Winner! KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece, Story by Shannon Jones, Illustrations by Casey Uhelski

Thanks to all who entered our give-away for:

THE LUCKY WINNER IS:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HUGE CONCATULATIONS!!!!

For those who might not know,

Emily has a blog:

CLICK HERE TO VISIT!

Book Feature and Give-Away:A Letter to My Cat: Notes to Our Best Friends, Created by Lisa Erspamer

Many of you have seen this book featured on other cat blogs, for those who have not, here is another touching cat book that should be added to your feline "Must Read List." Everyone who has ever  lived with or loved a cat, will be able to relate to this meowvelous book.

A Letter to My Cat

Notes to Our Best Friends

Created by Lisa Erspamer

photo courtesy of A Letter to My Cat

From A Letter to My Cat:

As the second book in the series of, 'A Letter To...' comes 'A Letter To My Cat', a charming collection of heart felt letters written by celebrities showing their gratitude and love for their pet cats.

With stunning photographs and heart melting words, this book is a must have for anyone who has a cat, had a cat or is looking to adopt one.

A Letter to My Cat is a tribute to the alluring, elusive, and always mysterious feline. This heartwarming book features beautiful photographs and deeply personal letters written by a variety of cat lovers to their beloved four-legged friends. It's a celebration of the unconditional love these kitties bring into our hearts and homes.

With contributions by celebrity cat lovers such as Dr.Mehmet Oz, Mariel Hemingway, Stacy London, Gina Gershon, and Dita Von Teese, as Jackson Galaxy, a soldier returned from Iraq, and a fourth-grader, these notes and photographs-by turns moving, thoughtful, and sometimes downright hilarious-celebrate the devoted friendships we share with our felines.

TO PURCHASE CLICK HERE

FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY: When I post a book as a "feature", it is just that, a book "feature" that gives you information about a book that we feel is worth reading, it is important to note that when I use the word "feature" it is NOT a "book review." 


YES I AM DOING A GIVE-AWAY!!
I had wanted to do a give-away for this book but the publisher was unable to grant one at this time....

 BUT....I HAVE GOOD NEWS!

I have decided to give away MY copy to ONE LUCKY WINNER WHO RESIDES ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!!!!! ENTERING IS EASY! JUST ENTER ON THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW! GOOD LUCK!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was not compensated for this book feature. I was sent a complimentary copy of A Letter To My Cat.

10 Ways To Show Respect For Your Cat On National Respect Your Cat Day

Now, we don't know if this is just another American Greetings card holiday or not, but it was brought to our attention, that today is: National Respect Your Cat Day.

Just like the numerous other "love your pet" holidays that have sprung up by the dozens in recent years, Cody and I feel that cats should be respected EVERY DAY, not just ONE DAY in the year!

That being said, in order to honor this momentous occasion I asked Cody to share some ways that I could be sure to honor his request for my undying respect, and here they are!

1) Serve Food That I Love

2) Have regular Vet Check-Ups
 (yes, my furiends I actually SAID this!)

3) Play With Me when I Want To Play
 Not Just When YOU Want To Or "Have Time" To Play

4) Provide Fun Toys To Play With
 When We DO Play!

5) Provide Comfy Sleeping Spots

6) Don't Bring Home A Dog
(Ok, I will forgive you for this one, it's fun to torment him)

7) Give ME More Blogging Time
(I am tired of you taking over "OUR" blog)

8)  Love Me Even When I Am Old And Gray
(Ok, I am not old and I am already gray, so sue me! I mean GRAYER!!)

9)   Donate To Animals In Need
(and whenever possible, help them to find furever homes)

10) Only Take Photos Of Me
 When I WANT YOU TO!
 (as in NEVER!!)
 If you do NOT obey the vast majority of the above commands

Kitties: What are some ways that YOUR humans can show YOU some more respect? Or...are they pawfect already?

Love, Cody

Friday Children's Book/Film Feature:Archie's First Adventure By Katherine Kleymenova

Hi my furiends! It's Cody!!! Hope you all had a great week and thankfully it is FRIDAY!

Mom usually does the book features/reviews here, but today is special!! Mom is allowing ME to introduce you to a friend of mine, his name is Archie and he happens to be a MOUSE!!! Not just any ordinary mouse mind you, but a mouse that is made out of wool using a process called "felting."   Archie and his book:Archie's First Adventure, were created by the exceptionally talented Katherine Kleymenova.

Now, you are probably asking, "Why is a MOUSE being featured on your blog?"  That is a purrfectly fair question my furiends! Those of you who are long time readers know all too well that this is far from the first time a MOUSE has been featured on my blog. Why? Because I LOVE MOUSIES!! My favorite toys in the WORLD are MOUSIES!!

So anyway, back to my new furiend Archie!!

Photo Courtesy of Archie The Mouse.com

Now sit back kitties and kindly purrmit me to give you some background info about this darling book!

Archie the mouse, who lives in a little house under the big cedar's roots in the forest, has never been farther than Calm Creek. But when he receives a letter from his friend, Bruno, inviting him to visit for Christmas, Archie realizes it's time to do something very unusual - have a real adventure.

Photo Courtesy of Archie The Mouse.com

Archie

Archie is a smart, curious mouse. He loves to draw and read books as well as play with friends. He is responsible but sometimes he can underestimate efforts and time properly. He likes discovering all the new things for him.

Photo Courtesy of Archie The Mouse.com

Bruno

Bruno is a lizard. For some reason he doesn't sleep in the winter time. Instead he moves to his winter house built on the top of Lilac Mountain, and spends this time hiking and skiing. He loves to travel, he has been in some strange places, climbed mountains using ropes, sailed in oceans, and even went down into the volcano's crater. He also loves to play the guitar and dance.

Furiends, Mom wanted me to tell you that the second she opened the book to read it to me she was smitten! You see, when Mom was a little girl she loved forests, and chipmunks, mousies, squirrels and other forest creatures. She STILL DOES!

When Mom was a little kitten, she  used to sit under the picnic table in the back yard and bring tiny toy creatures outside and set them  in the overgrown grass under the table, and pretend that the grass was a "city" where the creatures lived. Mom felt (and still believes), that squirrels and chipmunks eat out of little acorn bowls, and have tiny tables in their miniature-sized kitchens in the trees where they live. Mom believes that certain "openings" on trees are "squirrel and chipmunk doors" (feel free to call a doctor and have them analyze her if you wish, but I digress). Mom says Archie's First Adventure  is  an extension of her childhood dreams!!! In other words, it's:

ADORABLE!!

Mom also wanted me to tell you something that is super cool and educational about Archie's First Adventure. In the back of the book, author Katherine Kleymenova has a section that tells how the book was made.

Guess what?

• Almost everything in this book was made my hand
• Most of the characters are made by felting
• Polymer clay, fabric, wire and wood were used for many other things such as pens, teapots, cups and more. 

See the table lamp in the photo of me reading the book above? The table lamp  has a real miniature electrical bulb inside and is plugged to the battery!!!

Photo Courtesy of Archie The Mouse.com

Mom and I can't begin to tell you enough how much we enjoyed this book! Mom wants to share some of the  magic from her childhood by giving this book to our great-niece this weekend. She is four years old and  Mom is certain she will LOVE it!

Hoping you will pawchase this book and share it with a little one in your life too, or donate it to a school, a library, a doctor's office or anywhere that there are little ones. They will LOVE IT!

The book information

Publisher: Cedar Alley Publishing
Cover: Hardcover
Language: English
Pages: 42
ISBN-13: 978-0-9939841-0-5
Size: 21.6cm x 21.6cm x 1cm
Weight: 380g

Where to Buy:

You can buy it HERE

Also the book can be found in the online stores:

Amazon US

Amazon Canada

Amazon UK

Amazon Japan

Amazon France

Barnes & Noble

Etsy

Photo Courtesy ofArchie The Mouse.com

About The Author:

Katherine Kleymenova lives in Vancouver, in beautiful British Columbia, with her family. She has been working as a professional software developer for almost ten years, but she loves to do some crafts she enjoyed during her childhood.

At Long Last, A Forever Home-A few words on Wednesday

"Brielle" Photo Courtesy of
Angela Townsend of Tabby's Place

As a follow up from our post on Saturday, March 21st, Angela Townsend from Tabby's Place, sent this darling follow-up of our precious Brielle on her first day at her "forever home." It is our wish that all kitties seeking a forever home, will find one as special as Brielle has found. A special home for a most special cat.

From Angela: "Brielle asked me to send along the attached photo, taken ten minutes after she arrived at her forever home. As you can see, she's not having any trouble settling in. :-)  "

Talk to your Cat about "Sexting" Er...Texting, New Video From the CATastrophes team!

I nearly died laughing when I watched the latest video from the CATastrophes team!

From CATastrophes:Remember, kitten season is upon us. Adopt today to offer a young cat the parental guidance he needs.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CATastrophes Series HERE!

Book Give-Away! Hissy Fitz by Patrick Jennings, Illustrations by Michael Allen Austin

I cannot think of anything more appropriate on Monday, (the most dreaded day of the week), than featuring Hissy Fitz, a Children's Fiction book by author Patrick Jennings, and PURRFECTLY illustrated by Michael Allen Austin.  Hissy Fitz  is geared towards those ages 7-9,  but if you know ANYTHING at all about cats, if you think you even  have an inkling of what they are TRULY thinking, and if you love attitude cattitude, then you are going to love this book too. While the younger crowd will no doubt get a kick out of  the cantankerous Hissy, I believe it is the adult cat lovers who will completely understand Hissy's purrsonality. Hissy does NOT suffer fools gladly!

The title alone is brilliant and intriguing. So much so that when my husband passed by the table where the book was resting, he mentioned, "that is one CLEVER title." 

The book is MORE than clever, it's CRAZY GOOD FUN!

About Hissy Fitz:

 A popular middle-grade writer moves to chapter books  with this humorous tale about a cat that makes Grumpy Cat seem cheerful. Perfect for fans

of Geronimo Stilton and Dog Diaries.

 Hissy Fitz lives with some two-legged creatures who are destined to serve him in every possible way and understand his every whim. Sadly, these creatures are

sorely lacking in their skills. For one thing--they touch him when they want to touch him. Don't they know that the two-legged are there for him to touch when he wants to--meaning when he wants food? Petting wakes him up! They speak to him--don't they know the two-legged should be seen--so Hissy knows where to

order food--and not heard! It's becoming intolerable. What is this irascible cat

to do?

An excerpt from Hissy Fitz:

 A moment ago, I was happily napping on the windowsill in the sunshine,

dreaming I was flying through the air, catching sparrows in my claws.

 Now I’m awake. Georgie woke me. I wouldn’t do that to her.

Hissy longs to leave the annoying "two-legged" people in his home and sets off for an adventure. Will his travels make him appreciate his home more? You will have to read the book to find out!

Hissy Fitz is a Children's Fiction book  with an EDGE! It is chock full  of sarcasm and snark.. If I were a cat, I would want to BE Hissy Fitz!

Author Patrick Jennings obviously has a unique understanding of cats. The kind of understanding that doesn't come from merely observing cats. It comes from sharing your life with cats and having the ability to look into their eyes and completely "get" what makes them "tick" (or what we lesser humans THINK makes them "tick"!)

The illustrations by Michael Allen Austin appear to be done in graphite, and while having a realistic appearance, they also possess the perfect amount of whimsy,  and eccentricity that you would expect from a book with the name Hissy Fitz!  There is so much realism in many of the photos and an understanding of the physical characteristics that are unique to cats, that the illustrations often appear as if they will come to life on the pages.

ISBN: 9781606845967

Pages: 128

TO PURCHASE HISSY FITZ, CLICK HERE

Photo Courtesy of
http://www.patrickjenningsesquire.blogspot.com/

 About Patrick Jennings

 Patrick Jennings grew up in northwest Indiana with a bunch of siblings and a

book in his hand. He moved to Bisbee, in southern Arizona, where he taught

preschool, and later left the desert to live on the coast in Washington State.

He travels to schools around the country, speaking to students and parents, and

runs a creative writing group for middle-graders. Patrick lives with his

daughter in Washington State. Visit his website.

ENTER TO WIN!!!!
 I am having a WORLD-WIDE GIVE-AWAY (a $14.99 value), because it is ME who will be mailing the winner(s) their books. Entering is easy! Just enter on the rafflecopter below....don't know a child aged 7-9? Enter anyway and "gift" it to a friend, donate to your local library  or to a school, or keep it for yourself, as I mentioned, ADULTS will get a kick out of Hissy Fitz as well!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In full disclosure: I was not compensated for this review/give-away. I was sent two copies of Hissy Fitz in exchange for my honest review.

Great News From Tabby's Place!!!

I was just catching up with email when I received the most WONDERFUL NEWS!!!! But first, a little background info.

Last summer I participated in a commenthon that Sparkle's human had in her memory and I made a donation to Tabby's Place.

Tabby’s Place: a Cat Sanctuary
1100 US Highway 202; Ringoes, NJ  08551
908-237-5300 ext. 235  908-237-5311 (fax) 
at@tabbysplace.org http://www.tabbysplace.org/

When making the donation, I was blessed to meet this beautiful girl, Brielle through a touching thank you note from Angela Elizabeth Townsend, the Development Director at Tabby's Place.:

With a caption that read
"Brielle sends you her thanks and love "
and at the bottom of her email she wrote:

PS: As I type this email, Brielle,

 one of our sweetest Special Needs cats,

 is keeping me company.

 She sends you her purrs (and asked me to attach her photo as her thanks to you).

I had blogged about this when it happened.

I was so taken by the story behind this cat,

that  as a tribute to Sparkle, I had joined other bloggers

who had already signed up to sponsor a kitty.

I had signed up to sponsor Brielle,

and I had been sponsoring her monthly

ever since I saw her gorgeous face.

Each month I received updates and here is the latest

I am copying directly from their monthly updates

Dear Brielle buddies,

We knew this day would come.
We wanted this day to come.
And still, I can scarcely believe the day has come.

But it's here, and right at the start of spring's song: Our Brielle has been adopted.

I know. I know. This is wonderful, earth-shaking, heart-breaking in selfish ways but heart-dancing in true ways.

And it's true, kittens, it's true.

As befits our Brielle, this is no ordinary adoption. Heavens, no. Brielle's new family is comprised of three loving generations under one roof, including a fabulous grandma who is home essentially 'round-the clock.

There will never be a moment when Brielle longs for a lap but comes up empty.

As a bonus, there will also never be a moment when Brielle yearns to escape "lesser" felines. That's because Brielle will be the only cat -- queen of her domain! empress of the realm! -- in this phenomenal family.

It's all more wonderful than we could have dreamed.

What's that? You'd like just one last jewel of joy about this new family? You got it: Brielle's new family includes a veteran Tabby's Place volunteer. So Brielle is joining a family that's already part of the Tabby's Place family.

And so, forever and ever amen, will she always be.

My heart, I confess, is singing and soaring and shattering all at once. I can scarcely remember the Community Room before Brielle, and I'll ache to enter it without her. But much more than that, I'll celebrate the sweetness of her much-loved life.

And I'll thank you, from the depths of my heart, for making this possible for her. God bless you, stupendous sponsors -- you are the dream makers.

IS THIS NOT THE BEST NEWS EVER!!??

I AM SO HAPPY FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL GIRL!!!

They are going to transfer my monthly donation

 to another special needs kitty, "Knox" and here he is!

FROM TABBY'S PLACE

 Special Need: FIV+ and missing a leg

Like the fort that shares his name, Knox is made of strong stuff. Epic inner strength enabled Knox to survive a siege of suffering. As autumn’s last leaves surrendered to the chill, the little grey cat was alone, dragging a “dead” leg behind him, and infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). But winter's impending arrival threatened Knox's best defenses.

At just that point, angels broke into Knox's story. A big-hearted rescuer scooped Knox from the street, and miracles began to follow. Through the a generous Circle of Compassion grant from Paws and Claws Society for Animals, Knox received life-saving surgery to remove his doomed leg and drain fluid from his wounds…and found a haven at Tabby's Place.

Today, the best is yet to come for Knox. The tiny tabby with colossal gold eyes is still quite cautious, but he’s letting down his defenses as he learns our love is secure. Day by day, the walls come down and love blooms for our little fighter.

Since Knox is soulful, sweet, and in overall good health, we believe he will ultimately find the loving home he deserves. But, Knox's FIV means he will need an extra-special adopter.

It is my fondest hope that Knox is blessed with an equally beautiful outcome, I couldn't be happier for sweet Brielle and it is my honor to help another kitty at Tabby's Place in Memory of Sparkle.

Happy Spring 2015!!!

Spring arrived in the Detroit area at 6:45pm!!!

Photo layout courtesy of PhotoFunia

From Almanac.com

The March equinox happens at the same moment across the world but is converted to local time. In 2015, it falls on March 20 at 6:45 P.M. EDT, 5:45 P.M. CDT, 4:45 P.M. MDT, and 3:45 P.M. PDT, for example.

Meteorologically speaking, however, in the Northern Hemisphere the official spring season always begins on March 1 and continues through May 31. Summer begins on June 1; autumn, September 1; and winter, December 1.

Children's Book Give-Away! KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece, Story by Shannon Jones, Illustrations by Casey Uhelski

It is an immense pleasure to share Book Number Three in the KeeKee Adventure Series: KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece.

Courtesy of http://www.keekeesbigadventures.com/

FROM THE PUBLISHER:Former Starbucks executive Shannon Jones has a soft spot for rescue cats, children and culture. While head of marketing and product for Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa, Jones lived in Europe with her husband for four years and was able to tour some of the largest European cities including Paris, Rome, Athens and Istanbul.

When their friends’ children started asking how their rescue cat, KeeKee, liked living in Europe and what it was like to live there, Jones decided to pursue her passion for writing and created the award winning KeeKee’s Big Adventure Series to introduce children to the tastes, sounds, sites and cultures of Europe.

The first book I reviewed in the KeeKee Adventure Series was:

KeeKee's Big Adventures in Paris, France ,  followed by KeeKee's Big Adventures in Rome, Italy , (I had the enormous honor of having one of my quotes on the back cover praising the Paris book, and  ironically, I reviewed the Rome book almost the same day one year ago, that I am posting the Greece review today!)

KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Paris, France, was a Silver Winner in The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book (Children’s/Young Adult) category at IBPA’s 2014 Benjamin Franklin Awards. Visit ibpa-online.org for more information.

Covers courtesy of http://www.keekeesbigadventures.com/

I was super excited for the release of KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece  for a number of reasons, an important one is I have always been fascinated by the Greek culture. The food,  music, climate, history, architecture and so much more. I minored in Philosophy in college and majored in Rhetoric, (I intensely studied Greek Rhetorical theory), so I might be just a tad biased about this book!

Opa! Opening pages in book. KeeKee hovers over Athens in her balloon
Photo Courtesy of http://www.keekeesbigadventures.com/

Greece is one of the oldest and most historical cities in the world!! A trip to Greece is absolutely on my bucket list, but until the day I am lucky enough to visit, I can vicariously travel along with KeeKee in her hot air balloon and learn first-paw about:

The Greek Language
as is the case in all of the KeeKee books there is a Pronunciation Guide & Glossary in the back where I learned that Antio means goodbye, Efcharisto means Thank you, Oreo isn't a cookie, but means beautiful and Niaou (prounounced nee-A-ow) means MEOW in Greek!


Historical Sites in Greece
such as The Parthenon which was built 2,500 years ago and is dedicated to the goddess Athena, the Acropolis isn't just a place where Yanni performs, nope, it is a HUGE HILL that the Parthenon sits on top of!
Did you know that the buildings in Athens are all blue and white like the Greek flag? I didn't know that until I read the book!

 Greek Culture
you will learn about the Agora, the heart of ancient Athens, (and not a bar in  Downtown Cleveland, long-time Clevelanders will "get this!"), this area was the city's main market and meeting place. Democracy was invented here! The Agora is now a fascinating archaeological site, "Agora" means "gathering place."

You will see cheerful photos of Zeus... the Ruler of the Gods, Poseidon...Ruler of the Seas, Apollo...God of music and more!

Remember I mentioned I had the enormous honor of having  a back cover quote appear on KeeKee's Big Adventures in Rome? That quote was: "Vibrant, colorful and bursting with PURRsonality!" which is the PURRFECT way to describe the beautifully created illustrations by Casey Uhelski, that are so vibrant they almost come to life on the pages! Joyful and fun, they have  the energy that one associates with the energetic and exhilarating Greek culture!

 I  give KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece, a 4-paws up and a resounding: "OPA!!!" which I learned from KeeKee, and is a Greek exclamation of awe, excitement and complete delight!!!

All books must come to an end… But, KeeKee heads off for her next adventure!

KeeKee’s Big Adventures Author Shannon Jones

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Shannon Jones discovered her passion for travel when she took her first international trip in the fifth grade. Illustrator Casey Uhelski has loved books, doodling and daydreaming ever since she was a little girl. Together they've created three books in the KeeKee's Big Adventures series-and they're at work on their fourth!


GIVE-AWAY!!
KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece might be over, but for YOU they are just beginning! Shannon Jones has generously offered ONE of my readers who resides in the U.S. the chance to win a copy of their own (an approximate $17 value)!! Entering is easy! Just enter on the Rafflecopter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway





Can't wait to see if you won? KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece is available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Net Galley and wherever books are sold!

In Full Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review/ give-away. I was sent a copy of KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece in exchange for my honest review.

A Most "Precious" Message About Plants That May Be Toxic To Cats

FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY: As we mentioned on Monday, we are in the midst of Pet Poison Prevention Week. Keeping with that theme, we would like to repeat a post that we did back on April 17, 2010, when we were brand spanking new to the world of blogging. 

This post is a TRUE STORY, and addresses how hazardous houseplants and flowers can be to our feline friends.

The "boy" mentioned in this post, (Zack Flewelling), is now a teenage, handsome young man.

 I had been contacted by Zack's Dad in April of 2010 asking me if I would share his "message", I was  happy to do that  then and am happy to do that now.

 I am sure when Zack sees this post repeated, he will be thankful that this special message from his cat "Precious" lives on.

Zack and "Precious"

It is hard enough to lose a pet when it passes of old age, it is another thing entirely to have your pet die suddenly at the still vital age of 7, which is how old Zack Flewelling's cat "Precious" was when she died suddenly just a few weeks ago.

Zack Flewelling, age 12, possesses a caring and sensitivity at his young age that many much older than he will ever attain.

Back track to approx. April 11th when Zack's Dad, Jerry was relaxing at home, while his wife (Jennifer), and kids ran to the store.  He noticed Precious meowing more than usual, not in a "feed me" kind of way, it was more like a "low growling". When Jerry went to scoop her up "she was like water, there was nothing to her, she was totally limp and very cold but aware."

They rushed her to the vet where they discovered that Precious was in renal failure. The vet also wanted to know if Precious had gotten into any rat poisoning or "was there anything else she could have ingested"?

When the doctor left the room Jennifer's eyes spotted a bulletin board with a sign that said "DANGER! Easter Lilies are toxic to cats and dogs" Her heart sunk. They had had an Easter Lily plant on their table for a week now which they had paid no mind because Precious ate the houseplants "all of the time". Jennifer called Jerry at home and had him photograph the Easter Lily with his cell phone. Sure enough, many leaves were gone and there were teeth marks in them, Precious had "eaten it, and a lot of it".

Photo Courtesy of the ASPCA

The Flewellings and the vet tried everything, but there was nothing that could save Precious, she passed early the following morning.

When I spoke to Zack who is devastated by the loss of his dear "Precious", there was no hint of anger, just a young man with a thoughtfulness and depth beyond his years. When I asked Zack what the message was that he wanted to relay about Precious, he said, "I want an article to be put in the paper to let people know that plants do not come with "warnings" like other dangerous things do", he continued, "there are many poisonous plants out there, Easter Lilies and tomato plants", just to name a few.

Zack is right, there are literally hundreds of plants that are poisonous to both cats and dogs, and on most lists these plants are not identified by a photo, which makes it that much harder to know which plants are safe and which are not.

Zack said that "his mission now is to spread the word to other cat owners (and dog owners as well) that plants should come with a warning", (as well they should, or they can be researched online or  at the library or bookstores, to find out if they are toxic to animals). Zack would "love to spare anyone else the pain" that he is experiencing after having lost his beloved cat, Precious,  by making them aware that toxic plants exist and to keep them away from cats and dogs.

Zack's cat may have been named "Precious" but Zack, with his unselfishness and caring for others, by wanting this message relayed for the safety of their pets, is quite "Precious" himself.

FOR A LIST OF TOXIC AND NON-TOXIC PLANTS FROM THE ASPCA CLICK HERE


****NOTE:if you suspect your animal may have ingested a poisonous plant or other poisonous item the symptoms can range from seizures and foaming at the mouth to vomiting and coma. DO NOT WAIT FOR SYMPTOMS TO APPEAR. Immediate medical attention is necessary.


THE ASPCA 24-HOUR EMERGENCY POISON HOTLINE IS 888-426-4435 (There is a $65 fee payable via credit card)

Sleeping Off St.Patrick's Day-Wordless Wednesday

May the luck of the Irish be with you!!

This post first appeared on March 17, 2013, due to Mom having kidney stone trouble on the weekend, we are repeating it this year! Happy St.Patrick's Day all! Love, Cody and Mom too!

Illustration sent to us
from our friend
GARY PATTERSON
click here to visit his site!!

If any of our friends are unfamiliar with St.Patrick's Day, you may read about it here

Separate Your Human Meds from your Pet Meds! Pet Poison Prevention Week March 15-21

Pet Poison Prevention Week is March 15-21st and throughout this week (and month), you will more than likely see a number of bloggers stressing the importance of knowing what items can be harmful to your pets.

Our friends at Cat Wisdom 101 did a marvelous post about cleaning products that can be hazardous to your cat, there is also a wonderful infographic  that recently appeared on Catster:

Infographic Courtesy of Catster

Today I want to share my own "real life" story about medicine that happened to me last year.

There are a few times during the year that Cody takes Prednisonol for his allergy flare-ups and I keep his meds in the kitchen cabinet. For a while, I used to keep my blood pressure medication in the same place.

Last year, at around 11pm I had gone to give Cody his pill, after I gave it to him I had a panic attack that was overwhelming, it suddenly hit me that I didn't know if I had accidentally given him one of MY blood pressure pills instead of HIS meds. The bottles were side-by-side, I had been distracted and was quite tired, and I couldn't remember which bottle I had grabbed.

I went into full blown panic mode. I called my vet screaming into the phone after 11pm that "I had poisoned Cody!!" Being the calm angel that he is, he immediately told me to call the ASPCA Pet Poison line 1-888-426-4435 (there is a $65 fee but it is worth EVERY PENNY!) They also have a Pet Poison phone app that you can download here.

When I called, the person on the other end was calm, she had me tell her exactly what I thought I had given to Cody, the name of the meds, dosage, etc., (if you ever have to call the Poison Hotline (and I pray you don't), here is the info you will need to have on hand:

• The species, breed, age, sex, weight and number of animals involved.
• The animal's symptoms.
• Information regarding the exposure, including the agent (if known), the amount of the agent involved and the time elapsed since the time of exposure.

Have the product container/packaging available for reference.

Please note: If your animal is having seizures, losing consciousness, is unconscious or is having difficulty breathing, telephone ahead and bring your pet immediately to your local veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic. If necessary, he or she may call the APCC.

 As it turned out, I had NOT given Cody the wrong pill by mistake and thankfully if I had, it would not have killed him. The woman I had spoken to on the Pet Poison Hotline  had said the most it would have done was make Cody  sleep more than usual, and she told me what other symptoms to watch out for.

I learned a valuable lesson. From that moment on, I moved MY meds into MY medicine cabinet where they belong, and Cody's meds are separate. I had forgotten I had the Pet Poison Hotline number on a magnet on the fridge, in my panic, my mind had gone blank.  I don't know what I would have done without that hotline number that awful night, it was an experience I pray I don't have to re-live again. Please keep the number  handy so you don't have to panic as I did!