Cat World Domination Day and My Pawrents Anniversary!

Hi every furry it's Cody!! Today is a most impawtant day, today is:

Click to visit the blog there is a give-away!

Cat World Domination Day. It started in 2012, and it was created by Sparkle who was the kitty before Summer on the blog Sparkle Cat.  Sparkle was turning 10 that year on June 24, and her human wanted to do something special for her,  so she created a holiday that fit right in with her personality. Because Sparkle was known for her books and advice on how cats can dominate the humans in their lives, Cat World Domination Day only made sense. You can see the blog post for the very first Cat World Domination Day here.

As anyone with half a brain knows, even in "bi-petual" households it's CATS who RULE!! We may not overtly appear to be ruling, but trust me, we ARE!

What is my favorite way to rule those around me?

Well, let me dust off this baby from my archives

and you will see!

Any Questions?
No? Good!
smart move!

Leave a comment
and tell me how
YOU DOMINATE!

Today is also ANOTHER
SPECIAL DAY!

I also would like to wish my pawrents a most HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!! Little did they know when they got married on June 24, 2006 that they would end up sharing their day with CAT WORLD DOMINATION DAY! I say it's as it SHOULD be, don't you agree?

It's Summer and for this Kitty the Livin' is Easy!

Hi my furiends! The Summer Solstice officially arrived in the Eastern Time Zone at exactly 11:54 am !! Today will be the LONGEST day of 2019 for anyone living north of the equator.


It wouldn't be the first day of Summer without me repeating the song that I first posted on Cat Chat on June 21st 2010, (it was called "Cat Chat" back then), it has now become our little tradition...Enjoy!

This should be Meowed or sung to the tune of Mungo Jerry's classic "In The Summertime".......

"purr purr-purr uh, purr purr-purr, uh

purr purr-purr, uh, purr purr-purr, uh..."

"In the summertime when the weather is hot

You can stretch right out and be on your favorite cot,

When the weather's fine

You got playing, you got romping on your mind

Have some nip, have a climb

Go out and see what you can find"

"If her Daddy's rich, take her out for some filet,

If her Daddy's poor, just stay in and play,

Speed around the house,

really speed, really speeeed big time my friend,

When the sun goes down, you can make it

make it home before day's end"

"We're no threat, we kitties, we're not dirty, we're not mean

We love everybody, but we do as we please

When the weather's fine

We go fishing or go climbing up some trees

We're always happy

Life's for living, yeah that's our "felineosophy"

"Sing along with us, mew-mew-mew-mew-mew

purr-purr-purr-purr-purr yeah, we're hap-happy.......

mew-mew-mew-mew-mew...."

"Purr purr-purr, uh, purr purr-purr, uh

Purr purr-purr, uh, purr purr-purr, uh...."

"When the winter's here, yeah it's sleepy time

Bring a toy mouse

Wear your finest fur, it'll soon be summertime

And we'll sing again

We'll go jumpin' or maybe we'll settle down

If she's got "noms" or if she's got mice

Bring your kitty friends and we'll all go into town...."

Happy First Day Of Summer All!!

Make This A Great Summer For You And Your Favorite Felines!!

Thanks to Mungo Jerry's "In The Summertime" for the inspiration for this parody.

Kitty Friends

These kitties are Draco & Hermione and they are the kitties of Miranda from Trupanion. To find out who Miranda is, visit Dakota's blog today!!!

National Garfield the Cat Day!! #GarfieldTheCatDay

Found on Pinterest

"National Garfield The Cat Day was first celebrated in 1998 on the 20th anniversary of the comic strip and Garfield’s birthday. Boca Raton City Council Member, Wanda Thayer, proclaimed June 19 as Garfield the Cat Day during surprise birthday party at the International Museum of Cartoon Art in Boca Raton." (My Dad's art is also featured in that museum!!)

I have always loved this snarky, lasagna obsessed cat. He remains one of my all time favorites!

Veterinary Appreciation Day #veterinarylove

Veterinary Appreciation Day™ was created by Trupanion in 2015 (Trupanion happens to be the company we have pet insurance with but this is NOT a sponsored post, nor was I required to blog about it). This special day was founded to recognize veterinary professionals and the wonderful work they do. From the front desk to the exam room, veterinary teams offer compassion, advice and care for our furry family members.

“Our hope is that pet owners will thank their veterinary team throughout the year,” said Darryl Rawlings, Trupanion founder and CEO. “But Veterinary Appreciation Day offers the animal-loving community the opportunity to come together on a single day to show their appreciation to the compassionate veterinary professionals dedicated to helping their pets live the happiest, healthiest lives possible."

This year, Trupanion has  partnered with MightyVet, a non-profit providing continuing education, mentorship and other resources to support veterinarians in their career and well-being. Together, Trupanion and MightyVet are honoring veterinary team members in celebration of this special day.

MY REVIEW  OF DEPORRE ON GOOGLE:

Caren Gittleman

3 reviews

3 weeks ago-Edit

I would never, ever switch to another Veterinary practice. I have been taking my pets to DePorre probably since around 2002 or so? I took my first cat there not long after I first moved to Michigan. Back then we saw Dr.Jules whom we loved! In later years, we started seeing Dr.Lewis, who is our primary "go to" at DePorre. That being said EVERYONE at DePorre is professional, considerate, loving to our pets, knowledgeable and truly caring. Their level of professionalism is unsurpassed. Dr.Lewis is beyond dedicated, never makes me feel rushed, answers all of our questions and is always putting the best interest of our pets first. The reception staff is kind and patient, they are also professionals. I know that working at a Veterinary Practice is NOT easy, and we appreciate all of the love, care and professionalism that is exhibited towards our pets. 

UPDATED MAY 27TH 2019....recently I brought Dakota in and he was diagnosed with hypertension. I was beside myself. I had called in to have some receipts sent to Trupanion and spoke with Kimberly Meldrum on the phone. I was crying about Dakota and the kindness that Kimberly displayed was beyond touching. She listened and TRULY cared. She even followed up with me on the weekend checking to see how Dakota was doing (because he had vomited the first day of taking his meds). THAT is true caring........Kimberly, Dr.Lewis and the staff at DePorre LOVE our pets as if they were their own. That's not easy to find.

Logo Courtesy of Trupanion

I try to make it a point to somehow show appreciation for our Vet throughout the year. Appreciation doesn't always have to be shown by giving gifts,
(but you most certainly can give one!)

Ways to show appreciation:

• arriving for your appointments on time or early
• making sure your cat is in a carrier and your dog is leashed
• showing consideration for the Veterinary staff, their job is NOT easy
• if you have to cancel an appointment, try to cancel in a timely manner, (well, if you have a cat and can't find them, that plan may be shot to hell)
• Show respect for your Veterinarian by respecting their knowledge and trusting their opinion. If you do not trust their opinion or knowledge, find yourself another Vet!
• Send a gift of food for the entire office at the holidays or during the year
• I recently gave some cat toys that Cody isn't using to Kimberly who works at the front desk for her kitties to enjoy.
• Make donations of newspapers, towels etc., as you would for your favorite shelter.

HOW DO YOU SHOW APPRECIATION FOR YOUR VET AND THEIR STAFF?
Let us know below!

Pet owners everywhere can show their appreciation by posting photos and stories about their veterinary team on Twitter and Instagram, including the hashtag #veterinarylove.

I mentioned above that I have had pet insurance with Trupanion since the boys were approximately two years old, this is NOT a sponsored post and I pay a monthly premium for both of my boys

 I AM NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE ABOUT THEM AT ALL. In my opinion, good Veterinary care also involves having pet insurance with a company that you truly believe in. I could not be happier with the experience I have had with Trupanion. A few years ago we had to file a claim for Cody and the response time was quick and everything was processed in a timely manner.

Every time I have ever contacted Trupanion I have been treated with kindness, professionalism, friendliness and caring. In reference to Dakota's recent diagnosis of hypertension one employee in particular went above and beyond. I will be posting about that on Dakota's blog this Thursday. Stay tuned!

As Promised: Results from NomNomNow INSIGHTS: A Microbiome Testing Kit

Back on April 15th, 2019 we blogged about the new INSIGHTS Microbiome testing kit from NomNomNow. I promised that when we had the results we would feature them. We received the results a week or so ago and here you go! I will say they are beyond detailed, so much so that my feeble mind doesn't understand them. Maybe some of you who are much brighter than me can help me to decipher them? To see Cody's complete results click here.  NomNomNow has sponsored this post with product and monetary compensation, but all opinions are my own, read important disclaimers throughout this blog post.

Insights

Microbiome report

Cody

12 years old

11 lbs

The gut microbiome is the genetic material of microbes in your cat’s intestinal tract, and it contains an incredible variety of bacteria. The specific types and amounts that colonize your cat’s gut are affected by many factors, like diet, genetics, and environment. This means every pet has a unique gut microbiome!

Cody's

Composition

15

out of

17

scores are within the average range

Cody's

Diversity

0

out of

3

scores are within the average range

Summary

Diversity and composition

• Various factors impact the composition of the microbiome; however, diet is a major component and the most easily controlled1, 2.
• A higher diversity of gut microbes has been associated with better health in humans 3. Increasing diversity in a cat’s gut microbiome may be accomplished by feeding your cat a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrate4.
• Fiber that acts as a prebiotic (fructo-oligosaccharide) helps increase overall bacterial counts and species of Lactobacillus and Bacteroides while reducing levels of E. coli5.
• Be sure to include fiber in your cat’s diet, as current studies indicate it is beneficial6. Small amounts of vegetables like those found in NomNomNow will provide this food for intestinal bacteria.
• In studies of human populations, a diet that varies by seasonal availability of foods has been associated with increased diversity of gut microbes7–9, so periodically rotating diets may help increase diversity.
• Exercise may also help increase diversity in gut microbes10.

Gut Issues

• Gut problems, particularly diarrhea, may be improved by providing a prebiotic, probiotic, or synbiotic (a mix of probiotics and prebiotics) to promote growth of beneficial bacteria5,11,12.

• See informational guidelines below

Meet the bacteria living in Cody’s gut

• Firmicutes
• Actinobacteria
• Fusobacteria
• Bacteroidetes
• Proteobacteria

Microbiome diversity

• Richness
• Evenness
• Overall Gut Diversity Score

Meet the bacteria living in Cody’s gut

The bacteria listed below are regularly found in feline microbiomes, so we’ve provided some information to help you learn a bit about them. The bacteria are listed by their biological organization, known as their taxonomic grouping (e.g. phylum, family, or, the most specific, genus.) You can find a description of these groupings here.

Understanding of the functions of these groups as well as how to group them is a cutting-edge research field and is rapidly evolving, so we discuss the bacteria to the best-described level of organization available.

Where are these bacteria found? The digestive tract is composed of a variety of distinct regions from the stomach to the colon, each of which contains signature communities of bacteria that perform various tasks. The majority of bacteria in the digestive tract reside in the colon. These bacteria are more heavily represented in feces, although bacteria from other locations are also observed.

There is much more to Cody's report but I couldn't fit it all on the blog. If you want to read it and wish to help me decipher it  CLICK HERE )

Happy Cat Daddy Day 2019

The photo I am sharing below is one of my all time faves. I was a tiny little kitten, so young that my eyes were amber and hadn't changed to the glorious green that they are today. I just love this photo though because it shows how my love affair with Dad started right from the time I was first adopted!

Happy Father's Day to the BEST DAD EVER!!!!
 Now, gimme some food!!

I think I found the above
on Pinterest some time ago

Oh and I may not be a huge fan of the intruder who always smells like warm milk, but she sure seems to love YOU Dad!!!! Not bad for a first time Grandpa!!!!!  (Just don't get any ideas of moving her in permanently!!) Love, Cody

We  would like to wish all Kitty Dads, Doggy Dads, Uncles, Brothers, Grandfathers, anyone who has taken on the role of "Dad" (even WOMEN who have to take on the role of "Dad" !) a Happy Happy Father's Day!!!

Flag Day 2019

FOUND THIS VIDEO ON YOU TUBE

IT WAS ACTUALLY MADE FOR

JULY 4TH, BUT IT WORKS

FOR FLAG DAY

THE YOUNG WOMAN IN THE VIDEO

IS TOO CUTE AS SHE WATCHES

HER KITTY SING

AND IT IS HILARIOUS!

ENJOY!

"Shardai" by Sandra Cox, the PURRFECT Cat Book for World Pet Memorial Day

Tomorrow, June 11th,   is World Pet Memorial Day  which was created by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).  It is a day to honor and memorialize your pets that have passed away.  World Pet Memorial Day is always observed the second Tuesday in June.

I have been reviewing less books (by choice), because I had reviewed so many that I felt I was beginning to become burned out. I tossed my self-imposed book ban to the curb when Sandra Cox contacted me and told me the premise of "Shardai"  and asked if I would review it. I eagerly agreed Why? Because the premise completely reminded me of my Angel Bobo who I honor today, World Pet Memorial Day. The bond between Shardai and his human "mother" was such that he would do ANYTHING to return to her. Like Bobo and I, I know that virtually EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU who are reading this has at least one kitty that went to the bridge that you experienced the same bond with. I know that if ALL of our kitties could return to us, they most certainly would.

Today, it is our honor to feature a book that I think perfectly ties in with World Pet Memorial Day.

I often wondered when I adopted Cody a mere two weeks after Bobo passed, if Bobo had sent him to me. Then while reading "Shardai" I got to thinking, what if Bobo's soul was actually in Cody? (I don't think so because Cody had already been born when Bobo passed, but you never know!)

When I opened "Shardai"and read the dedication, a chill rushed through me: "In memory of Chuck, who passed April 16, 2005 and Dr.Diana Bowman, his veterinarian who passed April 15th, 2006. May you meet at the Rainbow Bridge."

ABOUT "SHARDAI" "Shardai is a large sleek cat with attitude. He has the courage of a tiger and the disdain of a king. The fearless feline has only one weakness...his guardian. He would do anything, even come back from the afterlife, for her."

"Shardai" is about a cat's journey from Catarau (A cat's Shangri-La/Heaven) in search of his beloved  "mother."

When Shardai tells Ramses  the Abyssinian elder that leads Catarau that he wants to return to Earth to find his beloved mother, Ramses tells Shardai: "Once you leave this holy place and return to the human's earth, we can no longer protect you. If you are starved, tortured or gassed, we cannot interfere. Travel through space is less than a perfect science, especially for cats, and there is no guarantee you will ever find her. Earth is a large place. And even if you find her, what are the odds she will know you?"

"I will know her," the big cat said quietly.

 "That's all that matters."

"Shardai" chronicles the journey of a cat who is DETERMINED to find his human mother that loved him for so many years. I hesitate to say much about certain details because I do not want to reveal things from this wonderful book. I want YOU to experience everything on your own. I WILL say that "Shardai" is a quick read that is full of action, love and some surprises.  There were parts that greatly upset me and made me feel squeamish,  (because the book addresses the dangers that feral cats have to face EVERY SINGLE DAY in order to survive, and many times, they do not.) 

Rest assured there are also humorous parts, as well as much love and a number of lessons. "Shardai" by Sandra Cox is a wonderful and worthwhile read that will touch your heart. It brought my Angel Bobo closer to me once again when memories were evoked while reading. I am certain he was looking over my shoulder from the Bridge reading along with me and is already planning when he will return.

"YOUR WINGS WERE READY,

BUT MY HEART WAS NOT."

"Shardai" by Sandra Cox is available on Amazon.  "Shardai" is the first in THE CATS OF CATARAU SERIES. ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE SERIES: AKASHA AND MAKITA.

For more information about Sandra Cox and other books she's written, you can visit her at her   blog , (psssst: Sandra you need to add a link to follow via email), twitter .

In honor of World Pet Memorial Day Please take a moment and acknowledge and say a prayer for all of the cats and kittens who are in shelters and pray that they find furever homes.

I also send healing prayers to the kitties that are ill, or are facing challenges, and to all of you who have loved and lost your beloved furbabies. I also am sending prayers and love   to the countless nameless cats that are "lost" every day. Sadly, many will never know the love that Shardai and our furbabies were blessed to know.

My Baby Bobo

"Shardai" by Sandra Cox is available on Amazon.  I received no monetary compensation for this review.

National Best Friends Day

Today is National Best Friends Day    It is a day to celebrate your best friend(s) and let them know what they mean to you.

I think the last time I used the term "best friend" was when I was in college. Now, I am blessed to have people in my life that I refer to as "close" friends instead of "best friends." My "best" friends are my "close" friends.

Whether I have known them for decades or days, they all add something to my life that if they were not here, they would be sorely missed.  My "close" friends are small in number, in my opinion, that is as it should be. I don't try to amass close friendships the way people are seeking "likes" on Facebook. True friendships take more time to evolve and grow than Facebook would like us to believe.   I have many "acquaintances", but few who I would consider to be "close friends."

My close friends don't pick my brain and then turn a knife in my back for their own benefit. They don't feign liking me one day, and then have nothing to do with me the next.

My close friends aren't "yes" people to me or to anyone else. They care enough to not just tell me what I WANT to hear, but often will tell me what I need to hear, even if it is sometimes painful, as I do for them.

My close friends are friends whose motives I never question, I never question my trust for them. My close friendships just ARE. My communication with them is easy, natural, genuine, Those close friendships are sometimes painfully REAL. I am grateful for those friendships.

If I were to be asked  to pinpoint when those close friendships evolved, in many instances I wouldn't be able to. Many of my closest friendships were unexpected, oftentimes on the surface they would appear to be "unlikely". To me those are some of my favorite and most cherished friendships.

"Unexpected friendships are the BEST ones."

I am grateful for my close friends, and I deeply love each and every one of them.

June is Adopt-A-Cat Month and we #GIVEACRAP !!

CELEBRATE ADOPT-A-CAT MONTH
 WITH WORLD'S BEST CAT LITTER™
 BY SHOWING THE WORLD YOU
 #GIVEACRAP ABOUT SHELTER CATS!

Finally a campaign that is right up our alley!

 It speaks to Cody and I LITERALLY and figuratively !!

As long time users of World's Best Cat Litter (we have been using it ALL of Cody's 12 years with maybe one or two test runs of other litter that led us right back to World's Best, and I am fairly certain Angel Bobo used it as well), we are proud to voluntarily (which means we were NOT compensated to help spread the word), take part in their latest campaign where they are aiming to donate up to:

ONE MILLION POUNDS OF LITTER

TO SHELTERS ACROSS THE U.S.!!

HOW TO HELP DONATE 1 POUND OF LITTER
POST A PIC. #GIVEACRAP. HELP SHELTER CATS.

World's Best Cat Litter is  making it easy (and free) for you to help donate up to ONE MILLION pounds of litter to cats in need through their GiveLitter™ program. All you have to do is share the hashtag #giveacrap on your social media, along with a picture of your cat. For every post, they will donate 1 pound of their high-performance corn litter to one of their shelter partners.

Now go ahead,  click here to get your own frame, upload a photo of you and your kitty and share on social using #GIVEACRAP

National Attitude Day

Hi all it's Cody! Mom and I heard that today is National Attitude Day. Well, we could NOT be happier about that! In our house EVERY DAY is "National Attitude Day and since I am a CAT, I much prefer that they name it "National CATTITUDE DAY!"

Ok, so National Attitude Day  means you should celebrate the day by working on having a GOOD attitude...but... let me tell ya this............YOU interpret and celebrate YOUR way, Mom and I will celebrate OUR WAY.  I AM A CAT, A CAT WITH CATTITUDE. Mom and I are kindred spirits, we see things the same, right Mom? (You got it Cody!!)

this is how Mom rolls and I love her for it!. ..................there's no Pollyanna stuff goin' on around here. Good or bad we are ALWAYS gonna "keep it real."

Love, 
Cody

‘Tis the Season for Kittens and the Michigan Humane Society’s annual Kitten Shower

Spring is finally here and that means it’s kitten season! To help prepare for newborn kittens, many of them orphans, MHS is holding its annual Kitten Shower to support their Kitten Project. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, June 15 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. inside the Berman Center for Animal Care at 900 North Newburgh Road, Westland, MI 48185.

Eli+Hank Courtesy of Michigan Humane

A kitten shower is a baby shower for newborn kittens that gives the Michigan Humane Society the opportunity to educate the public about neonatal kittens and the importance of fostering. Just like a regular shower, the Michigan Humane team has created a baby registry to assist in providing much needed supplies for the hundreds of kittens entering the shelters. This event will allow guests of all ages to enjoy kitten snuggling, crafts, games, refreshments and more. During the event, guest can attend a 30-minute workshop about how they can become fosters and help care for the newborn kittens.

Black Neonatal kitten Courtesy of Michigan Humane

 

“Kittens are a vulnerable population in shelters across the country, not just here in Michigan, due to the special care they require” says Dr. Clarissa Funke, DVM, of Michigan Humane. “Our Kitten Project, with the kick-off shower event, has allowed us to save hundreds more kittens than ever before and create so many new families.”

Guests are also encouraged to brings items from the MHS baby registry. The items on this list will help the caregivers care for the newborns. These items include blankets, food dishes, formula, heating pads, kennels, syringes and more. To RSVP for the shower and get registry information, please visit michiganhumane.org/kittenshower.  Supporters can then bring their gifts or item receipt to the shower and have the chance to adopt a feline for free.

DaisyMae Courtesy of Michigan Humane

Those unable to attend the shower can also drop their gifts off at Michigan Humane’s adoption centers in Detroit, Rochester Hills, Westland and Petco of Sterling Heights. Supporters can also donate online at MichiganHumane.org/donate.

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.