Friday the 13th

It's Friday the 13th which to some people is a day filled with superstitions.  We don't believe in superstitions especially the one about black cats being unlucky.  The cat before us was a beautiful black kitty named Panther...

Panther was very special to Mommy especially since she was orphaned as a teeny tiny baby and had to be bottle fed.  Panther lived to be 18 years old and went to the Bridge a day after Mommy's birthday in 2006.  Mommy was devastated and couldn't even see another kitty without her eyes getting leaky until we came into her life two months later.  As Mommy was figuring out my name, she looked down on me sitting on her lap and knew what my name would be...

See the black marks on my ears?  She thought I was touched by an angel named Panther and she left black angel wings on my ears.  As I grew bigger my wings have grown too...

So, see, black kitties are very lucky!  We have a very special one to thank for helping us find our furever home!

Has a black kitty brought luck to your life?

We hope you have a very lucky day!

Angel

Spreading the Word for Feral Kitties!

Today is National Feral Cat Day which is a day meant to remind us all that Trap-Neuter-Return and other humane programs for feral cats are in the best interest of the cats and the community. As much as we wish all kitties had furever homes, there are cats that look like us but they are afraid of humans so they live their lives outside in colonies.

The issue of feral cats is very near and dear to our hearts because the alley behind our mommy and daddy's first house was home to many feral cats. Of course Mommy befriended several of them and even named the ones who came around most often - Bandit, Levi and Spook! Levi was even brave enough to come into their house but didn't want to be touched very much. Two of the kitties who came before us, Reebok and Panther, were actually orphaned feral kitties that Mommy found in the alley and raised from the bottle into adulthood. Mommy and Daddy lost Reebok to cancer in 2001 and Panther was 18 years old when she passed away in 2006. What we've learned from the information provided by Alley Cat Allies is that if anyone had taken those feral cats into a non-no kill shelter thinking they were helping the cats by getting them off the streets, there would be virtually no chance of adoption and the cats would be killed. The reason being is that shelters handle adoptable cats and one that is afraid of humans certainly doesn't fit that criteria.

We just want to spread the word and let people know that feral cats do not belong in animal shelters. If you come across some feral kitties that you want to help, please check out Alley Cat Allies for information. Together we can educate others about the need for Trap-Neuter-Return programs to reduce the cat population and keep feral cats out of shelters.

Together we can make a difference and save lives!

Angel Kitties

Recently our mommy found that Laura from The Cat in the Clover was making Cat Angels and she thought they were a wonderful way to remember the kitties who came before us so she ordered a Panther and a Reebok angel kitty.

Reebok and Panther were Mommy and Daddy's kitties before us. Reebok was a grey kitty and Panther had long black fur so Laura picked fabrics to resemble their furs and also made their eyes green. She also put cute little hearts on them and of course their name on ribbons too!

Of course since they are angel kitties they have wings and halos.

Okay, I admit, I had to test out the halos once or twice but they are true angel kitties because the halos would not come off!

Mommy loves her Panther and Reebok angel kitties (so she keeps them out of our reach). Thank you Laura for making these lovely ways to remember the kitties who've crossed The Bridge!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Isabella

Disclaimer: No cute angel kitties were harmed or bitten in this photo shoot even though it was very tempting.

What Was That?

Many of you wondered what I was looking at in my last Wordless Wednesday post. Well, since it was Wordless I couldn't tell you then so I'll tell you now! It was a stuffed black kitty that Mommy found in the closet and hung it up in her office for some reason.

Someone she used to work with a squillion years ago made it for her since Mommy had a black kitty named Panther at that time. The lady even put Panther's name on the back pocket.

It is kinda cute but I'd really like to get a closer look.

If only this chair didn't swivel when I move I could grab it!

Now that I solved the mystery for you, I'm going to keep trying to figure out how to get it down or maybe I'll just go take a nap.

Angel

Countdown until Mommy comes home: 2 days

World Cat Day 2009!

Let us all celebrate ~ World Cat Day.
Celebrate kitties in your own special way.
Those here and near, and those now above,
all the kitties so dear, all the kitties we love.

August 8th has special meaning to me for two reasons. For one, it's my 21st wedding anniversary. (Happy Anniversary J!) In addition, it would have been the 21st birthday of our cats Reebok and Panther. Since it's World Cat Day, today's post is in memory of Reebok

and Panther.

Reebok and Panther were orphaned when they were just a few weeks old after their momma was hit by a car in the alley near our house in Topeka, KS. One morning when I went outside I heard their tiny mews so went towards the sound. Two itty bitty kittens came running out from under a bush. Of course I took them inside, gave them our cat Tiger's canned food but they just pushed it around on the plate with their noses - they didn't know how to eat and I didn't know what to do! I called my mom and she brought over KMR Kitten Formula and bottles and we proceeded to bottle feed them. Reebok got her name because she was so tiny she slept inside a pair of sneakers. Panther was named because she was a black poof ball of a kitten.

In 1998, Reebok was diagnosed with kidney failure so we had to give her IV fluids every day. She remained happy and strong until we lost her to cancer in 2001. The picture of her in the bag was taken on her last day. She loved bags and we let her enjoy one for the last time.

Panther was a cat that only liked me so she hid most of the time unless she was sitting on my lap. After moving to Oregon in 2003, she seemed to thrive and was out a lot more and occasionally let others pet her if I was around. She was truly a cat who could say "I'm not fat, I'm fluffy" because she only weighed 5 lbs. She was very happy and seemed so healthy but on the day after my birthday in 2006, Panther died unexpectedly of fluid in her lungs. In addition to Reebok and Panther, I'm celebrating all my cats who have crossed the Bridge including Sugar, Pepper, Mikie, Tiger, and my mom's cat Jessi. And of course I celebrate my cats who are with us now, Angel and Isabella! All my cats have brought great joy to my life and I love them all!

Happy Birthday Reebok and Panther!

Be sure to celebrate your cat today and give them a big ol' hug!

Angel says treats would be nice too!

Spreading the Word

The reason my mom and I decided to sell jewelry through our BeadedTail shop was to raise funds for animal awareness causes. Each month I donate the proceeds from our shop to a worthy animal charity. In October the chosen charity was Alley Cat Allies and I want to share what I've learned from them about feral cats and bring awareness to issues resulting in the deaths of countless cats every day. Here are some of the things that we need to be aware about:

• 
  
  Over 70% of cats are killed in our nation’s animal control pounds and shelters. That number jumps to virtually 100% for feral cats.
  


• 
  
  A revolutionary change in shelter practice and policy is needed that protects the lives of cats, and there is a movement pushing for change.
  


• 
  
  There are multiple programs that are a humane method of care for all cats, including affordable, accessible spay and neuter services available to everyone and Trap-Neuter-Return programs for feral cats.

The issue of feral cats is very near and dear to my heart because the alley behind my husband's and my first house was home to many feral cats. Of course I befriended several of them and one even was brave enough to come into our house but didn't want to be touched very much. Our two kitties, Reebok and Panther, were actually orphaned feral kitties that we found in the alley and raised from the bottle into adulthood. We lost Reebok to cancer in 2001 and Panther was 18 years old when she passed away in 2006.

What I have since learned from the information provided by Alley Cat Allies is that if anyone had taken those feral cats into a non-no kill shelter thinking they were helping the cats by getting them off the streets, there would be no chance of adoption and the cats would be killed. The reason being is that shelters handle adoptable cats and one that is afraid of humans certainly doesn't fit that criteria.

I just want to spread the word and let people know that feral cats do not belong in animal shelters. If you come across some feral kitties that you want to help, please check out Alley Cat Allies website for information. Together we can educate others about the need for Trap-Neuter-Return programs to reduce the cat population and keep feral cats out of shelters. We can make a difference and save lives!