Curlz and Swirlz...

Caturday Saturday & National Squirrel Appreciation Day & We Gots an Awardie, too!

2012-01-21T10:33:00.007-05:00

We appurrciate Squirrels every day, but some human designated January 21st as National Squirrel Appreciation Day!

So to recognize how much we like Squirrels, here's a few pix of Squirrels who we have admired from afar, hahameow!

And we are happurry to announce that one of our 'baddest' cat friends gave us an Award last week! We got the LIEF award from Nellie, The Cat from Hell (we don't think she is as bad as the name of her blog leads one to believe!)

Lief means Sweet in Dutch and Nellie says we are sweet and she loves visiting our blog! We is sweet, most of the time...Ask Teri, and she will say we sure add sweetness to her life!

In accepting this ~~tasty~~ Sweet Award, we are supposed to pass this award on to three blogs that we find Sweetie's, too! We thought and thought and it was hard to narrow the choices to only three...but here's our picks!

The Poupounette

CATachresis

Miss Peach's Cozy Cottage

We hope that if you don't already know these sweet kitties, that you will visit their blogs and we think you will think they are just as sweet as we do!

Oh, and don't forget to Blog Hop today and share the love!

The Pet Bloggers Pet Blog Hop is co-hosted by Two Little Cavaliers, Life with Dogs, and Confessions of the Plume. Blog Hops help us meet other pet bloggers and are the best way to easily connect with blogs you might have never found otherwise! We used to find new blogs by visiting commenters or checking out others blogrolls, but that was not as 'efficient' as Hopping!

Of course, there are rules to follow...you can read all about the rules Baby Patches blog, since she's one of the hosts of the Saturday Blog Hop.

Fashion Friday & a Coco Update!

2012-01-20T21:06:00.002-05:00

We missed posting last 'Fashion Friday' and boy, did people notice! We had furrends emailing us asking if Coco was doing ok cuz they thought maybe things weren't so good since we missed our weekly post!

Coco is recovering from her Patellar Luxation surgery fantastically! While she has a little 'cabin fever', she continues to be a good patient and enduring her confinement without a hiss or a swat!

She got her stitches out last Tuesday and her incision looks great. Once her fur grows in, you won't even be able to see her scar... she is happurry about that as she wouldn't want that to cramp her fashion style!

Her next appointment with the surgeon will be on February 3rd, and ~~she's~~ Teri's already picking out an outfit for Coco to wear. One of the staff at VOMC said maybe she should wear something with a Valentine's Day look to it.

So Teri dug through the ~~cat's closet~~ Rough Tote storage box and picked out this cute frock! What do you think? Pink, Hearts and Ruffles! Purrfect!

As you can see, these photos are taken in the bathroom cuz Coco isn't supposed to be walking around except in the tent, so Teri had to make sure she didn't run off during the photo session!

Coco was kinda walkin' funny in her frock, so here's a lil' 'nekkid' video to show you how well she is using her left hind leg since her surgery on 1-3-12...

Not-So-Wordless Wednesday--Late Edition...

2012-01-18T23:09:00.008-05:00

We stayed off the computer today from 8am - 8pm in support of No SOPA! Well, it really wasn't that hard cuz Teri was at work and the MacBook was turned off, hahameow! And we were nappin, of course!

So here it is 10pm and before we followed Teri up to 'her' bed, we wanted to tell you that she is going to be on BlogTalk Radio tomorrow!

Yep, last week Teri was letting us visit a few furrends and we read on The Conscious Cat that anyone could have a reading from an Animal Communicator, Dr Monica Diedrich.

Dr Diedrich is going to be on Sandy Robins radio show, Pawsitively Pets, and people were been invited to call in and as questions about their pets, living or dearly departed.

Sandy Robins is a pet lifestyle expert, a contributor at MSNBC.com and TodayShow.com, author, and columnist on several pet-centric websites and magazines. We had never listened to her show before, but you can be sure we will have to tune in tomorrow and watch for future shows that interest us!

Dr. Monica Dietrich has been featured on many radio and television shows connecting animals and their humans, through these psychic interactions. We had not heard of her before, but she has written many books and Teri said she will have to visit her website and learn more about her, too!

Maybe that Doctor Lady will be able to tell Teri how to understand us better and that would help us get more lap time, more treats and more laser light shows...do ya think?

Teri is intrigued, especially after being at BlogPaws and talking with some attendees who had sessions with Sonya Fitzpatrick and came away with knowledge about their pets that they didn't know how to 'see' before.

She knows since our Dad died, that her heart has kinda been closed up and she'd like to know how to help us help her...we know we do!

Sandy asked what questions she would like Dr Diedrich to address to us. Teri said she would like to know what her 'heart cat' Bo would say about his life with her and what he advice he would give her about us...how to keep us happy and then we can keep her happy, too.

Teri said she would truly love to be able to be at home, sitting on her bed where she kissed Bo goodbye, but she will be at work, so she can't do that. So she will bring a photo of him, his urn and his favorite bed to work with her and try to find a quiet place where she can focus on him.

We've only listened to a couple of talk shows on BlogTalk Radio, from Pets Teach Us So Much and we wish we had more time to tune in to shows like that!

But, if any of our followers want to check out Sandy Robin's show tomorrow, Dr Diedrich will be doing live interviews between 1 - 2pm EST. Here's the link to get there:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pawspets

Mancat Monday--Disco's Diet

2012-01-16T00:01:00.001-05:00

You might have noticed we skipped, missed, ran out of time...to do a Disco Diet post last Monday. It really isn't because we are embarrassed that well, the diet is heading in the ummm, wrong direction...

Here's the weigh-in photo from last week... 15# 6 ounces

and the weigh-in for today... 15# 9 ounces

Teri is trying to be positive and stick with this new food, Young Again, and follow the company's recommendations and feed it free choice. For the first month she fed it, she was actually giving Disco some Hill's t/d as a treat (5-10 kibbles a day) and letting him have a kibble or two of TomTom's food but she stopped doing that about 2 weeks ago and had hoped for some ounces to drop...Sigh.

This is what it says on Young Again's website about Obesity in cats and feeding their 50/22 food:

The beauty of Young Again Cat Food is that you can offer your feline this pelleted food in a bowl and just leave it out for her to eat free choice. Within two weeks of consuming Young Again, your cat will naturally adjust the amount of food that she needs to fuel her metabolism. Since proteins are digested more slowly, she won't be hungry all the time, as she would if she was consuming a carbohydrate-laden diet. So, she will gradually adjust the volume of Young Again that she wants and needs to approximately one tablespoon per day for every 5 pounds of healthy body weight. An eight pound bag of Young Again Cat Food will last the average 8 pound cat about 100-120 days depending on activity level and weather you supply treats. Of course, provide her with fresh, clean water at all times.

On Young Again Cat Food, your cat will begin losing excess body fat, and will in turn, begin developing better muscling..., as well as a softer, more kitten-like coat. She will have more energy and this will also help her lose excess body fat. Cats that were couch-potatoes will begin playing, exploring and even jumping and climbing! Shy cats may become more outgoing and friendly. And an added benefit will be found in the kitty-litter box, with smaller, more compact fecal components, due to the high-digestibility of the food. Young Again guarantees these results in as little as 8 weeks.

Disco does look more slender in the second photo, but it's just his positioning we think...cuz he's the outtake photo taken at the same time...

At his heaviest, Disco weighed 16# and Teri doesn't want him to get there again...so she will stick with this for a couple more weeks and make a decision then. Young Again does make a zero carb food and she may try that...but right now, she's kinda frustrated.

Disco does seem happy and content and not begging for food like he was when she was feeding him the other kibble as a treat, and that's good...but she keeps remembering that Disco weighed 11# at his 'show' weight and she would really like him to get down to 12# to consider his 'diet' a success!

And just for the ladycats out there who purr every time they see Disco...Here's a smoochable photo!

Blog the Change for Animals 1/15/12

2012-01-15T21:55:00.008-05:00

While it is easy to become overwhelmed at the sheer number of animals in need out there...don't let that stall you with indecision and hesitation. Just remember theses words...

'Saving one animal may not change the world, but for that one animal the world will change forever'.

Teri knows in her job as a vet tech, that she helps kitties every day...

But then she forgets to do the easy task of clicking on Free Kibble and The Animal Rescue sites every day, and that is something so simple, free and easy to do...

She donates a few green papers to organizations that help animals, but then doesn't write letters to elected officials when an animal related cause needs help...

And she had hoped to be ready to be a foster home for Cornish Rex Rescue by now, too...and because we aren't sure if we can stay in our house without finding a room mate to help with expenses...that is on hold right now, too.

And our followers heard us tell about Cinnabar and Clement, how we are trying to make a difference in their lives, too. After all, Teri brought them into this world and they are her offspring as much as they are the momcats, as far as her love and connection for them.

You will be happy to know that Cinnabar went off to his new home yesterday, with a young man who knows and loves Cornish Rex, as his sister has one. He knew all the right questions to ask and had a lot of knowledge about the special care that they need. Cinni will be an only cat and will get lots of one-on-one attention. And Cinnibar had perfect litter box habits for the 2 weeks he was in foster care, so we hope he will continue to be a happy and well-adjusted kitty in his hew furever home!

And Clement...well, he has been here with us for a week now and is doing great, too! He seems calm and relaxed and not stressed by being isolated or caged. He is being neat and tidy, too (oh, except at first he knocked over the food bowls and paddled around in the water bowl til Teri put heavier ones in with him).

He is using the litter box 100%, too and had a 'spa day' yesterday and was good about that (other than yelling his head off--he was easy to bathe and clean ears and toes on). So we are thinking of those words and 'helping one animal' and are so grateful that we can help Clement and that Purebred Specialty Cat Rescue could help us with Cinnabar, too!

If you can't foster or rescue, there are things that you can do that will help 'widen the net' of people out there, not just dedicated pet bloggers and advocates, but that friend or relative you send a birthday card to, or a Christmas card or even... a Mother's Day card.

Did you know Alley Cat Allies has e-cards for most of the holidays and for as little as a $5 donation, you can send an e-card that will spread love AND education about feral cats, TNR. Here's a couple of links to their e-cards and their very informative and educational website:

Become an Ally / Spread the Word / Send an eCard

Share an eCard Hug with Your Mom this Mother's Day!

So, on this first Blog the Change Day of 2012, we are glad to be helping make a difference...even a little one.

Wordless Whisker Hump Wednesday

2012-01-11T00:01:00.004-05:00

Gotta catch those winter rays when you can! This is Helix, who is one of our extended family and he lives in Washington state, who is tanning his 'humps', hahameow!

Oh, and some more gratuitous Whisker Humps...for you know who! Smooches ♥

Sleepy, Snuggly Sunday...

2012-01-08T18:13:00.048-05:00

Our followers might remember us talking about 2 kitties that are part of our extended families, that were having to be rehomed because of litter box issues, Cinnabar and Clement. We thought you would like to have an update!

Specialty Purebred Cat Rescue picked Cinnabar up on Friday December 30th and the foster mom wrote us and said the house was very clean and odor free. They had a gate in between the kitchen/dining area and another room that allowed Cinnabar to go about freely but kept the dog confined to one area. She didn't see a litter box but she was only in one area of the house.

She said Cinnabar is very handsome and extremely social. Once here he was immediately on her lap and then right up onto her shoulders, purring away. He allowed her to immediately clean his ears and cut his nails. He nibbled at a little food as well.

She took him into their vet on Monday and he got a full exam and a dental prophy and she reported his dental was easy and no extractions. They spent some extra time scrubbing up his canines which were literally black and they look much better. Most of his incisors and 2 premolars are missing. Pocket depth is fabulous--almost all zeros, just one 1, and a couple 1/2s.

Dr. Diane rated his heart murmur a 3. I know that is subjective. She saw no need to consider meds for him.The techs scrubbed up his feet and nails while he was under and his nails are now nice and white too. The FELV/FIV/HTW test was negative.

And on Friday, Cinnabar's foster mom wrote us with the report that Cinni seems to be doing fine. He's quite confident and has just a bit of a 'tude at times. Like momma! You're not petting me enough. NIP. He's been on a bit of a hunger strike the last day or so but otherwise seems fine. She said it's funny to come into his room and find this big lump under all of the bedding. She said she knows better than to try and tidy things up. He prefers otherwise. So far he has been good with his litterbox too.

So, we are furry happy that Cinni is in good hands and being taken care of so diligently by this rescue group! If any of our readers would like to make a donation to a good organization, Teri thinks they certainly would be worthy of support!

And we didn't tell you much about Clement, but he is coming home to us today, so Teri is getting his 'rehab room' ready for him (in between helping us blog). Clem lived in Philadelphia with a young couple who have another girl kitty from us.

He began having 'out-of-litter box' issues when they moved and there are many feral cats that pass by their basement through a 'breezeway' that connects the row houses somehow. That is where he is having problems, and most often when it rains and the odors are stronger and the ferals poop right under the dryer vent!

He also has had periodic problems with his rectum prolapsing slightly and that may have started up some of his pooping outside the box issues, as cats associate pain on urination or defecation with the litter box and often eliminate out of the box in the mistaken thought that it won't hurt there.

His owners wrote Teri a 7 page history, both medical and behavioral, on Clem's life, so Teri could best try to help him and also, if he passes rehab, to be able to find just the right home for him. It meant a lot that Clem's owners took the time and effort to write everything down, as she knows it must have been sad and difficult to do for them.

Teri is very hopeful that she can help him and is grateful that she has the experience and knowledge to do so, as are his owners...we will keep everyone updated on how he is doing here, maybe on Tabby Tuesday, as Clem is a handsome brown tabby!

Here's a couple of photos of him at our house, in the guest bedroom in his 'rehab' cage. His owners brought his bed with him, so that is familiar for him and it's on a heating pad, so that's extra snuggly.

The only snafu was that somehow Disco got the bedroom door open when when we heard hissing, we all ran upstairs to see 'Tub o' Lard' sitting on top of Clem's cage...poor Clem!! Teri locks that door now and is glad that didn't happen tomorrow, while she was gone to work!

Caturday Saturday

2012-01-07T12:31:00.001-05:00

It's Saturday Blog Hop day, and we thought our Friday post was newsy, so we used that one...

Pet Bloggers Blog Hop is hosted by Two Little Cavaliers, Life with Dogs, and Confessions of the Plume! Here’s how you can join the Pet Bloggers Blog Hop:

Link up your blog name and URL using the Linky Tool at the end of this post. You only need to add you link once to be seen on all the Pet Blogger Blog Hop Linky Tools for that week.

Copy the Pet Bloggers Blog Hop button that Life with Dogs made and include it in your Saturday Pet Bloggers Hop post so that your readers will know what is going on.

Follow your co-hosts listed in the first 3 slots of the Linky Tool and comment on their blogs to say hello!

Try to visit and follow at least 3 other blogs on the 'Hop'.

Leave a comment on the blogs letting them know you came by from the Saturday Pet Bloggers Blog Hop

And follow any new followers you like when you get one through the Saturday Pet Bloggers Blog Hop.

Disco and Brighton got to go out strolling yesterday as the weather is unseasonably warm! They were wearing their new Martha Stewart Fleece Pullovers that Teri got at PetSmart...40% off sale on coats...better than Burlington Coat Factory, hahameow!

Disco's looked like it would fit a Pug...see the resemblance, hahameow!

Teri is going out walking today by herself she said, so she can use her arm weights, but we think pushing 22# of cats is a workout, so we hope we get to go out again! It's supposed to be 63 degrees here today! That's ok...we B burrowin'

Teri put off a lots of things over the holidays so she could write Christmas cards and decorate the house, so she has lots to catch up with the next few weeks--finishing her will, getting our Cafe Press (or Zazzle, or both till she sees which does better) shop up and running, starting to do cat sitting-making up flyers, maybe doing a new blog just for that, and hoping that she won't have to get a room mate to help us be able to afford to stay in our house!

And a little Coco update...doing great but still no poop! Her bandage was starting to peel off and bothering her, so Teri took it off and her incision looks fine, no bruising or swelling, but she cold packed it this morning anyway.

And now the bandage is off, Coco is actually bearing some weight on that leg and placing the paw down all the way...maybe the bandage was pinching her and felt funny?

Fashion Friday...

2012-01-06T19:09:00.031-05:00

For the next 8 weeks or so, Fashion Fridays will be dedicated to Coco, the ladycat fashionista of Curlz and Swirlz...who is also recuperating from Patellar Luxation surgery.

And as ladies all know, it's hard to look your best from a 'hospital bed'...but Coco will show you how to put one's best paw forward and work the camera, hahameow!

Here she is on Wednesday, resting at cat hospital where Teri works, with a cute pink Good 'n Plenty bed with a Snuggle Safe inside...a little bleary eyed from the pain meds, but comfortable, even in the Cone.

Coco is being a great patient...calm (the pain meds help that) and eating (a tasty buffet of whatever might tempt her) and resting comfortably in her 'private room aka kitten tent'.

Teri emailed Dr Lotsikas a progress report yesterday and he was pleased! Here's a couple of pix Teri took in the VOSM lobby, waiting for Coco to be released on Wednesday...Cute, huh?!

Teri told Dr L 'Coco is doing great! I think the roughest part is when she is in her carrier with the 'cone of shame' bonking up against the sides and door of the carrier, lol.

I am not sure if your technician Nicole told you, but at home she is confined to a 'Siberian Husky' sized tent/crate that she is very comfortable and used to as it was the 'birthing tent' when she had kittens. That certainly makes it easier on both her and I, and the tent is in my bedroom, so it's both quiet and the perfect size, with enough room for heated bed, shallow litter pan and food/water.

She let me sit with her for 10 minutes last night and today at noon with cold compress (plastic 'ice cubes in a ziploc bag wrapped in a wash cloth) for 10 minutes each time, and so far there is no visible swelling at all. The Bup is keeping her quiet and that's good.

She is at work with me today and then I am off work for 3 days, so she will be in her tent, with her cone, with time out on my lap and without the cone while I am right there with her. She is eating canned food well and has had 2 urinations but no BM yet, so I will watch for that by tomorrow and will let you know if she goes or not. She may be reluctant to squat to have a BM but she was fine with her first, long...urination. I know the pain meds can affect gut movement, so I will be sure to let you know if she hasn't gone by tomorrow.

Thanks again for everything and I will see you in a month (we'll remove the sutures where I work if all looks A-OK) and I will be writing a blog post about her every Friday during her recuperation and rehab.

Today, there was a little swelling below the incision but it went down after Teri iced it for 10 minutes and Coco is even laying on the left side now, so she feels comfortable enough to do that and that's good. She is toe-touching and using the leg when she gets up and rearranges herself, too.

Tomorrow, Teri will reduce her pain meds to every 12 hours instead of every 8 hours. Coco has probably eaten about 6 ounces of canned food since she got home, so her appetite isn't back to normal yet, but Teri said Coco needs to poop tomorrow...reducing the pain meds will help in that department she hopes.

And here's the Fashion part of this Friday post...Coco in a stunning pink 'bed jacket' just like the movie stars of the 40's wore...Teri said she'd have flowers in her 'room' but she'd eat them...so send purrs in lieu of flowers, hahameow!

Wordless Wednesday--Cat Plays Fruit Ninja on iPad

2012-01-04T00:01:00.002-05:00

Coco Update!

2012-01-03T19:59:00.009-05:00

Coco Update: Doing Great after her surgery for Patellar Luxation, has been getting lots of TLC as the staff love her, and she will be ready to come home tomorrow.

Teri cannot say enough wonderful things about the Veterinary Orthopedic Sports Medicine Center ...from the first phone call to the way the staff handled Coco, to the surgeon calling her to update her after the surgery.

She did not have any torn ligaments, and why at 6 years old would she start having problems with a Grade II-III patellar luxation that she has had since birth...who knows. Teri asked the surgeon, Dr Lotsikas (he's cute, too!) if it might have anything to do with Coco being spayed and having less 'muscle tone' than she had before. He told her studies have been done in dogs that don't prove that out, but one never knows...

They did a trochlear block recession; a tibial tuberosity transposition (and she does have pins in, which will stay in place unless they migrate or cause her other problems) and a medial joint capsulectomy. If you'd like to learn more about that, here's a great link! (Warning: Surgery photos might make some squeamish...)

Repairing Patellar Luxation

Fortunately for her, she loves the 'kitten tent with a heated bed' cuz that is where she will be recuperating for the next 8 weeks or so (oh, and she will be at work with Teri during the day for cage rest and attention til she wears out her welcome...).

She will follow their instructions to the letter to help ensure that Coco has a successful recovery and can get back to 'full activity' soon!

We'll keep her bed warm for her while she's away during the day, hahameow!

Mancat Monday--Disco's Diet

2012-01-02T00:01:00.002-05:00

Yes...the numbers don't lie...15# 3 oz!

And you might think that Teri shaved all the furs off Disco's back to get him to lose a few ounces...but no, that's just how his mutant furs grow (and you all know, Teri does shave him from time to time in hopes one day his furs will not grow back in strange tufts and hummocks, hahameow!)

So, we are trying something new with Disco's diet for the next month...we ALL get free choice Young Again kibble in our bowls...we never see the bottom of the bowl...

Does that seem like a diet? Well, not really but we are trusting Michael, the founder of Young Again advice to lay off the Hill's t/d kibble treats and the few morsels of TomTom's dry food that Teri tosses us when she puts out food for him outside, and at least for the next month, no other food except for Young Again.

Even though Disco was used to eating it for the past 5 weeks, once he could eat it whenever he wanted instead of tablespoons of it doled out 4 times a day....he ummm, got a little diaper rash cuz he got the 'squirts'. But Teri put him on a gut antibiotic for a few days and he is back to normal now. Funny, but the other kitties had no problems at all with the food transition.

Young Again 50/22 kibble has a nutrient profile that Teri likes., 50% protein (from animal sources not plant proteins--she doesn't think we need blueberries, carrots and apples, hahameow!), a balanced fat level of 22% and less than 5% carbs.

Here is a good article from Young Again's website talking about obesity in cats...we're not naming names here...just sayin'

OBESITY IN CATS

Well, as they say...What have we got to lose, right ?! We could all tone up a bit. Even Coco has put on over a pound since she was spayed in May and Sammy's put on 2# since he was neutered in March... and TomTom...well, he just might need his 'blubber' this winter, so he's chowing down on our non-low carb kibble so it's not going to waste, hahameow!

We have a Winner!

2012-01-01T22:12:00.002-05:00

Back on December 23rd, kinda hidden away on our Fashion Friday 'n More post, we told you about our Give Away the would be sure to warm hearts and spread good cheer, hahameow! And also, let people know about the Found Animals Foundation by way of their 6 Packs 9 Lives Calendar!

We only got 9 comments on that post (we realize now that we woulda gotten more had we put a photo of the calendar up, don't ya think?)

But, without further ado...we let RANDOM.ORG 'roll the dice for us' and the winner is...

Karen Jo of Herman's Hideaway!

Simply Sunday Evening...Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-01T21:28:00.002-05:00

Oh, this holiday has Teri all messed up with what day it is! Us, we only think one day at a time so it's all the same to us. In fact...that makes for a good New Years Resolution...

Cats think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's...May all your days in 2012 be filled with purrs and not hisses!

Happy Mew Year's Rockin' Eve!

2011-12-31T16:41:00.004-05:00

Fashion Friday--Mz Claws!

2011-12-30T00:01:00.131-05:00

Coco, who was the center of attention when she visited the orthopedic vet a few weeks ago...everyone was snapping pictures of her, and this is one shot that one of the staff took and emailed to us!

Coco is having her surgery for her luxating kneecap on her left hind leg on Tuesday January 3rd at VOSM, so keep her in your purrayers on Tuesday for an 'uneventful' surgery and recovery.

You might remember us talking about her injury a few weeks ago on our blog...back in July she fell off the top of a storage cabinet and has been limping on and off since then. The vet Teri works for Xrayed Coco and nothing was broken but her kneecap wasn't stable and the vet suspected she had strained or torn some ligaments holding the knee in place.

Most of the time, patellar luxations are medial, meaning the kneecap slips to the inside. If you've ever seen a little dog 'skipping' along with one or both hind legs, it probably is suffering from luxating patellas, too.

Coco's knee slips to the outside, which leads the vets to think maybe the ligaments that kept it in place are damaged.

So, they tried some anti-inflammatories and nutraceuticals (Cosequin-Glucosamine Chondroitin) and it brought the swelling down, but not the lameness. It hurt Teri to see Coco carrying her leg and didn't want to wait so long that the muscles started to atrophy...so she took Coco to see an orthopedic specialist.

Although til the vet gets inside to take a real look around, we don't know for sure, but he thinks she may have torn the outside ligaments supporting the knee and if surgery isn't done, then the inside ligaments will be under more strain and could tear, too.

She does have a Grade II/IV lateral patellar luxation on that leg, and a mild Grade I on the right leg, but it had never given her any problems before she injured it. The vet said they may have to deepen the groove the kneecap rests in, but again, won't know until he can examine the structure. If you want to learn more about the problem

Patellar Luxation

and surgery, here's a link (warning--photos of surgical procedure):

Patellar Luxation Surgery

As Cornish Rex are so active and athletic, it would be sad to have to confine Coco and restrict her activity just to avoid this very expensive surgery. While there will be about 8 weeks of confinement for Coco while she is recovering, Teri said she will follow the vet's instructions to help ensure a successful outcome.

Teri did qualify for CareCredit, so she will be able to pay off Coco's bill over 6 months with no interest, and more good news, the health insurance Teri gets through work changed to a different company in November and they will reimburse her for her therapy visits without having to meet a deductible and instead of getting $50 back, she will get $150 back, so that extra money will help with Coco's surgery expense, too!

Coco will go to work with Teri every day and then stay in the 'kitten tent' at home. The vet will instruct Teri on how to do 'physical therapy' at home and Coco will go back for progress exams and xrays at 4 and 8 weeks post surgery.

And unlike a kitty with long furs, Coco's leg already looks like a drumstick so she may even be able to continue her Fashion Friday photo shoots, hahameow! And we will keep you updated on Coco's recovery right here on our blog!

Disco's Birthday!

2011-12-29T00:01:00.062-05:00

MeWowZa! Disco is 7 today! They say 7 is a very lucky number and we know we are lucky to have Disco to love, sniff and snooze with!

Disco didn't come into our life until he was about 7 months old, but we do have some kitten pix of him that his breeder sent us...here they are!

And once he joined our family, he had fun traveling and being a show cat!

Here's Teri and Mike at a 'Kitty Love In' cat show with Disco!

Those 2 hippies in their wedding garb, hahameow!

and here's Disco and Teri in NYC at Cat-Minster!

And Disco, just being himself, at home...

Ps: the following pix are umm, before Disco got 'Portly'...hahameow!

And a birthday song that will get you dancin', too!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-28T00:01:00.004-05:00

Just sharing a few photos we got over the holidays from some of our extended family!

Billy (in Missouri)

Jacob (in Virginia)

Sadie (in Connecticut)

Dolly (in California)

Toesies Tuesday!

2011-12-27T21:34:00.001-05:00

Teri says she also sticks her toes out from under the covers when she gets too warm, hahameow!

This is Brinkley, who lives with his 'brother' Percy in Beverly Hills!

Mancat Monday--Disco's Diet 'n More!

2011-12-26T15:33:00.016-05:00

Ummm. we almost skipped posting about Disco's diet today cuz, well, ummm...Disco put on few ounces during the Holiday...

But both Disco (and Teri) will get back on track this week and hope to have better results to report by next Monday! Despite the lovely crisp, sunny weather...no strollering or walking was done by either Disco or Teri.

Teri did finally finish up her card writing and hanging the rest of the ornaments on our little tree yesterday morning, while we snuggled on our Christmas pillow or inside the Blankie Bag Teri made for us!

Teri gave us our Christmas breakfast (shrimps and chicken sticks) but we turned our noses up at that, which surprised her...she said she thinks she'll stick with baby food next Xmas, or maybe Crab Cakes, hahameow! She didn't let us have any of the Greenies Treats though...maybe we were holding out for them!!

Teri spent the evening with friends on Christmas Day and here's a few pix of the gathering...everyone was full of good cheer and food!

And not to leave out our other chubby mancat, here's some photos of TomTom enjoying his Man Cave!

Merry (Meowee) Christmas (Kittymas)

2011-12-25T00:01:00.008-05:00

And our 2011 Christmas video...hahameow!

MAY ALL OUR CAT BLOGOSPHERING FURRIENDS, AND THEIR HUMANS, HAVE A CHRISTMAS FILLED WITH LOTS TO PURR ABOUT!

WARM FELINES FROM DISCO, BRIGHTON, COCO AND SAMMY, AND FROM TERI, TOO

Caturday Saturday, Christmas Eve Edition...

2011-12-24T09:46:00.015-05:00

Well, all this preparation for Christmas...and it's almost here! Teri still has a dozen cards to send out (guess they will be New Years Cards, hahameow) but for the first time since our Daddy died, she really wanted to get back into the spirit of friendship and keeping in touch.

She is going to spend Christmas Day with friends who have a kitty from us! Her name is Candi (with an i, hahameow) and boy, is she a Diva! She is Queen of the house and likes it that way! Here's a pix of her as Ms Claws!

Photo by Kathy Manley of Work2Snap Photography

Teri is making her special homemade Eggnog with Licor 43 and she has to make it today so it will be ready to drink tomorrow.

Then she is supposed to take us out walking today (that's what she said yesterday but it never happened!). She was kind of sad yesterday because of some news she got about one of our kitty extended family, and didn't feel like doing anything but focus on helping this kitty.

As our faithful followers know, Teri is 'there' for all the kitties that were born at our house, forever and ever. We are getting a kitty, Clem (who is Coco's brother) back next month due to behavior issues...

Well, another kitty, named Cinnabar, who lives in Wisconsin with a disabled couple, has multiple health issues and his family can no longer take care of him because of their own worsening health and financial problems.

Cinnabar is 8 years old, has a worsening undiagnosed heart murmur, IBD and urinates outside the litterbox. When they adopted him, Helen was ambulatory and was the main caretaker of their cats and home. Since then, she has had a stroke. She suffered from seizures all her life and had brain surgery to eliminate them, which it did, but she had a stroke while recovering, had to have hip and leg surgery, and is now in a wheelchair most of the time.

For quite a while now, he has been urinating outside the litter box, sometimes due to a UTI and crystals, so he is on a prescription food. But some of that behavior was more than likely due to the fact that they only have one box and it doesn't get scooped enough.

When they adopted him, they also had 2 other cats, a Devon Rex and a La Perm, but as their families health worsening, they made the tough decision to seek new homes for the other 2 cats through a purebred rescue who are based near where they live, hoping it would also help Cinni be happier getting more attention and help his litter box problems.

But Teri got a phone call on Thursday that they are going to have to give Cinnabar up, too. Because of the weather, he is unable to fly back to us right now and Teri considered seeing if she could ask for help from the Rescue Railroad to get him back home to us.

His family took him in to their vets, to have some tests done to see about his urinary problems, coughing and vomiting and we came to the decision that if he had serious health problems that it would be kinder and gentler to euthanize him rather than go to a home that wouldn't care for him properly...

But the vet said she wouldn't put him to sleep because his issues were treatable (no UTI but heart murmur worsening) and the vet felt he could be rehomed and she worked with a local purebred rescue organization and felt they did a good job with fostering and evaluating the cats they brought in. After Teri talked to the vet, she paid a big chunk of the bill for his exam and tests to help his owners out.

Still, Teri wasn't really comfortable with someone else making a decision that she didn't know. So she contacted Kirsten of

Specialty Purebred Cat Rescue

and after talking to her (she has a Cornish Rex of her own, too)...they came to the decision that they were actually in a better position to take Cinnabar and help him, because they were close by and he wouldn't have to wait til Spring to fly back to us...

Part of Teri feels like she is not 'there' for Cinnabar as he is not coming directly from the home he is in now, to us. Teri has traveled to pick up cats, had them brought back to us and even paid for one cat to fly back to us when his owner refused to send her back but would just take her to a shelter if he had to pay.

But as this organization is located so close to where he is, and Kristin said one of their best foster homes is available, and has much experience with CRex, Teri also feels that in working with them, while there is a 'degree of separation', she is not abandoning him. She will also make a donation to them, to help with Cinnabar's care. She says she hopes she is not just trying to make herself feel better by saying that...

She asked Kirsten to keep her updated on his progress and if he gets adopted, where he goes, so she can keep in touch with his new family...she has to have faith and trust that will happen. That is her worry...that she will lose track of Cinni and regret not pursuing getting him back home with us at his time of need...

So, as you can understand, we are not as Jolly here as we could be right before Christmas, but we hope things will be brighter for Cinnabar in the new year and that he can warm the hearts of a new family that can take care of his special needs.

So in your Christmas prayers, say one for Cinnabar and maybe one for Teri...we know the power of purrs!

Fashion Friday 'n More

2011-12-23T00:01:00.002-05:00

We knew we couldn't outdo Daisy the Curly Cat's Holiday outfit today, so we thought maybe if your weather is cold and dreary, that a photo of Coco, in a bright, summery, flowery dress might bring a little sunshine to your winter day!

And for those of you who like their outfits more Off than On...we are having a Give Away that will be sure to warm even the coldest day this winter (and all year long, for that matter, hahameow!)

The Found Animals Foundation is raising money for cat rescue with their 6 Packs 9 Lives Calendar. The 6 Packs 9 Lives calendar features 14 real cat-loving guys. Each month, one barely dressed hunk and one furry kitty bring a new meaning to the term 'Heavy Petting', hahamew! Proceeds from the sale of the calendar go to help kittens in shelters.

Here's a video telling you all about Found Animals Foundation!

You can buy a copy of 6 Packs 9 Lives for $9.99 and be helping shelter kitties. Or you can leave a comment on this post and try your luck at being the winner of one copy of the 2012 6 Packs 9 LIves Calendar! We will hold the drawing on December 31st. And Teri said she'd mail the calendar anywhere on Earth!

Thankful Thursday...Our review of NOse Offense!

2011-12-22T00:01:00.007-05:00

Way back in October, we were asked if we would be interested in using and reviewing a new odor eliminator. See, we aren't only behind in visiting furriends but also on our duties as Testers and Reviewers of various pet care items!

While we do hear Teri say PeeYou sometimes when we exit our litterbox and she has been seen crawling around on her hands and knees sniffin the carpet...we are not sure we are as stinky as she says!

That being said, there are times she says she sniffs the air when she walks in the house and is suspicious that we have been, ahem, missing the toilet, if you know what I mean. So, she said she would love to try NOse Offense for Pets!

If you visit their website, you can get your servant to tell you all about NOse Offense. The humans who make it say it takes care of all odors on carpet, fabrics and in the air, and in an environmentally friendly way without adding any scent to hide anything.

Teri read that NOse Offense neutralizes and eliminates smells found in the air and also on most any washable fabrics. It can be used in litter boxes and also wood floors, too. In fact, they say it is safe to spray on a washcloth or sponge and wipe any stinky pets in your house, too. (Teri says Disco smells like Mushroom and Potato casserole when it's time for his bath, hahameow!).

NOse Offense even has a link on their website that explains what bad things are in most 'air fresheners' and NOse Offense is safe, non-toxic, organic, biodegradable and100% free of enzymes, alcohol, phenols, phosphates and phthalates. And they are a 'green' company, too, using recycled or biodegradable packaging!

And gosh, before Teri even tried it, she looked at the 'Testimonials' on NOse Offense's website and it looks like a lot of our furriends already use NOse Offense and gave it their Paws Up!

So Teri went looking around the house for places she could let NOse Offense work it's miracles!...

The plastic tub she puts our empty stinky goodness cans in til she can take them out to the garbage...

The other plastic tub she scoops our 'eliminations' in til she takes them out to the dumpster.

And after cleaning our litter boxes, she sprayed NOse Offense on them, too!

And she said she felt comfortable knowing there wasn't anything in it that might harm us if we contacted it. Then she kinda went crazy and started spraying everything...curtains, Ham-Micks, cat trees, even the Christmas pillows!

She sprayed NOse Offense on the front of her 'undies' drawer where Coco used to spray when she was in heat, and on the old antique headboard where Disco had sprayed many moons ago.

She even sprayed the stuffies!

As you can see, she used up about half the bottle, and guess what?! Truly, no lingering scent of any kind from the NOse Offense, just like they say!

She says she is going to order some and put it in little spray bottles in every bathroom and next to our 'bathroom', too and even keep some in her car, cuz she says it kinda smells at times since we live in a humid area in the summer and a wet area in the winter!

While NOse Offense is only available online from their website, Teri is used to ordering lots of our things online and she says it's convenient and keeps her out of the stores buying needless items, hahameow!

We are so glad we were among those picked to test and review NOse Offense, because Teri says she thinks it will become her 'Odor Eliminator' of choice because of 1) how well it works, 2) that's it's Eco and Pet friendly, and 3) that they have a blog that is full of helpful and informative pet info.

Disclaimer: We are happy to be a part of this product review, and we did receive free product from NOse Offense to use and review, and keep! However, all of the opinions about the product are ours and not dictated in any way by the company.

Almost Wordless Whiskerhump Wednesday...

2011-12-21T00:01:00.006-05:00

Here's a pix of Brighton at the vets today, getting a follow up urinalysis. He is looking very festive for a visit to the vet...just like Coco was a couple of weeks ago!

We like making people smile! The FedEx driver smiled big-time when Brighton greeted him with mega-bonks and a knee high 'porpoising move' that is his 'signature'!

Unfortunately, BrightOne's urine is still way too concentrated, 1.084 and the pH is 7.0 (should be ~ 6.5). There were 2-3 struvite crystals per HPF, but everything else was normal--no bacteria or blood...

So, even though he seems symptom free and hasn't had a urinary blockage in over 18 months, he will need to go on a prescription diet to see if we can bring him back in line with what's normal.

We already have water fountains and Sink Drinks and Teri adds water to our canned food, and Teri would have to check all our labwork to be sure, but she said it seems every one is our house has pretty concentrated urine for some reason...

It won't be so difficult as everyone is on a 'mealtime feeding' schedule an I don't leave dry food out all the time any more...but I think it will be hardest on Teri as she is really into feeding holistic foods with no by-products, corn or wheat.

But neither does she want Brighton blocking again, so she will try the diet for a month and then have his urine retested and see if it's better. Then she will go another month and re-test. If it's still the same, she said she will go back to feeding the Nulo and Life's Abundance that she likes for us.

And here's a good double Whisker Hump photo to honor Manly Kismet, RIP...

These two handsome kitties are Billy and Edward, part of our extended family...they live in Missouri and obviously have some cushy blankies there, just like us!

Toysday? We're just toying with you!

2011-12-20T00:01:00.002-05:00

Mancat Monday--Disco's Diet

2011-12-19T05:25:00.003-05:00

Down 2 more ounce this week!

Disco can't speak for Santa Claus, but one day, Disco's

"...little round belly won't shake like a bowl full of jelly...".

hahameow!

Simply Sunday Evening...

2011-12-18T23:50:00.002-05:00

We were trying soooo hard to get on the computer every day in December and dictate a blog post to our secreTeri, but we missed yesterday!

Teri was busy working on her Christmas card list and trying to get cards out for the first time since our Daddy died...she says they will probably be New Years cards but she is going to do it, and catch up with many long, lost friends she hopes...

We didn't get out strolling last weekend cuz Teri was hanging Christmas lights and finishing decorating the house, and then today she finally got all the storage boxes back up into the attic, but we got to play in them for a while, anyway!

Disco got to go out into the cold today, but he was wearing a coat and has two Snuggle Safe's to keep him toastier...Coco and Brighton stayed home cuz they hopped right out of the stroller when she was getting it zipped up, and Teri took that to mean they wanted to stay home!

Here's some pix she took today out strollin' (yes, she remembered the camera this time!)

And here's our 2011 Xmas Photos!

Teri got dressed up and went out Saturday night to The Cat Hospital's Christmas Party...she wore those 'Adult Pajamas' again but everyone said she looked pretty!

Oh, and her date last weekend? She said it was the most enjoyable evening she'd had in a while that didn't include us, hahameow! This guy likes cats and we want to give him the once over...Teri said soon, ok.

Last week, we told you that Coco is going to have to have surgery on her torn ligaments that are making her limp. So we thought we'd tell you a little more about that today...

Last July, Coco and Brighton and Disco were in the 'Stud Room' keeping Sammy company. Teri is not sure what happened, but she heard some commotion and growling and she thinks there might have been a fight over who gets to be in the heated cat bed on top of the cabinet in that room.

Anyway, Brighton was hiding, Disco looked wide eyed, and Coco was carrying her left hind leg. At first, Teri thought maybe Sammy bit her but then she remembered he doesn't have any bitey teeth left.

So, she thought Coco probably fell off the top of the cupboard and hurt her leg. The vets examined her the next day and took xrays but Coco was very grumbly and they could tell if it was from pain or just not liking being at the vets.

For a month, she was on pain meds and Cosequin and she did get better, as far as the swelling in her knee went down and she didn't complain when Teri examined her. But she continued to carry her leg many times a day, and so our vets talked to a orthopedic specialist and they thought Coco probably tore some ligaments when she fell. Here's a short video of her in 'action':

Teri decided to get their expert opinion on what was wrong and so last week, she took Coco to see Dr Lotsikas and this is what he said:

Coco has bilateral patellar luxation, left clinically worse than right, minimal fluid buildup on left side, Great II-IV lateral patellar luxation left hind leg, no cranial drawer or tibial thrust noted on either stifle. Full range of motion both joints. Surgical management of trochlear block rescssion, joint capsule inbrication and potentially a tibial tuberosity transposition.

So, she had not so great knees before she hurt herself, but he thinks that she 'tore' some support ligaments when she fell, and if Teri does nothing, she will continue to limp and worse, could damage the other ligaments if she had another accident.

Coco is only 6 years old and as most Cornish Rex are, very athletic and active. We live in a 3 level house with lots of running room and stairs (Teri says it's our 'Giant Cat Tree', hahameow!). And to have to restrict Coco from 'being a cat' wouldn't be how Teri would like her to spend the rest of her life...

So, on January 3rd, Coco is going to have surgery on her leg, and then have an 8 week 'bed rest' enforced. That will be easy as Teri can take her to work with her every day and then when she is at home, she will stay in the 'kitten tent' which Teri kept just for these kind of situations!

We will keep everyone updated on Coco's surgery and progress and ask for lotsa healing purrs for her on her surgery day and during her recovery...

Fashion Friday!

2011-12-16T11:19:00.004-05:00

We haven't had our 'sitting' for our Christmas 2011 photos yet, so here are a few from last year...and at the end, a real cute video from Klaatu42, that guy with the great Talking Animals videos!

A very sexy Mrs Claws!

Peace on Earth...

Is Santa on the roof?

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

A festive Christmas drink!

And a pretty birdie, all decked out in Christmas red!

And since it IS Fashion Friday, a photo from our extensive collection, of Kiki, who is 'Pretty in Pink'!

and a couple of links to more fashionista ensembles!

Retro Feather Dress

I Love You Valentine Dress

Thankful Thursday...Our Review of the Purina ProCare Products!

2011-12-15T00:01:00.016-05:00

Way back in August, we attended BlogPaws and part of the fun was visiting all the 'vendor' exhibits and learning about new pet products out there!

In fact, our Swag Bags were filled with many goodies, including some of Purina ProCare Ultra Dry Advanced Training Pads...

Teri is familiar with using 'puppy pee pads' or human 'incontinence pads' at the cat hospital where she works. And she will often put a pad in our PTU (Prisoner Transport Unit aka cat carrier). So including such an item in our Swag Bag was very useful!

All the pads of various brands she had used previously were lacking in speed of absorbency and 'durability' when we used our paws 'n claws to cover an 'accident'...Not so the Purina ProCare Ultra Dry Pads! We all gave them our 'Paw of Appurruval'! (Oops, guess that means we umm, had an 'accident' while 'on the road'...).

When we got back home, we had Teri look into the Purina ProCare line and mewowza! They have everything from toys to beds to grooming products...and we cats thought Purina just made food!

Of course, there are lots of choices out there when it comes to pet products, but in looking at their new ProCare line, we think they are well thought out and good for pets, too. Then the folks at Purina contacted us and asked if we would be interested in testing and reviewing some of their new ProCare products. Teri said sure...we are messy kitties from time-to-time!

The Purina.com website is chock full of good information from veterinarians that Teri is familiar with and trusts! Here's the link to their page on basic cat care. They even have Podcasts, which are something Teri likes to listen to when she is traveling.

The Purina name is well-known and Teri knows that they have all kinds of foods, including prescription diets. She was eager to try out their new Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator, as well as get another box of their their new ProCare Ultra Dry Advance Training Pads!

Typical 'puppy pee pads' often leave our servants with a mess to clean up, kind of counterproductive! The Purina ProCare™ Ultra Dry Advance Training Pads feature exclusive DryStep microweave technology for fast absorption and as a result... dryness!

They say that thousands of one-way microfunnels quickly channel urine into the core, trapping it there and keeping the surface dry; the super-absorbent gel core provides maximum absorbency, keeping paws clean; and a leak-proof backing also protects floors and carpets. Teri gave them an A+ on results, better than anything she had used before!

The pads are available at pet specialty retail stores in 10-count, 30-count and 50-count quantities and come in an easy-to-store box for convenient dispensing.

They have a video that shows how absorbent they are and she knows now that we'd stay dry and odor free if we did pee in our carrier, and that's a good thing! And she has used them in our hotel rooms when we travel, to put in front of our litterbox to catch any tracked messes. Handy in case we have any tummy upsets due to the stress of traveling, too!

Now on to the 'odor eliminating products' (yes, we can be stinky at times, hahameow!). In visiting the Purina.com website, we found they have 4 ProCare odor eliminating products:

We got to test the Carpet & Upholstery Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator:

Here's a video from the Purina website that tells you all about it...

http://purinaprocare.com/stain-odor-video.html

Teri has probably tried every product out there for pet stains and odors, all with varying degrees of success. As our followers know, Teri used to breed Cornish Rex cats and also is actively involved in helping 'rehab' kitties that have 'out of litterbox' experiences, and that means there can be 'odors' from time to time.

So she decided to try the ProCare product on some 'old' stained and odiferous spots on the carpet...a true test, to be sure! And she was very pleased with the 'sniff' test after she cleaned those areas.

The Purina ProCare Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator has a unique six-enzyme blend that breaks down stains and eliminates odors safely and naturally, and is certified by The Carpet & Rug Institute.

The cleaner lifts pet soils from and cleans surface carpet fibers for easy removal while the odor-eliminating technology destroys surface odors on contact. The enzymes and bacteria continue to break down deep-set stains and the source of odors until they’ve been completely eliminated and thorough odor removal discourages pets from remarking.

It is designed for use on carpet, upholstery, pet beds, litter boxes and any water-safe surface, the Purina ProCare™ Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator is safe for use around children and pets.

Teri said she is very satisfied with the two Purina ProCare products we tested, and she will have to look into their other ProCare products (though she said we already have enough beds and toys...that can't possibly be true!!).

Disclaimer: We are happy to be a part of this product review, and we did receive free products from Puina to use and review, and keep! However, all of the opinions about the product are ours and not dictated in any way by the company.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-14T00:01:00.003-05:00

Especially for Stella and Prancer Pie's momma...a pix o' Disco in his slimmer days, November 2006... Smooches!

Toysday!

2011-12-13T22:45:00.006-05:00

Candi, contemplating The Cat Hair Magnet

Well, we aren't sure this qualifies as a toy, but it is truly one of our favorite items in our house...The Cat Hair Magnet! With a name like that, no wonder we are attracted to it, hahameow!

We have 2 of them, had 'em for years and they are still as good as new and get a lot of scritchin time from us. Teri thought they would be too stiff and pokey for us to use them but we loves rubbin' our cheeks on the bristles and getting a little massage whenever we want one!

Here's a link so you can take a look and maybe you'll find one under your Christmas Tree this year?!

CAT HAIR MAGNET

Mancat Monday--Disco's Diet

2011-12-12T23:00:00.001-05:00

Disco's down 2 ounces! But as you can see...he had to have a few kibbles to stay on the scale for his weigh-in, hahameow!

He needs to lose about 4 ounces a week to stay healthy, not losing too fast and getting enough nutrients. He's not meeting that goal, so he is still taking in more calories that he is burning...

Here's a link to some great info on obesity in cats, AND how to get them to lose weight safely:

Feline Obesity: An Epidemic of Fat Cats

Caturday Saturday

2011-12-10T23:00:00.013-05:00

Teri's still not done decorating for Christmas! She said she will probably leave the house Christmas-y until Ground Hog Day, hahameow! And that silly photo of Coco? She's cuter in a real costume but hope it makes you all laff 'n laff!

Teri did make a little bit of headway this week, but has to put twinkly lights up inside around the windows and hang one more string of icicle lights outside and then she'll be done! We'd help, but as you know, we don't have thumbs!

It's a chilly, but sunny day and as you can see by this photo, all the cats are enjoying the warmth of even a winter sun. We didn't get to go out strolling yet this weekend, but Teri is going to try and make time to take us out tomorrow! After all, she has to walk, why not take us!

Here's some pix of last weekend...if you wonder why we are on our porch, it's cuz Teri keeps forgetting to take the camera along on our strolls!

Teri has a date tonight...yep, not just a meet n greet or a 5 minute speed date! She met an English professor who rides a motorcycle and used to be in the movies...no joke! And he likes cats! They met for lunch last weekend and guess they thought each other interesting enough to go out again, hahameow!

She tried on all her dresses but none of them fit, so yesterday she went shopping and got (as one friend calls them, Adult Pajamas, hahameow!). Black velvet pants (stretch waistband...Disco would understand that!) and a shimmery red blouse (not clingy, either). She said she can wear it to the Cat Hospital's Christmas Party, too...

Our petsitters, who were waiting to have their baby, are now the proud parents of a little boy who weighs less that Coco, but he is doing fine and Teri is going to visit them tomorrow! So we will have lots of kids visiting us when Teri goes away cuz they are a family of 5 now!

Another big surprise is that this week, Teri saw TomTom get in the Catty Shack she made him...three times! Yep, he was in the content, meatloaf position, warming his buns on the heating pad! She tried to get a photo of the memorable moment, but he got nervous and ran off. But it's a start and she hopes he will take advantage of the warm spot from time to time now that the weather is getting cold! Here's a photo Teri took of him today in the garden, and just like us, he's enjoying the sunshine, too!

And an update on Coco. You might remember she hurt her hind leg back in July. Well, she had her appointment at the Sports Medicine Vet on Friday to get an experts opinion on her luxating patella and limping...and we'll tell you more about that tomorrow when Teri has more time, but to make her get better, it looks like she will need surgery to repair some torn ligaments. Here she is, waiting for Dr Lotsikas...

Teri said she is going to cut back her counseling therapy sessions to once a month and get rid of our landline telephone, so she can have the extra money to pay for the surgery, and she's going to look into applying for Care Credit so she could have 6 months and no interest to pay off the surgery.

But she needs to check and see if VOSM even accepts it CareCredit. She's already looking around the house to see if there are some things she could donate to a CB auction to help, too...we said we'd donate our Hepper Pod to help Coco!

Well, we hope all you kitties are having a good day at home, too with lots of sun or at least warm blankies to snuggle under!

We are purrayin' for our friend, Ginger Jasper, to also have a good weekend back at home and to be able to share some more hugs and loves from his human family. We are sad to think he is close to having to go to the Bridge and we want him to have some good days left to soften the sadness of having to say goodbye...

Oh, and don't forget to Blog Hop today and share the love!

Fashion Friday!

2011-12-09T00:01:00.003-05:00

This just might be Teri's favorite photo of Disco...

His sweet face and expression really gets to everyone who meets him...

And when he adds clothes to the picture, well he is just irresistible!

So, when looking for something to post on this Fashion Friday, Teri kinda got lost looking online at Pet Fashion sites.

We thought you might like to see some of her favorites (notice we didn't say our favorites--though she would NEVER buy anything that was uncomfortable or caused us anxiety, really...)

These are from just one company (out of quite a few she window shopped at) called The Posh Puppy Boutique:

Tiffany Sweater Dress

Winter Knit Hat

Monkey Daze Denim Jacket

Madeline Faux Fur Coat

Lacey Reversible Coat

We will share more of Teri's favorites on future Fashion Fridays...

Thankful Thursday! Our review of The Drinkwell 360 Fountain!

2011-12-08T00:01:00.033-05:00

Way back in August, right after attending BlogPaws, we were contacted by a nice young man named Zach (who we met there) who asked us if we would like to do a review on a Drinkwell Pet Fountain made by Veterinary Ventures, Inc.

Teri wrote back to him, and told him that we already had one Drinkwell Fountain, the 360 model and that she spreads the word about it both at the cat hospital where she works and to cat friends in general.

We said we'd be happy to do a review of the 360 model, so Veterinary Ventures sent us a second one!

As our followers may remember, Brighton spent 3 days in an emergency hospital in June 2010 with a urinary blockage and that is when Teri bought the The Drinkwell® 360 Pet Fountain.

Brighton eats 99% canned food which helps increase his water intake, and with The Drinkwell® 360 Pet Fountain, Teri knows he is getting the water he needs and he has not had another urinary episode since then.

The Drinkwell® 360 Pet Fountain has interchangeable spout rings that can make up to 5 free-falling streams of water for families with more than one cat, like us! That's another reason we like it over the Original model, cuz we can all have our our spout and don't have to wait in line at the water fountain, hahameow! Here's a video of Coco sipping away...

All the Drinkwell Fountains have a filter to help keep the water fresh and free of debris and contaminants (like from when we paddle our paws around in the water--do any of you kitties out there do that, too?).

Drinkwell has a few different models to choose from, and even makes a large doggie sized fountain, too. And they were all designed by a veterinarian who also had a kitty that loved to drink from faucets!

Teri likes The Drinkwell® 360 Pet Fountain over the Original model as it is so easy to clean, no nooks and crannies. That was one reason she stopped using the original version we had, as it took little bottle brushes to get all the crevices clean, and Teri said it was like maintaining an aquarium...which we wish we had, but she says she doesn't have time to care for fishies, too!

All Drinkwell Fountains are dishwasher safe on the top rack, and that makes cleaning them easy, but Teri never tried that when we just had one, but she will now we have two!

Especially for cats, and especially for those on dry kibble, water consumption is vital and something most pet owners don't monitor well. This site has a good writeup on the importance of water intake in the cat:

The Importance of Water Intake for Cats

Using a pet fountain encourages pets to drink more (we all know how many cats love to drink fresh flowing water from the faucet, right?!). So, by using a pet fountain, and letting us have 24/7 access to running water (not just when she turns on the bathroom faucet, hahameow!) she knows we are well-hydrated!

Before we had two, somehow the days would pass and Teri didn't get around to cleaning the fountain as often as she should have and with Brighton having a history of urinary blockage and the need to drink a lot of water, that was not good!

So now, every few days, Teri puts out the fresh, clean fountain and then gets the dirty one cleaned up ready to go! So for our particular family, having two is perfect! Here's another short video of Disco lapping at the fountain, before getting distracted and wandering off...

We give the The Drinkwell® 360 Pet Fountain our Paw of Approval and Teri says that even though having a fountain is a little more work than just filling up a water bowl, she thinks we are healthier and happier having the fountain, so she give it a Thumbs Up, too!

If you would like to learn more about the Drinkwell line of pet fountains, they have a great website with lots of info and videos where you can see all their models in action, just click HERE.

Disclaimer: We are happy to be a part of this product review, and we did receive a free The Drinkwell 360 Pet Fountain to use and review, and keep! However, all of the opinions about the product are ours and not dictated in any way by the company.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T00:01:00.004-05:00

A cozy place for the holidays! TinTin (another one of our extended family) is warming his backside by the fire, while his ladycat friend enjoys the plush sheeps wool rug! They make their home in London, England!

...And don't forget to BlogHop and meet some new friends!

Toysday! Our Review of the Purrfectplay Dust Bunnies & Carrots!

2011-12-06T23:15:00.002-05:00

When us kitties were up at the cat show in Indianapolis a few weeks ago, we were kinda surprised to run into a furriend, Pam Wheelock, who we met at at the very first BlogPaws back in April 2010 and she makes some of the best organic toys on the planet!

We got to chatting again, and she made a fuss over Disco and Coco in their customized stroller and she very generously donated a heaping handful of her special Purrfectplay toys and in return, we promised we would test (and taste) them and write a review for our bloggie...

Teri didn't let us have them until we got back home, cuz she didn't want us losing them under the bed in some hotel room (and as you may remember, one we stayed at wasn't so nice!).

As you can see in the photo below, we got a nice, tasty selection of Wool 'Dust Bunnies' which are light and fun to bat around and easy to grab with our teeth and carry around! And we got a couple of very Bite-able Baby Carrots, too!

Each and every toy PurrfectPlay makes is made of organic natural fibers, with no dyes or toxins, no synthetic or reprocessed plastic and of course, where applicable, are stuffed with Certified Organic Catnip!

As you can see, Brighton thinks the texture of the carrot is just right for putting the bitey on! Maybe he had too many choices, do you think??

He gave the Carrot his Chomp of Approval, as you can see in the video clip below!

When Brighton ran off with a Carrot, Disco said, My turn, my turn! He has a thing for chewing on paper, so right off he grabbed the Purrfectplay business card, hahameow. You can't really tell, but he was really inhaling that organic nip!

Teri felt really good knowing these toys were hand made and safe in every way...something she just never feels real comfortable with when she buys toys at those 'Big Box' places! So, I guess these toys even made her feel good, hahameow!

And Coco does love the nip, as you can tell in the video below. Teri is hoping that one of those dust bunnies becomes her favorite toy, so she can throw that ratty sock away that Coco carries everywhere!

and even Sammy got in on the action...sniffin and a whiffin!

So, if you are looking for some wholesome toys, that are good for you too, as well as more great items than you can shake a paw at-- kitty and doggie blankies, c ollars and charms and accessories for planet conscious humans, too...

...we hope our review will have you runnin' right over to...

PurrfectPlay.com

And they have a bloggie that is full of news and views and articles on how to live healthy, too, along with lotsa cute kitties and doggie photos and tales!

PurrfectPlay Blog

If you are on Twitter, they tweet @Purrfectplay and they have a Facebook page, too!

Disclaimer: We are happy to be a part of this product review, and we did receive free toys from Purrfectplay to use and review, and keep! However, all of the opinions about the product are ours and not dictated in any way by the company.

Mancat Monday--Disco's Diet

2011-12-05T00:01:00.006-05:00

Sigh...one week down and up 1/2 ounce (maybe his bladder was full, hahameow!). Teri has been exercising him once a day (not enough) and he is eating more (about 2 tablespoons more) of the Young Again kibble than he was of the Life's Abundance, so we are hoping to see a weight loss in another week...we'll keep you posted!

Obesity is a huge (forgive the pun) problem with all pets and our friend, Matt Beswick, made a great infographic discussing Disco's very issue!

We thought you would enjoy it!

Pet obesity graphic produced by Matt Beswick for Pet365

and here's a few more links for info on pet obesity...Food for Thought, hahameow!

Obesity in Cats

Pet Obesity Prevention

Hillary Watson, Pet Nutritonist

Project Pet Slim Down

A Cat Breed Comparison Chart

2011-12-04T00:01:00.010-05:00

A while back, we were contacted by a human from Find the Best, a site where you can compare things, like golf courses (we hear there are birdies there) to car insurance (we don't drive but we do have a stroller but then, we don't drive that either, hahameow) to cat breeds (well, Teri knows a lot about Cornish Rex)...

That is why Trevor wrote to us, cuz he was working on a Cat Breed Comparison char t and he thought our readers might be interested in it. So we had Teri go take a look at it (since we can't read words, but we sure can read body language, hahameow!)

We had never heard of FindtheBest.com and so to learn more, we watched the YouTube video and we will have to keep it in mind when we are wanting to compare something to find the best (we are not sure it would help us find our missing toys, though).

We thought the cat breed comparison chart was a great idea, and we know it is hard to find good, accurate and in-depth information about specific cat breed personalities and especially on their care. That is one thing that Teri finds frustrating, as a vet tech...that there is a lot of erroneous information out there.

That is one reason she left the 'cattery' website up and running, so people looking for information on Cornish Rex care have a good source to go to. We aren't sure of many of our bloggie readers have visited it, or viewed our videos on YouTube, but Teri probably get 2-3 calls or emails a week from people who have questions about health or care of Cornish Rex, especially if they got them from a rescue or from a not-so-knowledgeable breeder.

The cat hospital where she works really values her experience and she is always surfing around for good information, and probably has over 400 bookmarked sites on health, behavior, nutrition, art and humor etc. She keeps saying she needs to build something out of what she knows, and she hopes to focus on that this coming year.

As far as Cornish Rex, Teri recommended that Trevor visit the Furrydance cattery website and read over the FAQ page as it would be helpful in clarifying their 'care' needs, which are very similar for Devon Rex also, and Sphynx.

We realize that his Breed Comparison Chart is a work-in-progress, and we know that comparing cats is a lot more complicated than comparing TV's, but we think it's one more link of information for someone looking to learn more about cat breeds.

And we would hope that if any of our readers find info there that needs correcting or improving upon, that Trevor would be happy to hear from you, just like he was from us, and we hope he puts to use the info he learned on our cattery website.

Already Teri has found some things that need changing (the breed was discovered in 1950, not 1956, and they come in a lot more colors than black, chocolate, cream, lilac and Tortoiseshell, and that they were actually crossed with Siamese before the first one were exported to the United States.

For our readers, if you want to learn more about the Cornish Rex breed, here's a link to the Furrydance Cattery website: Furrydance

And, if you want to see lots of Cornish Rex in action, all our videos on YouTube, Furrydance

Ps: Trevor left a comment, after seeing my post and Sparkle's comment: Hi everyone, thanks for all the feedback! I will try to fix as many mistakes as I can, and if you see any others you can actually edit them yourselves. We like our readers to have input, kind of like Wikipedia. And a special thanks to Teri and the cats of Curlz and Swirlz!