How to save a choking cat

Life can be a fleeting and fragile commodity. Knowing how to handle a possibly catastrophic situation could save your pet's life. Here is a fundamental proceedure that every pet owner should commit to memory.
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/how-to-save-a-choking-cat.htm

Kitlers

We've all been told at some point in our lives that we resemble some celebrity somewhere. In most cases this is complimentary. At the other end of the spectrum however, it can really impede your social life.
http://www.catsthatlooklikehitler.com/cgi-bin/seigmiaow.pl

The watering hole

So much attention has been placed on pet food over the last few years and so little on the other vital intake .. drinking water. The importance of clean chemical free water is ctitical to an animals health and requires prioritized attention in a cat's regiment.
http://www.pawpathlittermat.com/Articles/a-hazardstapwater.html

Tuxedo cats .. dapper and clever

The tuxedo cat, sometimes called the jellicle cat,has long been recognized as having a playful and friendly demeanor. The tuxedo label denotes it's formal appearing black and white coloring and does not indicate a specific breed. Recent studies however suggest that this coloring may indicate another interesting character trait. Turns out these cats may be smarter than their feline counterparts.

The cat at Christmas

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If under the Christmas Tree you see
A poorly wrapped package from Me
Remember that I have a cat
and upon your box he has sat

If the ribbon on your package is tattered
and the rest looks a little splattered
Remember that I have a cat
Who wore the bow on his head like a hat

If the paper on your package is shredded
and the gifts inside are now dreaded
Remember that I have a cat
and let's just leave it at that


A happy Christmas from SmartyKatz

Prozac for cats

Not so very long ago the idea of dispensing antidepressant drugs to a cat was a radical if not ludicrous notion. Today the landscape has changed with respect to veterinary pharmaceuticals. Cats with otherwise uncontrollable behavior issues or aggression problems are given a new lease on life with drugs once reserved for their human counterparts. Enter the new "Prozac nation".
http://www.dogsandcats101.com/2007/09/21/prozac-for-cats-and-dogs-aggression-fear-improper-urinating-etc/

In the eyes of the beholder

The Peterbald cat, recently featured in Cat Fancy magazine, would seem aesthetically challenged at first blush. Once that alien visage wears off however you are fascinated by this very unique animal. Here's an interesting gallery that affords an in depth look at these cool creatures.

The Cheshire cat

"`Cheshire Puss,' [Alice] began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider. `Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, and she went on. `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
`I don't much care where--' said Alice.
`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.
`--so long as I get SOMEWHERE,' Alice added as an explanation.
`Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'"
"`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'

The Chesire cat remains a famous figure in literature although no one really knows the inspiration for, nor the intended parody reference to Lewis Carroll's fanciful feline.

The journey of Ziggy Stardust

Appropriate for Hanukkah, check out this amazing tale of a resilient Jewish cat with a case of the wanderlust.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3332415,00.html

Feline wickerware

Still time to grab one of these trendy Christmas gifts for the hard to shop for pet.
There's something about wicker that harmonizes with the personality of a cat.

http://cgi.ebay.com.my/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170346289835
http://www.homegardenandpatio.com/cat.cgi?s=SCH-9403-2&c=home_wicker_pet_accessories
http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=804&pf_id=7943&source=webgains&siteid=47683
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/customerpicturedisplay/shop/cats/cat_beds_baskets/cat_dens/cat_dens/36705?zanpid=1318532497193044992

Pyewacket

Kim Novak's portrayal of Gillian Holroyd, a modern day witch, in the 1958 film "Bell Book and Candle" enchanted moviegoers and won her condiderable acclaim. Her familiar spirit in the film "Pyewacket" a slinky Siamese cat added a dark and eerie air to the plot and over the years became the movie's most prominent reference point. Few at the time were familiar with the origin of the cat's name. It was born of an incident in seventeenth century England wherin a suspected witch calls out the name as being one of her familiar spirits. The name remains extremely popular among the Siamese cat lover community.

Winged cats

Sightings of cats with wings is not a recent tabloid-Sasquatch phenomenon. Legends and foggy evidence of the existence of such creatures date back several centuries. Here's a lengthy look at the details surrounding this mystery and some possible explanations.
http://www.messybeast.com/winged-cats.htm

Make your own organic cat food

The great pet food scare of a few years ago was the tipping point for many pet owners who already had existing concerns about commercial foods. A significant shift began to materialize in the types of food owners were purchasing for their animals. Ingredients are now being meticulously scrutinized and the trend towards organics grows stronger every day. For those on a tight budget homemade organic cat food is a popular option. It not only allows the owner control of the ingredients, it's wallet friendly.
Is this routine a fit for your lifestyle?

Litter Wars

A great debate still exists among cat experts as to which litter box medium has the least negative impact on the health of the animal and the owner. The sodium bentonite issue is still raised by clay litter critics but very little hard evidence exists to confirm it's bad reputation. This article explores the issue objectively.

Under the boardwalk

Atlantic City N.J. has always harbored a unique feral cat situation. Colonies of ferals living beneath the historic boardwalk fuel constant debates among community residents. The controversy has spawned a fascinating array of proposed solutions and support groups, and this beach town's progress is being watched closely by many other cities with similar issues. A local journal offers enlightened insight.

Cat Sounds

Cats may be known for their stealth and quiet presence, but their vocalizations are a fascinating repertoire of varied meanings as evidenced at this site.

He ain't heavy ..

A carrier for the shamelessly indulgent. Never mind the destination, it's all about the ride.

Uncia Uncia

Great gallery of the magnificent snow leopard
http://www.thebigcats.com/snowleo/snowleo.htm

Curiousities

Creativity abounds among feline fanciers in the E-commerce community. Check out this unique idea for truly cool cat. Who wouldn't sleep in one of these.http://www.therefinedfeline.com/kitinbox-cat-perch.htm

Cats and the military

Service personnel who are called unexpectedly into action often face the problem of having no plan to care for their pets. When no friends or relatives are able to assist, organizations such as this one have stepped up to the cause.
http://www.operationnoblefoster.org/basics_foster.htm

Communications

Animal Communicators and the desperation when the cat goes lost.
The emptiness that sets in when all physical resources have been exhausted in the search for a missing pet can be profound. Communicators will never escape skepticism but their strange talents have pulled many pet owners over to their side and returned many pets to their warm beds. Visit this link for information on one communicator who has won great acclaim.
http://www.petpsychicfindslostpets.com/

The legendary Key West cats ..

Ernest Hemingway was an amazing man, with many talents and interests. He was also an inveterate cat-lover, because he admired the spirit and independence of cats. Hemingway acquired his first cat from a ship's captain in Key West, Florida, where he made his home for a number of years. This cat, which may have been a Maine Coon, had extra toes (technically known as polydactyl, latin for "many digits"). Today, approximately 60 cats, half of them polydactyl, make their home in the Ernest Hemingway Museum and Home, in Key West, protected by the terms of his will. At least some of those cats are descendents of Hemingway's first cat, and are given fanciful names, as he once did, after movie stars and even characters in his book. The cats of the Hemingway Museum are so popular and so well-known, that the nickname "Hemingway Cats" has often been given to polydactyls.
My favorite glimpse ..
http://www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/our_cats.htm

Living with blind cats

All but blind
In his cambered hole
Gropes for worms
The four-clawed Mole.

All but blind
In the evening sky
The hooded Bat
Twirls softly by.

All but blind
In the burning day
The Barn-Owl blunders
On her way.

And blind as are
These three to me,
So blind to someone
I must be.

(Walter de la Mare)

A disturbing but enlightening link ..
http://www.our-happy-cat.com/blind-cats.html

SmartyKatz .. the invitation

This blog is intended to become a way station for the genuine feline enthusiast. Consider it a trading post of ideas, articles and observations of all things cat. Feedback and contributions from residents of this special community will always be welcome.

SmartyKatz