASTOUNDING.



The Process is Super Easy
You can choose from a Necklace, Bracelet,  or a Keychain. 

I chose to have necklaces made. The necklaces are lovingly handmade from 925 Sterling Silver. They come with a silver chain, silver cleaning cloth and are presented beautifully in a gift box.
The Pendant width is around 1.5 - 2 cm long. (You can let them know if you want a bigger or smaller size.) Link chain length is 45 cm (18 inches)

. All I had to do was submit a photo to Capri of Bobo and Cody, below you will see their before and after photos (you also receive a FREE mock up within 24 hrs, but I did not include those here.)

My Angel Bobo's necklace was incredible to me because I didn't have many good photos of him. What I sent was a painting that had been done (and I think one other photo) of Bobo and prayed for the best. The end result that you see above IS my Bobo. In person it is even better.

As you can see, Cody's is also the spitting image of HIM. Oh how I wish you could see these in person because the photos do NOT do them justice.

When you submit your photos you can also write out what you would like to appear on the back! I LOVE that the back is engraved!

For my Angel Bobo's necklace I had them engrave the date that he went to the rainbow bridge.

Cody's simply shows his name

You can have up to 20 characters engraved on the back of the pendant.

You can submit a photo of ANY PET it does not have to be a cat. It can be dogs, rabbits, horses, you can even submit a photo of a human with the pet!! 

I could not be happier with my necklaces, it is extra special to me to have one of Bobo and one of Cody. (If you have more than one pet you can also receive a discount)

The MeowLoverClub custom pet portrait jewelry would make a wonderful gift for the pet lover in your life to honor their pet each and every day!! Wouldn't these be extra special to gift to someone one who is grieving the loss of their pet as well? It would be a beautiful gesture.

WORLD-WIDE GIVE-AWAY!!! Capri has generously offered ONE OF OUR READERS WHO IS 18 AND OVER the chance to win either a necklace, bracelet OR a keychain for themselves!!! (An approximate $50 value). Entering is easy! Simply enter on the rafflecopter below and good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway




Get Social with MeowLoverClub!

MeowLoverClub on Etsy
MeowLoverClub on Facebook
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MeowLoverClub on Pinterest


 This post is sponsored by MeowLoverClub. I  received the two necklaces as well as compensation for featuring this content , but Cody and I only share information we feel is of interest to our readers.

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army's 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867).

"Watch Out Woofie!!!"

Ok, today is National Lumpy Rug day but instead of a lumpy rug, we are sharing a super short video from a while back which features a lumpy BLANKET. When you watch the video, turn your volume up, listen to Dakota's toe nails on the floor and keep an eye on the blanket hanging from the couch.

And....for those that still want to see a lumpy rug OR a LUMP ON A RUG.......here you go!

"Color Your World" with Cat Coloring Books by L.A. Vocelle

As readers of our blog, most of you know that when I have the time I enjoy coloring. When I was a kid my biggest thrill was a virgin box of Crayolas just begging to be used. I must have found their waxy smell to be intoxicating, because I was obsessed with coloring. God help any kids who came over  to color with me. If they broke a crayon it was a mortal sin, I also couldn't tolerate when they couldn't color within the lines. (Yes, even at 5 I was a control freak).

I have featured much of what I have colored on the blog and today I want to feature two beautiful books I received after connecting with the creator, L.A. Vocelle in the Coloring Books for Cat Lovers group on Facebook.  I reached out to her practically begging for the books, and she kindly obliged!

The first book I am sharing with you is the Cats and Geishas Coloring Book.   I have long had a fascination with all things Asian and this book is quite unique!

FROM the Cats and Geishas Coloring Book: -52 one-sided coloring pages will provide you with hours of stress relieving relaxation while coloring historically based Ukiyo-e woodprints. 

-Each coloring page shows a beautiful geisha interacting with a cat(s) and/or a kitten(s).

The coloring pages in this book are based on Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock prints from the period (1603-1868). Translated, Ukiyo-e means a fleeting, transient world based on the Buddhist philosophy of impermanence. Ukiyo-e works were mostly woodblock prints, and the primary subjects were landscapes, seascapes, geishas and cats colored with vegetable dyes and then copied for mass consumption. This new art form was supported by the newly wealthy Japanese merchant class who were expressly interested in pleasure.

Geishas and cats were likened to each other just as women and cats have been equated throughout the world and history. Cats’ enigmatic mystical nature of loving yet vicious, peaceful yet aggressive was also used to describe women. Therefore, cats were the perfect companions of geishas.

Some supernatural representations include demon cats (bakeneko) along with a geisha. These are based on folktales where geishas and courtesans were able to change into cats. Demon cats are easily spotted with a towel or napkin over their heads or sometimes with a forked tail. 

Of course I had to color the kitty to make it look like Cody!

The geishas and cats are portrayed in domestic scenes. Geishas are wearing colorful and intricately designed kimonos and are reading, writing, gardening or playing music, all attributes that a geisha must possess. Some cats are on leashes, and some are playing or humorously causing chaos.

Spring has FINALLY arrived in Michigan! What better way to celebrate than to spend some downtime coloring in the beautiful Cats and Flowers Coloring Book by L.A. Vocelle.  

Here you will find  25 hand drawn illustrations of cats and flowers.

- All coloring pages are one-sided to prevent bleed through.

- Illustrations vary in difficulty so both adults and children can share in the coloring.

- Enjoy bonus pages from Laura's  other coloring books on Cat Breeds, Ancient Egyptian Cats, and Medieval Cats

Yep I made the cat Cody again!

Many people will say, "I am not artistic, I can't color." That could NOT be further from the truth. I always marvel when I see pictures online that people have colored and I read that they actually RESEARCHED what color a certain flower should be, they RESEARCHED what color  "this and that" should be. That is NOT my style and never will be. That takes me back to the days in school where an Art teacher in grade school would draw a tree and 30 kids had to draw the SAME EXACT TREE. I was never, ever like that (maybe because I was raised by an artist). Schools kill a love of art by not giving children the freedom to express themselves THEIR WAY.  YOU ARE AN ADULT NOW AND YOU ARE NOT IN SCHOOL. DO WHAT YOU WANT! DO IT YOUR WAY!

In my Geisha page above, I did not research what color her kimino should be, I went with what felt good to ME, I did the same with the flowers in the picture above that I colored. I color with colors that appeal to me on THAT DAY. As long as they work for me, that's all that matters.

But...I will fill you in on a little secret. While MOST PEOPLE find coloring to be relaxing, I am not one of them. Due to having a STRONG background in art (I was going to major in Art in college, in High School I spend 4 hours a day every day in Art classes. In college I was not going to major in art history,  but in  CREATING ART). I tend to take my coloring as seriously as I did as a child. There had better not be any broken crayons, pencils, etc., and no one will be harder on themselves than ME for coloring OUTSIDE of the lines, (trust me I DID color outside of the lines, a TON on these! Both of the pages I colored were colored with both colored pencils and markers. I originally was anti colored pencils but have since changed my mind because they give me the ability to shade certain areas that I may wish to shade.)

If you have never colored give it a try, it IS RELAXING for MOST PEOPLE. If you currently do color, be sure to add these two books to your coloring book library. I am thrilled with them and you will be too! Both books are available on Amazon and I linked to their purchase pages above. (Mother's Day is right around the corner and these would make great  gifts for the cat lovers in your life, and "just because" gifts!) 

I would like to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to Laura for indulging me by sending me these fabulous and unique coloring books, so that I may share them with all of you! 

ABOUT L.A. VOCELLE:Laura Vocelle is the creator and founder of The Great Cat  , the top art, history and literature website about cats. For free downloadable coloring pages and other publications related to cats visit her website (which I linked to above). You can subscribe to receive weekly updates on cats in art, history and literature. 

The Cats of Old San Juan - Charitable Portraits (a Guest Post by A/J Jackson)

The Cats of Old San Juan was started as a philanthropic experiment in hopes that people's desire to help those in need and their endless love of cats might merge together to form the perfect charitable package.  My name is A/J Jackson and around this time last year, I had the good fortune of finding myself in Puerto Rico for the first time.  Just a few months later the devastating wrath of Hurricane Maria would sweep through and destroy much of the beauty I witnessed, leaving millions in a dire situation.

While going through my photos from the trip, I noticed a lot of really interesting images of Old San Juan's street cats.  Something about them was captivating, like they were old souls wandering the timeless streets of the barrio.  I thought if there is one thing the Internet loves more than anything...it's cats.  Our mission is simple: raise money for Roofs for the Caño and the Humane Society of Puerto Rico.  That's it!  High quality cat portraits to raise money for the place those portraits were taken, 100% for beautiful Puerto Rico.

Photo Credit: AJ JACKSON _ Cat by Fountain 

Today, it is estimated that 11% of the population of Puerto Rico is still without power. Many people are without reliable access to clean water. And, for others, damage to buildings and communications infrastructure during the storm has made it difficult to find and keep work.  Some estimates suggest that in the wake of Hurricane Maria the poverty rate in Puerto Rico has increased from 44% to 52%, and may reach as high as 59% this year.  Here is a great video about why now, six months after the hurricane is still an important time to donate to Puerto Rico disaster relief.

Photo Credit AJ JACKSON _  Cat On Car 

All the photos are signed and printed using the highest quality standards from Art Works Fine Art Publishing in Highland Park, CA and matte framed by hand by Mission Framing of Los Angeles.  100% of the profits will be donated to Roofs for the Caño and the Humane Society of Puerto Rico.  You can buy a portrait by clicking on any photo you choose at The Cats of Old San Juan.

Thanks for reading,