Saturday, June 30, 2012

Blogging fun


Seeing as this is my blog I have the right to change my mind :) I am going to postpone the photos of the carnival until tomorrow (it was cute but not OVERLY exciting) because on my way home I stopped at the local flea market and found some goodies.

Before I get to that, lets take care of business.. If you could vote for Fleurp, I'd really appreciate it (no need to register, simply click there then on the vote button.  If you are so inclined you can vote every 12 hours.  Only one vote per IP address)

OK, now for the goodies.

The flea market isn't huge, but it is good sized for the town.  They run as much of the year as they can.  Sometimes I stop in and find things, sometimes not.  Since I am coming up on my ten year blogoversary I thought it might be fun to hold some giveaways.  I didn't really know what to give away.  Heaven knows we all probably have enough stuff with cats on them, so I didn't really want to do cat figurines or purses with cats on them, etc.  But since this is a cat blog, I can't image what else would be a big draw.

But I've been keeping my eye out where ever I have been lately.  One stand had some cute jewelry. Some tiger eye earrings and necklaces.. I saw a really interesting broach that was also a locket too.  As I wandered on I came across a table with a "If I were a Cat" children's book.  It was cute, but not overly cute.  The really nice man who was running it with his wife shared with me another book which I did really like.  Then he gave me a second which I also liked and a third.  (good thing his wife was starting to pack up or I might have gone home with a library of books!!)

And these were the books
I intend to read them and post reviews then give them away too, but that is for another date.

Then I looked up and saw the following picture.
I was just at my co-worker's house and they have a very beautiful painting of a house in a winter scene.  They enjoyed telling the story of the painting, how it was created by a quadriplegic who painted it in about four hours using a paintbrush in his mouth (it was very realistic.  not exactly photo quality realistic but awful close)  My co-worker's husband said the guy never painted before the accident that caused his paralysis, and the artist was enjoying that he could make over a thousand dollars and hour (because now he is charging quite a bit for his paintings)  Anyway, with this story fresh in my mind I asked if there was a story behind the drawing, and they said, it was drawn by the artist (it is signed by Helen Coffman)  Opening up the wooden frame I found that the picture is a trimmed blank card with "Fats" Graphic Pencil by Helen Coffman on the back of it)  It looks like a hand drawing but it could be a print.

Want to win "Fats"  Just post a comment.  If you could tell me what you'd love to see on a giveaway that would be cool... as I do want to do something really fun in October on my blogoversary..  Feel free to be a little crazy but somewhat realistic.  I mean I don't have a million dollars to give away..   Costume jewelery, books? or cat related paraphernalia like cat toys or cat beds?

Comments will be open for a week when I'll choose a winner by random next Sunday.

carnival time


Today is the day the shelter is throwing a carnival to help raise funds and increase good will in the community. 

so today's post is going to be a little delayed so I can share photos

Friday, June 29, 2012

Beauty shots & Videos


Simon
Henry
Simon has a very unique voice, and I was trying to capture that on video.  Please ignore my goading him on.
This last one is about the politics of eating in a clowder.  Every bowl has the EXACT same type of food.  Often it comes out of the same can, but this was their first taste of seafood.  You can see them getting excited because the scent of the food just reached them (they heard the cans pop in the video before but didn't smell it till the last video)  It's a long one, but I think it is interesting to watch a group of kittens eat.  But I know not everyone is like me, so feel free to only watch part of it.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Facebook


OK then..

I'm very reluctant to join Facebook as I fear it as being the all powerful all consuming gatherer of information and while I know that is probably silly, every time I turn around I hear something else that it is doing that is just downright off putting.

But you suggested Facebook, and really when you get right down to it, you are right.  I am hoping I can manage it well enough and Facebook isn't as nefarious as some of the rumors say they are.. (heck even if they are they have a bazillion pieces of data and picking out mine for something odd like the time Target sent advertisements for baby stuff to a girl who no one knew was pregnant)

So with out further adieu. 

https://www.facebook.com/TFKblog

(and feel free to vote for Fleurp too... I stuck the link on there)

and now that I've wasted the entire morning at work doing this, I really should get back to doing what it is I actually get paid for.  I'm going to end up creating a link somewhere on my blog sidebar for this and I'll at some point create a Twitter handle (sooner if someone says they'd love to see me on Twitter)

How to get a human to love you


Hi Folks, Dorian here.  I've got a sure fire way to get a human to love you
First, find a human.  Then let them pick you up and snuggle you close.
Then slowly look up at them and make eye contact.
I know that will feel weird as kitties generally don't make eye contact except for challenges but they love it.
.
Then lay your head on them.  They absolutely LOVE this
Lastly close your eyes to show trust.
They are just sooooo easy..
(and yes, DH started talking about adopting Dorian shortly after these photos were taken.. )
(and no, there is no way we are keeping him)

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Wordless Wednesday - Basket time



It's Official - Again (and stuff)


Klaatu Barada Nik(cough cough cough)OK then.. I've said the words.. 

Famous words to be said before starting an important journey.. (or in the middle really, and I suppose I'm sorta in the middle of this.. oh wait.. if you've never seen "Army of Darkness" you have NO idea what I'm talking about so I'll just stop here and go on)
I have been officially signed up for the August 14th  Hills Media Tour.. Yes, I feel a little funny about the whole thing but this really is a pretty unique opportunity that I'm really surprised is coming my way.  If anyone else is going (I've been told a few other people, but no real contact info - except that I recognize one of them from their blog) feel free to say hi!  I so hate feeling like the "new girl in school" when I go some place new.  I am way way too much like a cat..

and it is a really good trial run for heading to Blog Paws next year.  (hey, any company out there want to sponsor me for that??)


I'm guessing if I am ever going to hope to get sponsored I'm going to have to "build the brand" if you will so I'm considering creating a twitter handle for the blog.  I'm curious, when you think of this blog/me/my kitties/the fosters, do you think of me as "KittyBlog" (how I think of it) or "Tails from the Foster Kittens" (really cute title but kind of long and not all that catchy in my mind and TFTFK just seems wrong, TFK?) or just Connie's cats or some other variation?


I went to check on Fleurp's progress on the Modern Cat contest.  She's currently in 21st place.  So interesting looking at the kitties with the most amount of bids.  #1 has almost 19000 votes.  #2 16000 #3 has 2500.  City the Kitty has only 1500 (City was seen on My Cat From Hell and has healthy online following) 
So I just re-read the rules, and apparently you can vote once ever 12 hours.  I don't remember seeing that before, just that you could vote once from an IP so everyone in an office using one IP address would be counted as just one vote.

It does seem a little pointless to keep plugging for votes at this point.  There is no way my little blog is going to generate enough votes to come even close to the top two at this point, but I wouldn't mind a decent showing for my sweet little piece of joy and love,  and since this is simply a click entry (aka no regisration), I thought if you don't mind...
http://www.moderncat.com/photocontest/cats/2012/06/07/fleurp

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Don't you love a good rescue story?


I came across this yesterday and wanted to share..

Adele Harland's eighteen month old kitty "Diesel" climbed up a tree.  Not just any ol tree, but a 60+ foot tree cause he was 60 feet up.. For five days he sat there crying, afraid to climb down, and then the meowing stopped.  No one would help her.  The tree service people she called only had the ability to get 30 feet up into the tree.  They were not willing to risk going up any further.  The fire department also would not help, they are unwilling to put the firefighters at risk either.  Finally after a facebook plea, Kyle Watkinson - a 15 year old boy who likes climbing and who is very good at it went over and got the kitty down.

YEA for Kyle!!  So wonderful that he would hear the plea, have the skills, take the time and actually save the kitty.  I think this is an even better story then Christian Slater saving a duck.  (I will eventually stop talking about that)

It stinks that no professional organization could help poor Diesel.  You would think there would be SOME help somewhere for a poor cat stuck in a tree for more then two days.  But alas it seems no where is safe from companies and governments more concerned about "risk".  I totally agree that people shouldn't risk their life to save an animal, but there is risk and then there is risk.  And frankly I think a fire department with a bucket truck designed to get into tall buildings should be able to help a citizen out..  I mean not if there is a fire going on somewhere else, but I'm sure at some point in those last three days they were sitting around with nothing to do.

But what stinks more then there really wasn't any help was all the incredibly CRUEL comments that usually follow a cat stuck up a tree story.  The one I hate the most, the one that makes me want to slap some sense into people is the "you have never seen a cat skeleton in a tree" - seriously?  You are that stupid that you think this is a valid argument?  First of all if you don't think the cat is hungry enough after the first day to get down on it's own if it were able, then I invite you over to my house at feeding time.  Just twelve hours with out food and my cats will tell you they are STARVED.. I'll let you watch them gobble down their food like it has been days for you or I.    Then there is that annoying "science" behind an animal dying in a tree.  I mean seriously!  Have you ever seen a bird skeleton in a tree?  a chipmunk? a squirrel??   What, do you think skeletons just hang out all joined together just because that is how you see them in science class or in a book?  How about the fact that there are way too many to mention carnivore and scavengers who would make fairly short work of a body.. bones and all.

*sigh* I can't believe I'm dignifying that with a reply.  Connie - stop feeding the trolls.

Lets go back to this poor kitty in the tree.  Why he went up I have no idea.  Was he frightened up there? Could be.  Was he horribly curious, could be that too.  In the UK there is a completely different state of mind to keeping cats indoors. Not quite sure why, I would imagine all of the dangers that are here in the US are there too, but I would imagine someone from the UK would be more able to answer that part of this thought... but we'll ignore that, cause the kitty is already up the tree.

Climbing up is pretty easy.  They have claws that curve out and down, so they naturally sink in and give purchase to the kitty to pull up.  Kind of like how you would grip a bar if you were going to do a pull up.  Now imagine you are above the bar and you can't tighten your grip (cause claws are static and have no muscles) you'd fall right off.  Well a kitty going down can't use the claws because out and down doesn't help going down.  If they can't reach a branch or perch, they are going to fall.

I remember being out in the woods looking for "Smoky" my childhood kitty.  We let him out - hey, it was the 80s. He was lucky he lived to a ripe old age dying from cancer a few years after I got married  (I got him on a school field trip to a dairy barn when I was in second grade).  I had found him up a tree too afraid to climb down.  I called and called and he meowed and meowed.  I can only image what names he came up with for me at the time.  Picturing it now I can only image how silly he must have thought I was since he had already determined he could not make it.  But I was determined to help my furry friend, my confidant, my kitty.  I realized he wasn't coming straight down, so I circled the tree trying to find a way up to help him, but what I found was a branch that was lower then the one he was on.  I called to him and told him to jump to the lower branch, and he laughed at me and what the heck are you talking about, I can't get down you silly girl.  So finally I found a long stick and pointed to the lower branch and slowly he came to understand and went to the lower branch.  This continued for quite some time until he felt comfortable enough to attempt the climb/fall/jump to the ground.  He had been stuck up in that tree for at least a day if my memory serves me and I had been worried sick about him.

I can only image the pain of Adele knowing where her kitty was for five days, listening to him getting weaker and weaker..

So kudos and karma points to Kyle and Christian Zwicky and anyone else who makes the effort to help a kitty (or a duck)

Toesday


I love Dorian's little foot.  He's got a little lucky freckle between his dewclaw pad and the major paw pad.  Basically what looks like black dirt is actually his freckle.  I'm also kinda lovin his one pink toe.

Henry would like you to know he's got one adorable set of toes too
See, I told you!

Monday, June 25, 2012

SQUEEEE!!!



Stars in my eyes


Oh..

My..

Goodness...

So on my birthday my wonderful husband suggested one of two options of things to do, one of which included going to the local drive in.  Since we are currently dealing with the longest days of the year and going to the drive in usually involves not getting home till way too late. (next month is much more reasonable)

So I opted to go to the matinee.

yea... well... turns out Christian Slater was at the drive in that night.  Yes, THAT Christian Slater.  And if you don't know who he is, then may I kindly suggest you get some sort of electrical device that shows moving pictures and watch Bed of Roses or Untamed Heart or Star Trek!!

I don't know what's worse, that he was there and I missed my chance to go, or the possibility of going and to have missed seeing him if I had been with in 20 feet of him.  I'm going to go with it was better to have missed it all together.

So the chatter on the subject said that someone saw him in the local grocery store.  Then someone said he rescued a duck.. (OMG *swoon* he rescued a duck!!)

Yea, now I'm just feeling silly swooning over such a thing.  I mean seriously he's just a guy.  A cute guy, a guy who plays cute funny guys in TV and Movies.. and occasionally plays an action hero type guy)  I'm a Mainer.. I shouldn't get all wishy washy over such things..

then..

then someone said he bought a home near by..

OMG he bought a house on the beach where I got engaged!!!  A beach less then a mile from where I grew up with.. aaaaaaahhh!!!

(breathe Connie, just breathe.. seriously, getting all swoonie over a guy you saw on TV once.. this is just silly)

Yea, but silly can be a good thing every once in a while.  Now stalk-y, that would be bad.  no walking back and forth past his million dollar home hoping to get a glimpse..

but forgive me if I sit here and hope one day he decides to adopt a kitten on one of those rare days my kittens are sitting at the shelter waiting to be adopted.  I mean he saved a duck, he must like animals.. and kittens are animals..

(let the laughing begin)

What's so bad about a Monday


We hear complaints about this Monday thing all over the place.  We aren't quite sure why, I mean it is perfect for naps..
nap time ~Agatha
I'm not sleepy! ~Schuster
not... sleeeeepyyyy...
I'm not listening to you, I'm sleeping! ~Aggie
PHOTOBOMB!! ~Hentry
Whatcha all doin? ~Henry
We are taking a nap, now go to sleep!
Did someone say nap time? ~Dorian

I'm not putting up with their shenanigans ~Simon
Lets all get comfy..
AGATHA!!!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

is it wrong of me...


So is it wrong of me to so totally enjoy startling my cats? My foot is under a blanket and no one seems to realize it.  I've wiggled my toes randomly every few minutes and it totally made Twee jump.  Actually she just jumped so badly she ended up falling off the bed (and leaving the room)

Now I'm teasing Fleurp.. :)

(don't forget you can vote for Fleurp.. am I being annoying about this yet?)

oh my goodness.. Fleurp stopped jumping at my toes, so I went to pat her, she just jumped two feet off the floor and three feet to the left.. If it had been a cartoon it would have been incredibly funny... but she ended up hitting something (kinda like walking into a wall) so I felt a little bad.. (but I did giggle a little when she got up and walked away acting like she so totally meant to do that)

(feel free to laugh at her too, she is totally fine)

a great kitten story


I saw a lot of familiar names in comments of this blog post, so you probably have already heard of the wonderful story of Zoe over at "God's Little People" but I just saw it today and absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this story.

With so many bad stories out there of kitties I just love the good ones and I think they should be celebrated.

If you haven't read Zoe's story, you should.

and you should so totally watch the video!

Skippy


I mentioned a while back that Skippy has issues that cause him to sneeze pretty violently from time to time issuing forth great gobs of green goo (Ok fine it is snot, but goo just sounds better with the alliteration)

I was able to get a sample in to the vet and we had it cultured and it turns out he has "Pseudomonas aeruginosa"  which I had never heard of, let alone pronounce even after my vet said it to me.  The culture and sensitivity said it was susceptible to Baytril, so he is on a course of that now for 30 days.

I was a little curious how Skippy would do to being pilled and almost as soon as I dropped the pill into his mouth it was gone.  He is such a good boy!  Now if I could just get him to show up to ask for pills like Fleurp is still asking for her Pred.. (which ended a month ago)

New Pain Medication for Cats


Now this is interesting.. I just learned there is a new "three day" pill for cats called Onsior (robenacoxib)  (got to love these names for medications!!)

You give one pill once a day for three days.  It is especially formulated for cats and has safety studies for up to six months. which to me could imply that you can give it for six months, but in other areas of the page it says for up to three days, or three days of pain relief for cats, so I'm assuming there is going to be some confusion here and possibly that some vets might prescribe it for longer then three days... lets hope not.

Since the problems with Metacam and Convenia, I'm very leery of new pain medications for cats. so I went to their website.  On the how does it work page, I find some  information that makes me pause.  On one hand it says it is eliminated quickly from the blood (Mean blood t1/2 of 1.7 hours) but it then says it has demonstrated tissue selectivity (clinical significance unknown) and apparently hangs out where it is necessary.  so then how is it cleared from the body after this?  and if it is cleared from the blood, how do you know it has cleared from the tissue in question


 Also on the "how does it work" page, there is the impressive results of the fact that it has an 83.5% success in the field study (n=164)  but when you realize that the placebo had a success rate of 53.8% (n=80) why isn't the groups the same?? it appears that it only has a 30% improvement over nothing.

On the safety data and field studies page I found this..
Onsior safety studies for up to six months.  The Onsior clinical trial field along with the 6-month safety study, support the safe use for 3 days. (and) There was no clinically significant difference between groups for hematology, serum chemistry, or urinalysis results.
Which goes on to say
 Robenacoxib was well tolerated when administered at 24 mg/kg/day for 21 days, except for 2 cats that experienced neurologic signs. 24 mg/kg/day is the equivalent of giving an 11 lb cat 20 tablets per day.
there were eight cats in this particular study.  So if your cat is overdosed then you have a 25% chance of your kitty having neurological issues.  I guess the chance of you giving your cat 20 pills a day - when the standard is one -  is kinda low, but this stat still scares me.

I am bothered by the extremely low numbers that this has been tested on.  I won't be giving any of this to any of my cats until it has been out for quite some time and we can get a better handle on the side effects that might not have been seen in smaller studies.  There are so few options for pain management in cats that it nice that they are coming out with additional options and I do support that.  It is just sad that some kitties will end up paying the price for it.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Kittens at work. / Birthday goodness


 Well the kittens did VERY well on their outing.  Henry and Dorian were a little slower coming out of the carrier then the rest, but even they got over their hesitation very quickly.  I guess their days of hissing and spitting are far far behind them now.  *small pats on their backs*

Henry
Simon - he completely took over the day
Schuster- and yes he got a bath prior to going to work..
He is going to have food stains until his fur grows out
Simon, just looking, he didn't want to jump down
Going back through this, I just realized they were all VERY people orientated
and none of them really got down to run around the floors
I just love Agatha the black kitten on the black kitty quilt
Simon in the boss's chair, he really has taken over now
"I'm the Boss! Go get me tuna!'
Schuster about to sample my water
Agatha the hand warmer (Photo by Lauren)

Cat and Mouse (Photo by Lauren)
Simon and Schuster
Simon and Fleurp
Schewie and the peony (I was trying to be artsy)
While at work we had a visitor who had a meeting with my boss. She said that Simon worked his charms on him and that he wanted to take Simon home.  As he was leaving he mentioned he had two cats as an excuse as to why he couldn't adopt any more.  I can't ever help myself when people mention they have fewer cats then I do that I have seven, to which he just laughed and we changed the subject.  (why is it that the fact that I have seven cats never changes anyone's mind that their one or two or four cats aren't enough??? LOL)

We had a little shindig at work, there was food and laughter and gifties which was nice.  I get out of work early on Friday and we all ended up getting home in plenty of time to go to a matinee.  We went to go see Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.  I had completely rolled my eyes when I first heard the title several months ago thinking it was going to be incredibly stupid.  A few reviews said it was from a very well reviewed book that they turned into a movie.  I have to say if you took out the fact that it was Abe Lincoln I would have really enjoyed it.  The fact that it was Abe Lincoln both added and detracted from the movie.  I would say if you like vampire movies (where the vampires don't sparkle) then you will probably like this.  Afterwards we did a little area shopping then went up to Whole Foods and Trader Joes.  We were very much in need of groceries, but I actually enjoy just shopping there for fun and unique foods.  I have been craving a key lime pie and I found a mini one at Whole Foods from The Pie Guy that was absolutely DELICIOUS!!  Finding the link to share with you I just noticed they sell whoopie pies as well.  I'm always on the look out for a good already made whoopie and I have yet to find one (if you want a good whoopie pie recipe, Martha Stewart comes closest to the one I grew up on - but with this frosting)

As we were leaving Whole Foods the sun setting and the clouds made for some really beautiful scenery.  I love how this photo looks like mountains.
Today is my sister's birthday. She was born three years before me so this has always been several days of fun and cake.  Something that I've tended to continue regardless if I actually see my sister on her birthday (I mean there is always left over birthday goodies) There are plans to get together on Sunday.

I was commenting to my husband yesterday that while growing up it always seemed like there was an entire month between my birthday and the Fourth of July.  Only recently has the holiday started encroaching on my birthday.  I guess that they can only celebrate Christmas for so long, so they have started extending other holidays as well to try to drum up sales of holiday goodness.  That and time seems to run faster and faster one you hit "five*"


*that being in cat years :)

Friday, June 22, 2012

Take your kitties to work day


Seriously?? Tomorrow* is officially Take Your Pet To Work Day??

Looks like a few someones are going to be getting baths tonight (because the youngsters haven't taught Simon and Schu how to eat with out getting dirty and in all truth they've been learning a few things from them about carrying around some food for "later")

Thank you ModernCat Twitter for telling me..

Speaking of ModernCat.. Don't forget you can vote for Fleurp.. not that she has a prayer of a chance now that City the Kitty is involved.. (not to mention the other celebucats)

*well apparently I forgot to hit publish.  The kittens are here with me at work now :) I brought my camera, if photos are taken, they will be shared.

Pssssst.. hey you kitten things..


Hey you kitties.. listen up.  a very big day is here!!

Big day?  What's up??
Well you know that lady that comes and gives you food stuffs and lovins??  Well it's her birfday today and you should do something nice for her..

What's a birfday?

Well beans are silly and they celebrate the day they were born each year.  It's how they keep track of time things.  so they know how many years old they are.


How old is she?

This is her 41st birfday

41!! how is she still alive?? That's like twice old kitty age!! Is she going to die??? 

No no silly kittens.. that is in HUMAN years, she's like.. six..

oh that's good.. just a young adult then.. *phew*  so what should we be doing??

You should work out something really cute for her.. You know, work your kitteny charms on her and make her laugh, that would make her day.
We could all get in the basket, but we don't fit..
How about we put our favorite balls in the basket?? That's kinda cute
You should keep working on it..
  
How about belly AND a hug??
Hey, not too cute.. that's MY job!!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Former Foster updates


I recently heard from a friend who is friends with someone who adopted "Fluffinator" who I fostered back in 2003.  He has a bit of complicated history, but he turned out to be a very handsome ManCat!!
Fluffinator looking at you
Fluff the ManCat!
I also got some new pictures of Duncan and Brianna and Perseus their big brother.

*sigh* I just love kitties that snuggle with one another.
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