Feline birthday girls speak out

In honor of our birthday, Mom is finally giving us another shot at the computer keyboard. She’s been so busy with job hunting tasks and posts to her blog (“Eco Gal 24/7”) that our little paws haven’t been able to type for weeks.

Mom adopted us around Valentine’s Day in 1998 when we were 10 months old. The vet told her that would put our DOB somewhere around April 20, 1997 and that makes us 14 years old this year. In the feline lifespan, we are senior citizens and recently posed for RTA transit cards and regularly sneak over to the Century Theater for all-day Monday senior-rate movies (just kidding).

As usual, Mom was so occupied with her blog and posting about Shredding Day and some church’s Earth Day Bash, that she’s late helping us with our birthday blog. We don’t know what the heck Shredding Day means…but sign us up! Cats wrote the book on shredding and to think there’s a day devoted to it.

We've got the blue one.

For this birthday we got two new toys…a catnip mouse and a dangle-type toy with a mouse attached. Those toys were great fun for a couple of hours but now we’re bored with them. She even splurged to buy our favorite kibble…Hill’s Science Diet ® Hairball Control. Mom showed us the receipt and a seven pound bag costs $21.99. 

“Too bad they don’t make Cheerios ® with a hairball control formula,” Mom said. She’s such a kidder. OMG…Cheerios! Do we need to start worrying about cholesterol, too? 

Anyway, we’re happy with our Science Diet and promise to try and chew it into smaller pieces so neither of us throws it up whole. For the last couple of years, we’ve been given kibble that’s for senior cats and those flavors are blah.

Sashi's beautiful green eyes.

We’ll admit to being ‘seniors’ but don’t banish us to a rocking chair. Shadoe can still jump 0-to-6 from floor to bathroom sink or kitchen counter. While Sashi may have lost some of her jumping confidence, she can still zoom from the kitchen to the bedroom window and back in record time. 

Guess what? We’re bored again and ready to give our new toys a few more whacks and sniffs. Actually, Shadoe likes to carry the dangler from room to room. We’ll sign off for now and be back soon with a look at eco friendly cat litters.

Can a true-blue cat person fall into puppy love?

Our mom is back from her visit to New York City and she is jazzed. She kept going on and on about some d-o-g named Belle. Mom claims to miss us when she travels, but from our point of view, she’ll take up with whatever pet surrogate is available. Seriously…a dog? 

We’ve had our breakfast and now need a nap. We’d title this post “Our mom the dog slut.” She can finish this one without our help.

Jealous feline name calling aside, my brief trip to NYC for the Business of Pet Writing Conference knocked out my cabin fever and more. Initially, being a true-blue cat person, it didn’t occur to me that the dog show would be in a few days. Walking through the lobby of the Hotel Pennsylvania, I noticed that every other person was attached to a dog on a leash. 

Then I had a forehead-smacking V-8 moment…the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will be held right across the street at Madison Square Garden, February 14-15, 2011.

Belle

In my humble opinion, the doggy du jour was a sweet Cockapoo named Belle. It was love at first sniff. She didn’t seem to mind the residual smell of felines. Kudos to Belle’s guardian Lee for her good behavior…no paws on the legs and sloppy kisses from this dignified little gal. No barks, just happy tail wagging and butt wiggling. Who could resist?

As I settled into the guest room, Belle offered her assistance by jumping on the bed. Still, she kept a polite distance from my clothes, toiletries and other assorted items. Amazing what we can learn from pets…live in the moment. Enjoy attention and soothing words from a new person.

When traveling, my days are filled with activities…conference going, sightseeing, shopping, dining out and soaking up a new city. I’m not too keen on being out alone after dark (even at home), so tend to spend much of the late evening in my room. Belle was willing and able to assume the role of surrogate pet.

Belle burrows her head into paws.

She curled up nearby as I checked emails, made phone calls, read conference materials or watched television. My Saturday evening dinner with friends ended earlier than her dad’s night out. A full day of intensive listening, note-taking and networking followed by dinner (including a glass of wine and two espresso cups of chocolate mousse) left me too sleepy to stay up for the 11 o’clock news. 

Belle happily jumped on the bed and inched up from the foot to a warmer spot along my side. Lee’s listing on AirBnb.com mentioned that he had a small dog. It didn’t say she would capture my heart.

Back home now and spent the night with my two cave kitties, who forgave me quickly for a four-day fling with the Big Apple and a happy little d-o-g named Belle.

Can the Business of Pet Writing Conference in NYC quell cabin fever?

Hey everyone, this is Shadoe reporting that my mom is smiling as she plans a trip to New York City. That makes her happy because travel is one of her favorite things. She hasn’t taken a trip in more than a year and is complaining about cabin fever.

My third favorite thing is hanging out with Mom (after eating and sleeping). She spent a lot of time this weekend researching a low-cost winter getaway. When she searches online and uses the mouse, I can stay on her lap because she’s not using the keyboard.

One of my favorite games is to jump on the file cart next to Mom’s desk, creep onto her lap and head-butt her right arm. If she’s using the mouse, I can stay. If not, she'll put me on the floor or a nearby chair. I’ll repeat the process once or twice before giving up. Mom will say, “Shadoe! You are relentless.”

Being relentless can't be too bad as her tone of voice is more exasperated than mad. Didn’t think we cats could distinguish vocal tones? Believe me, I know when it’s time to leave Mom alone and go snuggle with Sashi.

This Chicago winter has been particularly brutal as cold weather goes (read our last post for more on that). Low-cost travel translates to tax-deductible and brief, so Mom started looking on ShawGuides to find a writers’ conference that sounded interesting.

She squealed when she read about the Business of Pet Writing Conference in NYC next month. “Shaddy…I didn’t even know there were conferences for pet writing,” she said.

Mom should be a travel agent…loves researching and planning trips. First she looked for cheap airfares to NYC. Then she recalled that the conference hotel is near Penn Station and went to Amtrak’s site to check train fares. Bingo! A round-trip fare from Chicago to NYC would be $140. Traveling to the East Coast takes less time so an overnight train ride would be tolerable.

The next step was a visit to www.airbnb.com a good source for low-cost rooms. Don’t ask me how Mom knew to narrow the search for those rooms closest to the conference, but she figured it out. Wow, a private room in Midtown Manhattan can cost $200 or more. Luckily, some are in the more affordable $68-$125 range.

This site is great because you can screen for amenities such as wireless Internet, TV and breakfast. As a writer, Mom needs access to the Web for her laptop and it's better if your room offers it for free. Coffee houses and public libraries usually have Wi-Fi, but there are time limits.

Sorry, all of this activity has worn me out. Browsing the Web is Mom’s thing, not mine. My eyes are heavy and the computer screen is getting blurry. Sashi, make room for me!

Adopt a pet during the 12 Strays of Christmas

Even though we were born with fur coats, it has been cold with a capital ‘C’ for the past couple of weeks. Our mom lives in a historic condo building. ‘Historic’ is a code word for ‘drafty’ which means cold. Despite windows, storm windows and curtains, when the temperature drops into the teens and there are wind chills…an old building can get pretty cold. This is especially true at nighttime when the steam radiators are at rest.

We stay a bit warmer at night by being cave kitties. That’s when mom lets us come under the comforter and snuggle with her. We get her body heat and she gets ours…it’s a win-win.

Sadly, that’s not the case for many cats and dogs who are awaiting adoption from animal shelters. Oh, we’re sure the shelters are heated and the animals are kept as comfortable as possible, but there’s no substitute for the super-sized body heat of a human mom or dad.

One such shelter, PAWS Chicago, is presenting a new program called the “12 Strays of Christmas.” It started December 13 and runs through Christmas Eve (December 24).

PAWS lined up some local celebrity volunteers to help adopt homeless dogs and cats to new families this holiday season. Among those volunteers are: Tom Dart, Cook County Sheriff; Jesse White, IL Secretary of State; Robert Sherman, president of Serta International; Suzanne Le Mignot, CBS 2; LeeAnn Trotter, NBC 5; Roz Varon, ABC 7; Anna Davlantes, Fox 32 and Michael Sneed, Chicago Sun-Times.

If your family has been considering a new pet, visit the PAWS Web site to view some of the dogs and cats who are waiting for a home where they can be a cave pet. You may also call 773-935-PAWS for more information.

Shop the Holiday C.A.R.E. Faire -- Saturday, November 27

Don’t forget your four-legged friends when you start shopping for the holidays. Stop by the Holiday C.A.R.E. Faire at the Unitarian Church of Evanston, 1330 Ridge Ave. (at Greenwood St.) Saturday, November 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Bring your pup or kit to have their picture taken with Santa. Stock up on home-baked cookies and more in the popular Cookie Walk Bake Sale. Enter the raffle to win fabulous prizes or buy gifts for pet-loving friends from the Silent Auction, crafters and vendors.

Additionally, canned food donations will be accepted for the dogs and cats at the Evanston Animal Shelter. 

• Fantastic raffle (click here for the list of prizes and information on how to buy tickets)

• Pet pictures with Santa 

• Cookie walk and bake sale

• Pet-related crafts and vendors

 
 

The Belize Zoo needs help to rebuild after Hurricane Richard

It’s not customary for us to write about a zoo or even wild animals, but after learning about the damage to The Belize Zoo, we had to do something.

Though we don’t recall hearing about it on the local news,on October 24, 2010, The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center suffered a direct hit from Hurricane Richard. Founded in 1983, its rustic setting of wire fences and abundant forest were no match for Richard's raging winds. Fortunately, there was no loss of life, human or animal, due to this Category 1 storm.

According to the zoo’s director, Sharon Matola, it will be closed for repairs and renovations and likely will not re-open until December. She reports, “The damage done to many of the animal exhibits is overwhelming, but the pace at rebuilding those habitats is impressive. Logs cut from the debris are being salvaged to add structure and the remaining vegetation is being cultivated to regenerate more shade in the enclosures.”

Jaguar balances on fallen Ceiba tree.

Work is underway and the bills are mounting. After a couple challenging years due to the global recession, “The Belize Zoo does not have the financial resources necessary to see these plans and upgrades realized. We have been working daily in an effort to raise funds so that work can continue to progress, but it is a huge challenge,” says Matola.

That, kind readers, is where you come in. The economy has been tough on everyone, yet we’ve found that folks have a remarkable capacity to dig deep and help those who are struggling even harder. For the zoo, the greatest needs are truckloads of strong and durable fencing, cement, gravel and large rocks, PVC piping, steel pipe, lumber, wire, nails, and paint, as well as new tools, new water pumps and money to pay workers. People can donate online at:www.belizezoo.org

The Belize Zoo and Tropical& Education Center’s mission is to inspire Belizeans to conserve and protect natural habitats that sustain Belize’s biodiversity by bringing visitors closer to the animals of Belize. More than 50,000 Belizeans, including 18,000 school children, visit The Belize Zoo each year, and the Education Department has extensive outreach and on-site education programs for students and teachers.

Thanks for helping our Central American cousins…the jaguar, margay and ocelot…as well as the dozens of other mammals, birds and reptiles that make the zoo their home.

Howl-O-Ween event at PetsMart, Sat., Oct. 23

We’re sorry about the long lapse between posts but our mom has been hogging the computer and we haven’t had any keyboard time.

If you’re among the pet guardians who like to dress pets in costumes, your local PetsMart^® has an event tailor-made for you. This Saturday, October 23, from 3-5 p.m., is the Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest & Photo Event.

Dress your pet in a Halloween costume and participate in these activities:

• Free goodie bag from Nutro^®/Greenies^® to the first 100 customers
• Pet parade and costume contest at 3:30 p.m.
• 4 x 6 photo and PetsMart collectible frame for a $4.95 photo package

Pet moms and dads can also visit PetsMart’s Facebook page to enter the Pet Photo Contest to ‘Scare your way into a PetsMart commercial.’ Contest information and rules are available at http://www.facebook.com/PetSmart. The deadline to enter is October 27, 2010.

In case you were wondering, Shadoe never needs to put on a costume (like to see someone try) because she always goes as a 'black cat.' As for Sashi, she won't allow anyone to dress her (or die trying). Boo!