A Time for Animals

BP oil spill, negligent and abusive pet owners, hunters and poachers, fur-wearing fashionistas, and all the other brain-spared people of the world -- maybe it's time for humans to move out and let animals and nature have a chance. Yes, there's many of us who do care (especially the wonderful readers of this blog), but there just doesn't seem to be enough of us. With these disheartening thoughts, I knew I needed something to lift my spirits -- hope you enjoy:

Animals nurturing animals

Time for Something Cute

If you're anything like me, you're running around getting ready for the holiday season. I'm having 27 people for dinner on the 25th, but always have time for a dose of cute. Click here if you have a moment.

It's That Time of Year Again: Christmas Gifts for Your Pet

What do our pets want for Christmas? Just our love and attention. And maybe a toy or two (click on photo to get the big picture):

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Other than their cuteness value, what else do these three dog toys have in common? They each represent objects that you'd never want your dog to actually chew on. Why not stick to ... hmm, what would you want your dog to chew on?

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This moving bag with twitching cat tail is sure to freak your cat out.

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I like the idea giving a cat more space to climb, but I have visions of someone slamming the door open, and ... well, you can see where I'm going with this.

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Now, how cool is this? And when it's time to take your cat to the vet, you entice it inside the goldfish with a treat, pinch the fish's mouth closed, sling it over your shoulder, and you're off.

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For more great gift ideas, visit ThisNext.

Learning to Climb

If you need a reason to smile and have a few minutes to spare, then check out this video. Two squirrels, a wall, and a little help from some friends -- it's my all-time favourite. Thanks to Nuclear Toast for pointing this one out.

Fortune Telling Fish

I picked up these Fortune Telling Fish at Pier One Imports a few weeks ago (I know I'm stretching my animal-themed blog by including them). What's so cool about them is that we had these things when I was growing up in the early 60's -- this is what we did for fun back then. Anyway, seeing them was like a mini-trip down memory lane. To get a closer look, just click on the photo.





According to the back of the package, this means I'm passionate. But since it had turned over, it might mean I'm false. I suppose I'll have to try it again. You see, hours of fun! Who needs video games?

Gone Fishing

We used to have fish -- in a five gallon tank, I believe. The fish were lovely to watch, though I always felt a bit sorry for them as they swam around and around, imprisoned by four glass walls. That is, I felt sorry for them until it came time to clean the tank. Then I felt sorry for me.

I was rather fanatical about keeping the tank clean, so I bought a sucker fish. He was a great little housekeeper, mouthing his way silently along the glass surface. As he grew and grew, never complaining about his lot in life, I became quite fond of him. Over the four or five years that we had the tank, fish would die, only to be replaced by others. But that sucker fish -- he just kept doing his job.

When the last fish died, I decided my tank cleaning days were over. The sucker fish still thrived, so when a local fish store offered him a new home, I gladly dropped him off. Okay, not so gladly. Do you know, I actually cried when they slipped him into his new tank? Man, sometimes I just get too emotional.

I'll never venture back into the world of fish and aquariums, but I could surely be tempted by some of these:

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I'm not too sure how this works, but wouldn't it freak out your friends when they came to visit? And think of the convenience when it comes time to dispose of the dead fish (Note: we always buried our fish. Flushing seemed so ... so disrespectful).

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This aquarium is suspended from the ceiling. I have no idea how you'd clean it, but I don't recommend it to anyone living in an earthquake zone.

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This is the coolest aquarium. Impossible to clean, but so much fun for the fish. Hmm ... can fish even have fun?

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You know how fish don't like it when the side of their tank is tapped? With this, what happens when you have a party, and everyone is setting down their glass? Your fish would most likely become nervous wrecks, cowering from the creatures hovering over the table.

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All pets are high maintenance in one way or another, or at least, they should be. As much as we love 'em, there will always be aspects of their care that drive us nuts. With my cat, Meeko, it's the 5:00 a.m. wake up call she gives me. She'll begin kneading my head if knocking things off my bedside table doesn't work. That's still better than sticking my hands into a fish tank, and cleaning poop out of the gravel.

Gift Ideas for Your Dog

As promised, here are the latest (though not alway greatest) Christmas gift ideas for your dog:

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Okay, this is just wrong. I'm sure the designer of these chew toys is headed for a special place in wildlife hell:

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You know how I feel about clothes for a dog, so I won't even comment on this nail polish:

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This little backpack just reminded me of something -- people who tie a plastic poop bag around their dog's collar -- after the dog has pooped. That's just mean.

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Dogs love to chase balls, but if you're anything like me, tossing them can get tiresome. Here's a great gift idea that benefits everyone involved:

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How smart is your dog? With the Interactive Brick Dog Toy, you hide the treats, then let your pet find them by moving the sliding "bricks" with his paw or nose. Where treats are involved, I think most dogs are pretty darn smart:

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And finally, after a hard day of chasing balls, what dog doesn't want to kick back and have a few?

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Don't forget all the animals at your local Humane Society or SPCA -- they would love some new toys, and now is the perfect time to buy in bulk. During the Christmas season, many stores sell "stockings" filled with dog or cat toys at a very reasonable price. The animals would also be happy to receive your old (clean) flannel sheets, towels and blankets. I've found that bathroom rugs with a deeper pile go over well -- they're soft and keep the animals warm.

Gift Ideas for Your Cat

Ah, catnip ... over-the-counter drugs for your pet. But just how many different ways can you package the stuff?

Do cats really care? I'll tell you what I do: I buy a package of loose catnip, toss some in an old sock, tie a string or ribbon tightly around the opening, and present it to my cat. She'll play with it for weeks.

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At first, I thought: Oh yeah, buy this toy and watch your cat's eyes go up in flames when she looks into the light, but apparently it's the green pocket laser lights that can damage one's eyes.

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I'm thinking photoshopped because there is no way they got a cat to sit inside this cardboard "Cat Play House". Yet it looks so realistic.

In this particular case, they really should have photoshopped a cat who didn't look quite so terrified:

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And finally, for the cat who always seems to be getting underfoot:

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Next up, gift ideas for dogs.

Christmas Gifts for Animal Lovers

Last year, I wrote about Christmas gifts for dogs and cats. I thought it was time for some useless gifts for the animal lovers in your lives:

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This doormat is so cute, but it's almost book-length so all your guests will most likely get frostbite while reading it:

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In an effort to appeal to every taste and interest, Monopoly games have gone wild :

Of course, there's one for cat lovers too:

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I make my own cards and tags, and these would be great to add to those I make for animal lovers:

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I do not for a moment believe this item will stop my cat from lounging on my mouse, desk or keyboard:

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While searching for these nifty items, I came across some more wonderfully useless stuff for cats and dogs, so I'm going to post those some time soon.

More Amazing Products for Pets

I've been spending far too much blog space worrying and writing about stray cats. It's time for some fun, so I thought I'd feature a few of the latest sometimes cool, sometimes useless products for pets:

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I think this is one of those items that seemed like a good idea at the time.

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(via Snowflake)

The Crazy Cat Lady costume -- just in time for Halloween.

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(via Maya-Gabrielle)

Some pets are notorious for gulping down their food only to barf it up a few minutes later. These three posts encourage your pet to dine at a more leisurely pace. Might also frustrate the hell out of them. Note to self: find out if this product is available for humans.

The "click on the bowl to see how it works" doesn't work for me.

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(via Aswan)

This outdoor enclosure is supposed to keep your cat safe from predators and getting lost or run over. But all I can think of when I look at it is:

1) The potential for it to roll down the driveway or lawn, and into the path of an oncoming car.

2) How a large dog might view this as a gigantic toy -- with a live kitty inside! Kind of like a Cracker Jack box for canines.

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Pet Consumerism

I can never get enough of the weird and wonderful products available for pets:

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I wonder if this dog house comes fully landscaped?

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This is a great idea! I live two houses down from a walkway, and my next-door-neighbour's dog goes nuts every time someone walks along it. Although I'm not sure if being able to see what's on the other side would stop the dog from barking.

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Actually, this cat bed would make a great salad bowl.

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I don't know -- yes, many dogs are overweight, but shouldn't they be outside in the fresh air and open spaces?

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I know what my cat would be saying if I bought one of these Meowlingual Cat Translators: "You're an idiot."

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On Friday, I'm off to Vegas for four days with five of my girlfriends to celebrate our [gulp] 50th birthdays (that's a lot of numbers for one sentence). I've been friends with these women for 30 or more years. Despite knowing everything there is to know about me, they still love me. Go figure.

Strange Bedfellows

Just a quick post today because I'm busy catching up on my scrapbooking. A bit of background on that: three years ago, my husband gave me a digital camera, and I immediately ceased having pictures developed. About a year ago, he bought a photo printer, and it took me another year before I decided to learn how to use it. So I've been busy these last few weeks, printing off photos then putting them, along with my memories, in a scrapbook. I've worked my way up to mid-2006. Almost there.

Today is all about the cute and unusual world of animal friendships:












Awwww. So if these animals can get along, why couldn't my two cats, Chowder and Meeko ever see eye-to-eye? Okay, back to my own photos.

Entertaining Your Cat

Some of the toys I've purchased for my cat have been a success. Others, like the one pictured below, have been a wash-out.

My cat, Meeko, will jump into into any undefended plastic or paper bag, but she won't venture into this--even when I toss in cat nip or treats. I've pretty much done everything but crawl inside the darn thing myself. But there is one form of entertainment that never fails to draw her in.

Chipmunks and squirrels.

Of course, I have to litter the outside sill with sunflower seeds. It's a small price to pay to keep the cat amused. Here she is, this past summer:


She thinks she's being sneaky, hoping to catch the chipmunk unaware while staying hidden below the window.

But sometimes, the temptation is too great and she throws caution to the wind.


These days, she waits eagerly by the window for the return of the warm weather and live entertainment.