Love me some SQUIRRELS!!

I LOVE CATS.  That being said there are a few other animals that I am somewhat obsessed with, and Squirrels would be on that list! In honor of today being Squirrel Appreciation Day I just had to show them a little love!! (No worries, there are cat photos here too!)

Saved to my Pinterest Board
Original from CafePress.com

I could watch squirrels for hours, scurrying here and there, striking hilarious poses, committing acts of thievery.  In my eyes squirrels are ingenious, always busy, always planning, but I often wonder, do they truly REMEMBER where they put their nuts when they bury them in the ground?

Pinned to my Pinterest Board
Original Pin came from cracked.com

As a child, I used to look at trees with "tree holes" and imagine that when the squirrels would go inside they would sit on the teeniest wooden chairs and eat their meals out of hollowed out acorns. Ok, I will confess, I STILL believe that!

Pinned to my Pinterest Board
Original Pin Came From 500px.com

My Angel Bobo had the luxury of living in a first floor apartment  that was situated next to the woods. His window had a window seat as well. Bobo used to spend HOURS in that window chittering at birds and crouching down low to "play attack" the squirrels. The squirrels seemed to relish  cavorting and teasing him knowing they were kept safe by a pane of glass. The photo below (and I apologize for the quality, but I had to take a photo of a photo hanging on the wall in order to share this with you), was taken at my first apartment in Michigan, when Bobo and I moved here together in 2001. That apartment was on the second floor but had the type of balcony where it was still convenient for Bobo to watch his beloved squirrels).

 Poor Cody doesn't have that luxury because while I am still in a second floor unit, I am in a different complex, and  this unit  doesn't lend itself well to "squirrel viewing." Instead, I have chosen to let a couple of MY squirrels infringe on Cody's space. Poor Cody, he isn't loving the intrusion at all.

At one point I was actively feeding the squirrels and got in trouble because what started as two quickly grew to over 10 eating at one time. A number of them took up residence in the "attic" or storage area above some units. They were freaking out a neighbor across the hall because they were running around late at night. Needless to say I was ordered to stop feeding the squirrels.

Oh to live in a cabin in the woods where I can feed them to my heart's content and sit, like a cat and watch them for hours!

Now, my squirrels can just hang out in Cody's cat tree when he isn't around.

I am pretty pleased with how this turned out. I am a fan of using gel pens much more than I enjoy using colored pencils, so that is what I used to color the squirrel. The only editing I used was a brightener to make it show up better on the blog. 

And now, I would like to leave you with a little "Squirrely Advice"

Pinned from my Pinterest Board
Original Pin found here

World Animal Day 2017

MISSION OF WORLD ANIMAL DAY 
"To raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe. Building the celebration of World Animal Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilizing it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals.  It's celebrated in different ways in every country, irrespective of nationality, religion, faith or political ideology.  Through increased awareness and education we can create a world where animals are always recognized as sentient beings and full regard is always paid to their welfare."



World Animal Day On Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/worldanimalday/ 

https://www.facebook.com/WorldAnimalDayInternational

https://twitter.com/worldanimalday 

Sometimes you have to take matters into your OWN Paws!

Hi all! The other day Mom and I were reading a blog that we follow:

Click here to visit the blog

and she asked for people to send in photos of their pets in honor of Pet Parent's Day. Now, if you look at the collage below, I am CERTAIN that there is at least ONE kitty who looks awfully familiar.

(The above photos were used by me

WITHOUT permission cause that's how I roll, 

from Animals Are Feeling Beings Too)

You DO see that familiar kitty, right?

Well, you may also want to look at the list of the peeps who sent in photos:

A Dog’s Life? (Stories of Me and Him)-Pet parent to Ray

Dakota’s Den-Pet parent to Dakota and Cody

Travels With Choppy-Pet parent to Choppy and Schooner

Jeanne Owens, Author-Pet parent to Cinnamon and Shadow

He Hath Said-Pet parent to Lucy

InkGirlWords-Pet parent to Laurie

Shepherding All God’s Creatures-Pet parent to Rosie


Ok, you saw the list, right? You DO see someone's blog  is missing, right? You don't? Well, a certain Sheltie and HIS blog were mentioned, me? Just my name.......and TO THINK THAT A CAT WROTE THAT POST TOO!!! And.....Dakota is NOT MY PARENT!!! Geeze..................

Well, I'll be.............

Sometimes ya just gotta take matters into your OWN PAWS............

"Nobody puts BABY CODY in the corner!!!"

One of my classic photos
from 2013

Do You Know an Aspiring Veterinarian? Help Them Enter This Vet Camp Scholarship Contest -Dr. Chris Carpenter DVM

Photo Courtesy of Vet Set Go

I was 11 years old when I told my mother that I wanted to become a veterinarian.   That doesn’t make me unique.   The majority of veterinarians practicing today made their career choice before they were 13 years of age.  Veterinary medicine is a calling that starts early in life.

The challenge is that it is hard to explore your dream at such an early age.  

You want animal experience but so few organizations will let you volunteer until you are older.   You also yearn to see what an animal doctor does but many hospitals have policies that only allow older teens to shadow the veterinarian.   In time, you discover that there are a lot of age barriers to exploring your dream of becoming a veterinarian.  That is why I created Vet Set Go.

Photo Courtesy of Vet Set Go

Vet Set Go  is the first and only community dedicated to teen and tween aspiring veterinarians.  Our goal is simple, ENCOURAGE today’s future veterinarians to explore their dream and show them HOW the can do it today.   We provide lots of ideas and one of my favorites is veterinary camps.  

Veterinary camps didn’t exist when I was a future veterinarian. 

They are amazing programs that a small number of veterinary schools in North America provide for younger students.  While they vary slightly from school to school, campers typically spend 5 days exploring veterinary medicine and getting hands on experience with animals.  In fact, campers often do things that I didn’t do until I was in veterinary school – like gowning and gloving for surgery.   They are truly a future vet’s heaven.

Photo Courtesy of Vet Set Go

That is why we are so excited to be offering three scholarships for future veterinarians to attend this summer’s Auburn University’s Junior VET Camp .  All aspiring veterinarians need to do is share their story and send us a photo   The contest runs through May 4^th, 2017.

Surveys have shown us that “veterinarian” is the number one career choice of tweens.  

So chances are good you know a future veterinarian or have one in your family.   Help them explore their dream today.  Share the Vet Set Go website and contest page  with the future veterinarian in your life.

"Do What's Right"...Martin Luther King Jr. Day

We Wish You A Happy #NationalPetProfessionalsWeek !!!

FROM AMERICAN PET PROFESSIONALS: "American Pet Professionals, (APP), launches the 2nd Annual ‘National Pet Professionals Week’ the week of July 5 – July 11, 2016. During this annual week APP is encouraging pet professionals to celebrate, promote and highlight their chosen profession within the industry by showing off, what else but their professionalism!

Well, I think we show our professionalism EVERY DAY, but today, we would like to acknowledge EVERYONE in the pet industry for all of their hard work and dedication in a variety of areas!! 
From bloggers, to brands, to groomers, to rescues, to those dedicated to a multitude of causes that protect and improve the lives of pets, to those who make us laugh, ponder, who touch our hearts, even the dreaded "V-E-T", raise your hands and PAWS IN PRIDE!!!

TO ALL WHO WORK WITH PETS

YOU MATTER!!

LET'S ALL TAKE A BOW!!!!

To see how YOU can celebrate, click here!

It's National Pet Day! Join #ASPCA150 Days of Rescue! World-Wide Give-Away!

On Sunday, April 10^th,  ASPCA celebrateD its 150^th anniversary, and in honor of this important milestone, they are launching 150 Days of Rescue, a nationwide action campaign that seeks to unite the country in making a difference in the lives of homeless and abused animals. Animal lovers are encouraged to visit ASPCA.org/150days and pledge their time between April 10 and September 7 to help animals in need, with the goal of reaching 150,000 actions for animals in 150 days. Ways to participate include volunteering at a local shelter, donating, fostering, adopting a shelter pet, etc. Animal lovers who log their good deed will also be given the opportunity to nominate their favorite animal shelter to receive a grant prize of $150,000! What better way to celebrate National Pet Day!! 


FROM PETDAY USA: "National Pet Day was founded in 2006 by Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert,Animal Welfare Advocate Colleen Paige, to celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives and to create public awareness about the plight of many different kinds of animals awaiting a forever home in shelters and rescues all around the globe."

If having a soul means being able to feel love, loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.
~James Herriot

Courtesy of PetDayUSA

WORLD-WIDE GIVE-AWAY!!! 

Our friends at the ASPCA

 are giving away this

 PAWESOME GIFT PACK
TO ONE LUCKY WINNER!!!!

ASPCA 150TH BEACH BALL

ASPCA 150TH FRISBEE

ASPCA 150TH TOTE BAG

ASPCA 150TH BEACH TOWEL

ASPCA 150TH LUGGAGE TAG

 World-Wide Give-away

 is open to EVERY ONE!!

  Ages 18+   Entering is easy-peasy, just enter on the Rafflecopter below! Good luck!!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

We Wish A Happy Birthday To......................

Thanks to Ann at Zoolatry
for the darling badge!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!!!

THANKS FOR BEING SUCH A GOOD FURIEND

TO US AND TO ALL OF THE ANIMALS!!

STOP ON BY AND 

WISH MARG A HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERE

World Animal Day from Big Cat Rescue

To learn more about World Animal Day click here

Winners of the Book: No Better Medicine by Kelly Meister-Yetter

Thank you to all who entered our give-away for:

HUGE CONCATULATIONS

TO OUR LUCKY WINNERS

AND...THERE IS A

SPECIAL SURPRISE

FOR ONE LUCKY READER!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The surprise is that I have decided to send MY COPY

of No Better Medicine to Marg from 

CLICK TO VISIT!!

Because if ANYONE deserves this book and will love this book it is Marg!  Marg has cared for cats, dogs, donkeys and loves ALL "critters" so much that I could no way NOT have her receive this book! (Her name was not chosen by Rafflecopter but I dearly want her to have this book).

Also, Emily has a blog too:

CLICK TO VISIT!

Book: No Better Medicine: How Caring for Critters Helped Heal The Wounds Of The Past by Kelly Meister-Yetter -Enter to Win!

It is my pleasure to present to you today another book by Kelly Meister (now Kelly Meister-Yetter): No Better Medicine: How Caring For Critters Helped Heal The Wounds Of The Past. 

The first time we featured Kelly was on February 18, 2013 when we reviewed her book, Crazy Critter Lady.   Kelly's journey of recovery continues in No Better Medicine and we the lucky readers are permitted to accompany her on this amazing, heartfelt and raw journey.

Author Kelly Meister-Yetter, spent years in therapy as a result of childhood sexual abuse. Her life, for many years, was spent in "darkness and chaos." Lesser people might have shattered to bits, never breaking free of the depression that ensued as a result of having endured such horrific experiences.

From The Crazy Critter Lady:

Animal lover Kelly Meister-Yetter returns with No Better Medicine, another volume of charming critter tales guaranteed to warm your heart. Join Kelly as she tries to avoid being thrown by her new equine buddy, Bit - a horse who is literally afraid of his own shadow - and learn what happens when a local do-gooder decides to rescue her rogue gang of flightless ducks off that city pond. 

The most haunted of houses is the human mind.

-Patrick McGrath

No Better Medicine is a compilation of what I would like to call stories or essays that make the reader feel as if they  they are reading pages from Kelly's private journal.They are soul-baring thoughts and experiences made public in a tasteful, honest and REAL voice. Kelly takes the reader on a journey through her life of recovery after enduring years of sexual abuse.

Key to Kelly's on-going recovery are the 4-legged creatures who "colored her world, put a smile on her face and brought her immeasurable joy."

THOSE CREATURES INCLUDE:

DUCKS:

Pretty Boy Duck and his fondness for George Harrison songs

The gang at McKinnon's Pone who spent years cheering whenever they say her coming.

CATS:

Miss Muffin and her clandestine ability to catch the odd mouse.

CRAYFISH:

Yes, Kelly even rescued a crayfish!

HORSES

Her buddy Ruckus who taught her so much about horsemanship.

Her newest pal Bit, who continues Kelly's equine education.

DONKEYS

Cranky donkey Cricket, who was loved by everyone, in spite of her many moods.

No Better Medicine is 266 pages that are written from the heart, and interspersed with quotes that are raw and stem from a place of pain deep within. Many of the stories will make you laugh, cheer and sometimes cry. 

From Kelly:If there is one thing I would have you take away from my story-apart from the universal message that ALL species of animals are deserving of our kindess, compassion, and consideration-it is this; that while the CONSERVATIVE estimate is that one in four girls will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday, and one in six boys, the current belief is that it's one in THREE girls, and one in FIVE boys. The average pedophile molests over 120 children before he's caught.

ON LOSING A BELOVED PET:

As I've observed before, it IS necessary to move forward, to form new relationships with other critters, to let yourself love again, even though you KNOW that one day, your heart will be broken by yet another critter death. These wonderful relationships are vital to the well-being of our souls, and quite possibly theirs, too. They're what make life worth living.

They are what help ALL of us recover,

just by their very existence.

To order your copy at Amazon.com, click here!

To order your copy at Barnes & Noble, click here! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kelly Meister-Yetter is a writer, photographer, blogger, and author of Crazy Critter Lady and No Better Medicine. She shares her life with three ducks, four cats and a barn full of ornery horses. Based on her years of experience rescuing animals in need, Kelly also acts as an advocate for their care and humane treatment, donating her time and resources to numerous animal welfare organizations. When she's not volunteering at a horse rescue facility, Kelly enjoys training her horse, and waiting on her cats hand and foot. Kelly, the critters, and her husband live in Northwest, Ohio. You can find Kelly at www.crazycritterlady.com

GIVE-AWAY!!

Kelly has generously offered TWO of our readers (U.S. AND CANADA), the chance to win a copy of No Better Medicine. Entering is easy! Just enter on the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In Full Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review/give-away. I was sent a copy of No Better Medicine in exchange for my honest review.

Happy Birthday to a Special "Furiend!!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARG!!
WE LOVE YOU!!!!!

THANKS FOR BEING SUCH A GOOD FURIEND

TO US AND TO ALL OF THE ANIMALS!!

STOP ON BY AND 

WISH MARG A HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERE

Friday the 13th Film Flub:The Today Show helping to perpetuate the myth that black cats are bad luck?

Hi Guys and Happy Friday The 13th!

I wasn't going to blog at all today, because I am not feeling well, (bladder infection I think), but I have been unable to shake what I can't believe  I saw on The Today Show this morning.

First, allow me to say I LOVE The Today Show, (or did, until today). I watch it every morning and have beed a loyal viewer for well over twenty years.

This morning they featured an animal wildlife expert, Corbin Maxey, on their "Call of the Wild" segment who was sharing  with hosts Willie Geist and Tamron Hall  animals for Friday The 13th which supposedly bring either "good" or "bad" luck.

The part that upset me is near the end of the video when a black cat was brought out (the last animal to be brought out). Maxey  did mention that it is a "myth" that the ravens who were featured just BEFORE the black cat was brought out were bad luck, but when discussing the black cat and mentioning that it is supposedly bad luck when they cross your path,  he never stressed the fact that people should NOT believe the myth, and that the myth needs to end for the SAFETY of black cats everywhere.

To make matters worse, Tamron Hall visibly flinches when the cat is brought out, and mentions her "fear of cats", until she discovered that it was a domestic house cat.

Am I being overly sensitive to the plight of black cats?

Watch the video yourself and tell me:

1) Does it bother you the way it bothered me?
2) Or....do you think they merely ran out of time and never got around to saying that black cats are just as lovable as cats of EVERY color and do NOT bring bad luck.

I am disappointed and surprised that The Today Show would help to perpetuate that myth, especially as involved as they are with animal rescue segments.

Wish they would make sure to mention on a later show that black cats are indeed NOT unlucky. Statistics show that black cats are less likely to be adopted and are often abused. Hope the Today Show does a special segment about black cats on Black Cat Appreciation Day.

If the video is not displaying on the blog, click here to watch

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

;

Children's Book:There's an Owl in the Closet, by Donna I. Douglas Walchle, Enter to Win!

Yep, you read that title correctly. It says, There's An Owl in the Closet.

On a CAT BLOG?

As those of you who are regular visitors to this blog know, I review A LOT of books, not only here, but also on Dakota's blog.  I don't solicit 99.9% of them, I am happy that publishers/authors enjoy most of my reviews, which causes a bounty of books to be sent my way.

Since this is obviously a cat blog, I try to keep the books CAT oriented (pretty clever, eh?) Every now and then one a book that doesn't feature or focus on cats, will sneak in, as was the case with There's an Owl in the Closet,
. 
Why make an exception to the ONLY CATS rule and feature a book that has an OWL in the title?

Because, while not only being engaging and fun, with life-like, beautiful illustrations created by Jose Daniel Oviedo Galeano, There's an Owl in the Closet  sends  a strong, positive message about animal adoption. Not just for cats and dogs, but for ALL animals AND humans!

From the Publisher: In There's an Owl in the Closet, adopted siblings Davey and Lily love to play together, care for animals and sing songs. When Davey has hit his parents' limit for adopting pets, he hides an injured baby owl in his closet. Lily wonders what it would be like if Davey found something a little more exotic, like a lion or a dolphin.

From (http://donnadhere.com/): Davey loves animals and brings home any that are hurt, lost or homeless.  His family is very grateful that there are no elephants or buffalo roaming the neighborhood! But what if there were? What if they opened the bathroom door and there was a dolphin in the bathtub? Or went out the back door and there was a giraffe by the back fence or a hippo in the big pool?

(There’s much more!) That’s what There’s an Owl in the Closet is all about! 

What will Davey bring home next?

"The book opens the door to conversations about kindness, child and pet adoption, serving those in need, multiculturalism, and, of course, the joy of having pets." Author Donna Douglas Walchle says.

One of a number of things that I love about There's an Owl in the Closet is that it is a SING-ALONG book! When I was a child, I was always making up little ditties to sing, and this book has a song about various animals, with catchy, easy-to-remember rhymes. Little ones will love them!


Donna Douglas Walchle "was inspired to write this story by her newfound joy as "Grammy" to seven grandchildren, who she inherited when she recently married their grandfather. The children joined in the project as the voices on the sing-along song included with the book."




ISBN:978-1-4908-0932-8
Available in softcover and e-book

FREE DOWNLOADABLE SING-ALONG SONG at

  www.donnadhere.com

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Westbow Press and Family Christian Bookstores.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Donna Douglas Walchle is a multi-platinum award-winning songwriter and producer with more than 200 recorded singles to her credit.  TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HER CLICK HERE

From Donna Douglas Walchle: When I told my five youngest grandchildren the story and sang them the sing-along song, they giggled and jumped up and down, begging me to tell the story again. Now we can bring There's an Owl in the Closet to the rest of the kids on the planet and all of the joy, laughter, and fun that comes along with it!



GIVE-AWAY!!
Donna has generously offered to give away a copy of There's an Owl in the Closet to SIX LUCKY READERS WHO RESIDE IN THE U.S.A. PLEASE ENTER ON THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW AND THERE IS ONLY ONE MANDATORY REQUIREMENT! That's it!
 GOOD LUCK!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway