Quite unexpectedly today, Thatcher began to crash. He was laying on the top of the cage when I went in to feed the babies, and his head was drooped over at a strange angle. At first I thought he was gone and I rushed over to scoop him up. He was so cold and he started to tremble. His temperature was 95.7 way to low for any kitten. I gave him a combination of Karo syrup and warm coffee and a few minutes later he revived, his temperature went into normal range and he was just fine. He had become hyperglycemic. On the last check, he was snuggled down with Sawyer and resting quietly.

It?s the extra things in life that are important: Time spent with our furry companions racks up to be of major importance for most cat lovers, especially after a stressful day. For PetExtras.com their efforts to supply our feline family with extra goodies translates into delectable treats for your pet.

Always willing to go that extra mile, PetExtra now unveils their latest additions- freeze dried rabbit, bonito, calamari and mouse?Wait a minute, did I just say MOUSE? I did indeed and the inclusion of this treat is brilliant.

I knew I was in a spot of trouble when I set the box down on the table and turned my back for a micro-second. That was all it took for my sharp-nosed shooters to jump on the table and nudge it to the ground. When I heard the box drop, I swung around and saw the faces of Everest, McKinley, Rocky and Mercedes looking up at me as if to say: ?Are you going to open this, or shall we do it??

Inside were several bags of the new POgOS treats. Even though the treats were sealed in heavy duty re-sealable bags, my research team with their feline ESP knew the shipment was theirs!

Opening the bags sealed the fate of the treats inside. The rabbit was more of a hit for the puppy, but the cats went wild for the calimari, bonito and especially the mouse. There were several of my team who doubled as cat burglars during the testing process, stealing the treats from unsuspecting researchers before they knew what hit them (usually just a paw).

Sullivan, one of the newest kitty rescues grabbed several chunks of mouse and slid under the desk with his prize. He reverted back to his feral state, growling a warning every time one of his feline friends tried to help him eat his catch.

According to Jonathan Kildow CSR for www.petextras.com , the rabbit, bonito, and calimari are all human-grade food. The mouse was considered an added benefit based on a study conducted years ago by the Iams Corportion that showed a diet of just mice in test cats prevented every cat from developing UTI. After all, a mouse is the prey that all cats were originally designed to eat. Mice are also the reason that man and feline joined together, because of the cat?s propensity to keep grain barns free of rodents and other pests. Unlike the mice in the wild, the mice treats are parasite free. All the treats are USDA and FDA inspected and Certified by a Veterinary Nutritionalist. Also the treats are grain and gravy free!

As long as I had those bags of treats in my hands, I had a kitty parade following me around the house. Finally in a last act of desperation, I tucked the treats into the freezer, where even my most talented kitten couldn?t reach them!

The benefits of these treats are that they can be kept indefinitely in your freezer. It would be a good thing to have on hand for a cat who is so ill that eating isn?t on his agenda. One mouse treat ground into powder and sprinkled over his regular food might make him think twice about refusing to eat.

You can hide these treats around the house and let your obese cat find those hidey holes by following his nose.

The treats also roll quite nicely along the floor in a game of fetch, although the game is one-sided because the kitty gobbles up the treat instead of bringing it back.

Although these treats should never substitute for a good quality diet, they are an extra added treat for any cat-lover to have on hand. They come in 21 gram re-sealable zippered bags.

Better hurry, once the word gets out in the cat world, these treats will be disappearing fast!

Five Stars from the Miller Clowder Research Team a definite Purrsonal Favorite was the Mouse!

ABK is now in general population and it is going quite well. My group is used to other cats passing through so the only challenges have been from Charlie, which is to be expected. Charlie is stunted for his age, plus what he endured before he arrived has also led to his short stature. He is small but formidable and is clearly the leader around here. He wants everyone to know this and will confront the toughest cat and come out the winner. Although when he has to, he can be a peaceful comfort for a newly arrived kitten.

I went ahead and took ABK to the vet, they sure got a kick out of his name! He checked out negative for all the nasty diseases, he has been dewormed and given some antibiotics for his URI. He also has bad earmites in his left ear.

When I got home, I received a message that the person who adopted Simpson and Piper needed me to call her. Apparently, Simpson is not a kid kitty and has spent the majority of the time hiding. I know it is way to soon for him to adjust to eight kids, two adults and two cats, but I didn’t argue. I was just grateful she contacted me instead of just tossing the kitten outside to fend for himself. She asked me to bring in a few more, so I took Wallie, ABK and Trump. They settled on Wallie who i think will do just fine in such a busy household as he is a very active and inquisitive. I brought Simpson home and released him to general population.

This morning as I was going to town early, I noticed a group of kids clustered near the creek nearby. I had a funny feeling as we had a lot of rain lately, so I stopped my car and went over to the gathering.

There was a storm pipe partially opened and I peered inside to see a black kitten clinging to a branch! Poor baby.

I laid down quickly on the ground and reached in (thank God I am tall and have long arms) I managed to grab the tail (sorry kitty) and after a bit of tug of war as he was clinging to the branch to save his life, he finally let go and I swung him to safety.

I hurried home with him and bathed and dried him- he is about 4-5 weeks old and after the shock has worn off, he is a real lovebug. No feralness in this baby. I don’t know if he was dropped in the drain or what the story was as when I arrived, the kids split.

I am calling him for now ABK for Another Black Kitty. He is warm, he is dry, he is eating. He has been flea treated and wormed for roundworms. I need to get some more drontal just don’t have the funds at the moment.

he is upstairs in the kitten room. I can’t put him in the bedroom because then he will get ringworm. He seems content to stay inside the open cat carrier that is piled high with soft bedding and there is a snugglekittie inside for company. He is a sweet, sweet boy and I am glad God put me there to help him out…even if he is black! 🙂

Kubota, my four year old neutered feral had worked himself into quite a state. After falling victim to a urinary tract disease, he had been whisked to the vet and was poked, prodded and medicated. Now back home, he was confined to sick bay, his howls of protest filling the house. He was adamant in his demands. He wanted out, and he wanted out now! Sitting at the computer, trying to get some work done was proving futile. Any semblance of clear thought was being chased out of my head due to his relentless yowling. This cat serenade needed to cease; calm had to be restored.

Racking my brain to find a solution, I remembered a recently acquired product, Snugglekittie. This was the brainchild of Julee Roth of Aspen, Colorado. Its primary objective is to offer comfort to motherless kittens and nervous pets.

Equipped with two separate heat sources and a battery-powered heart that duplicates the heartbeat of a mother cat when activated, Snugglekittie is so well thought-out in design, that even its eyes and nose are simply outlined in stitching. This is done in an effort to stop an active kitten, from removing detachable pieces and possibly choking.

Borrowing a chapter from Nature, the manufacturers of Snugglekittie created a pouch in the belly. Just as a mom kangaroo nurtures her Joey where he can be warm, smell her scent and be calmed by her beating heart, so can a distressed domestic animal have his or her fears allayed. For within this Snugglekittie pouch, is held the heart, the heat packs and that all-important unwashed sock of the owner, which assures your pet, that you are nearby.

Kubota and his howls of outrage prompted movement, and I grabbed Snugglekittie and headed upstairs? Twenty minutes later, I was settled back down in front of the computer. The house was peaceful. As the computer booted up, I found myself marveling at the scene I had just been privy to. Kubota had immediately leaped onto my lap to greet me. When I offered him Snugglekittie, he just gave it three perfunctory sniffs, and then turned his attention back to me. I broke open a heat pack, turned on the heart, and slid both items, along with an unwashed sock back into the pouch. I then placed Kubota near it, and watched as he began to knead the back and head vigorously.

Once he had mashed down Snugglekittie to his own desire, he settled on top of the belly and closed his eyes. Reasonably sure that when I moved, he would leap up and once again demand my lap, I carefully slid off towards the end of the couch. I was impressed when he remained calm and did not stir. I tiptoed out of the room, turned off the lights and left him and his new buddy alone.

The two retained their close friendship during the entire week that Kubota was in confinement. Peace prevailed; Snugglekittie had delivered on its promise. Every year in the springtime, kitten season brings me batches of orphaned babies. It has been difficult to watch these infants grow up with no mother to cuddle them and no heart songs to help ease them to the transition from womb to independence. But now, armed with Snugglekittie, I am prepared and even looking forward to these new arrivals! Order at snuggleme Beware of imitations! This is the original creator?s website

Jeanie, the one who recently adopted Sims just called and asked if she could have another black kitten. At first, I thought Sims wasn’t working out, but it turns out that he is doing wonderfully and she wants another of his brothers! That will mean that the last black boy will be leaving tomorrow and then we will just be left with two of the BP kittens- Frasier and Sharky who, as I said before we are keeping-

The day has dawned crisp and cold. The turkey, put in at 2:00 a.m. and baking slow in the oven has permeated the house. The kittens, enticed by this lovely smell are clustered around the oven (at a respectable distance) They are wondering about this new, wonderful smell and when will they be able to taste this delicacy? The older cats on stand-by on the cat condos in the dining room know the routine. They will feast, but not until later. Not until the bird comes out of the oven and has cooled to their expectations….but there is always hope..

The black plague litter 🙂 is dimished now. Several of the black beauties have found loving, caring homes. There are two left and they are our “keepers.” We are keepiing Sharky and Frasier, because they are biters. I am working with them slowly to get them over this tendency, but in the process, I have fallen hard for these black kitties who have already endured unimaginable suffering.

As I look back on the year, I pause to wonder what I am most thankful for and the answer is clear. I am most thankful for my faith in God which leads me through each day, helps me overcome any struggles I face and leaves me with a warm toasty feeling of being loved.

Because of Him, I am married to a wonderful. patient man who puts up with my cat obsession and he puts up with me! Not an easy task! I know that he faces more health struggles next year, and through my faith in God, I intend to stay grounded by his side even though part of me might feel like running out the front door screaming and racing down the highway as if my hair is on fire! He only gives us what He believes we can handle.

I am grateful for all the kittens that have passed through my home this year as I learn from each and every one of them, special lessons no one else can teach. I am grateful for so many of my readers who take time out in their day to email me and share amazing stories about the cats and kittens they rescue! I am grateful for Carla and although I have not heard from her since her divorce. I hope she is well. I hope she is surrounded by the cats she loves and I hope she finds a man who shares that love and can make her feel whole again.

I have to work today, so I need to sign off and get ready to go in. I just wanted to stop for a moment and thank all of you for your support, your kindness and yes even your criticisms about how I live my life. I may not publish all the comments that come through here, but I do read each and every one.

May you all find what you need to keep going in such hard times. May you find time to snuggle your face down into soft fur, pet a silky belly without being attacked and have a loving critter share your life and bless you with their unconditional love-

Thank you ALL!

The Cat Writers’ Convention is over and this year I was unable to attend. I was thrilled however to learn that my website felinexpress.com has won a Muse Medallion for the third year straight! I read all the judges comments for the winners and was happy to see so many friends this year among the winners list: Dusty Rainbolt, Paul Glassner, Cimeron Morrisey and so many others! I wish I could have attended, but time was the crunch and Mike cannot be left alone for long any more. He was just diagnosed yesterday with Dupuytrene’s Disease so I am doubly glad I decided to stay home this year.

Thatcher, Sawyer and Wallie went to the vets yesterday. Wallie’s eye is slowly resolving on his own and the danger of losing his eye before he is 6 months old has been released. The vet believes he will be okay! Wallie is also 14 months old and perhaps just stunted in his growth, but his lower incisors are coming in so he bears his age well!

All three kittens have ringworm so here we go on the ringworm war one more time. I have a lyme sulpher spray to use on the kittens as well as oral meds. Thank the good Lord I am immune to getting ringworm so I don’t have to wear gloves or take precautionary measures when handling the wee ones. The babies are just now about 5 weeks old.

This morning, I drove up to Santa Clara with four black kittens for company. I came back with two, having approved a lovely home for Piper and Simpson. The family is large and loving, no dogs, a beautiful home and with all the kids, the kittens will never be bored.

I am so relieved, because when I was contacted, the woman only wanted black cats- and the kids were so well-behaved and respectful toward the kittens who were of course overwhelmed by the new place, the new smells and the activity. But I think within one or two days, Simpson and Piper will find laps to sit in and will get along just fine.