The Critter Gang

A Critter Christmas by Shasta

2012-01-04T03:20:00.001-06:00

Christmas started just like any other day. I had no idea what wuz gonna happen. I knew everyone stayed up late wrapping toys in paper. I don’t know why cuz we wuz just gonna rip’em open in a few hours.

After breakfast, Robyn went out and fed d’feral cats & Buck, d’bunny wabbit. When she came back in, she went into d’bathroom t’get d’wrapped packages of toys… like we didn’t know what wuz in’em.

Out she came wif these packages. I saw Hershey get excited; so, I started t’get excited. Robyn had 5 packages in her arms and d’video camera in her hand. She has this thing wif cameras… weird!

Robyn placed all d’packages on one of d’tables in d’living room beside d’sofa. No not d’table I tore into on Christmas Eve when they went t’Christmas Eve Mass. She has that on video too ya’know. I can’t believe it. She posted that t’YouTube and her Facebook page. I do hope other doggies get t’see it. Hee hee! Psst… if you got a doggie, let’em watch it. It’s about 4 minutes long, but it’s non stop action… guaranteed!

So, anywoof, after Robyn placed d’packages on d’table, she would pick one up and call out our names. One by one. I wuz not furst. I don’t know why I wuz not furst. I am d’baby; I shoulda been furst. No, Hershey wuz furst. Pro’bly cuz he’s oldest.

Hershey took his present and laid down on d’floor wif it. He started t’tear into d’paper. I watched t’see what he did; so, I’d know what t’do when it wuz my turn. Robyn went through all 5 of us doggies, and we all went to a spot on d’floor and started ripping into our presents. Well, Tiffany & Cody didn’t. They are a little more nervous than the rest of us. Robyn had t’open Tiffany’s and give her d’toys. Cody had t’have his present opened fur him too. I needed no help wif mine. I know exactly how t’tear into things.

Once d’presents were open, oh boy, did we have fun. I got 2 hedgehog toys. One made a funny pig like noise and a squeak! It’s head even rattled. It wuz great! The other one had 12 squeakers in it! WOW! I like squeakers. Squeak… squeak… squeak… hee hee

Hershey got one wif 12 squeakers, too. Robyn wanted to see how long it took fur him to get all d’squeakers out… 15 minutes later he had about half of’em out. He sniffs’em out and bites’em out. He’s good. I can learn sooo much from him. He’s m’hero. He also got a Bumble. A Bumble is an abom’nable snowman from Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Bumble’s bounce and so do Hersheys; so, Robyn got’em a stuffed Bumble. He had d’squeaker in that out early on, too! I helped t’tear up d’Bumble afterwards. We tore all d’arms an’legs off. Now d’cats play wif d’arms an’legs. We had so much fun!

Chico got a couple of tiny little sock monkeys. He played wif’em, flipped’em around and had a good ol’time. He looked more like a puppy playing than a 13 year old Chihuahua!

Cody wuz nervous. He didn’t play too much right away, but after a while, he started to figure out what to do. See, it wuzn’t just my furst Christmas; it wuz pro’bly Cody’s, too, cuz he wuz stray.

Tiffany just likes to lay wif her toys. She’s a very nervous doggie, too, and she never learned how to play wif toys when she wuz a pup.

After all d’toys wuz played wif, it started t’get onto being suppertime. Robyn made lots of great smelling stuff. After they ate, we got t’have some. Italian Pot Roast… have I mentioned how I really like beef? I wish they had sum cows.

Oh, We got to see cows on New Years Day. We went fur a ride. I didn’t see cows; all I could see is Italian Pot Roast walkin’ around! It wuz makin’ me hungry.

OK, back t’Christmas… d’cats got sum inneresting stuff. They got a crinkle sack. They were crawling inside it an’rubbin’ all over it like they wuz on drugs. Robyn says d’cat toy people put catnip in everything; she says it’s like a drug to d’kitties. They sure did act weird! I tried t’help’em play wif their toys, but Robyn kept telling me “no” and taking’em away. Them cat toys had feathers attached to’em even. That was very inneresting.

Oh, speaking of feathers… I started this year off with catching me a bird! Robyn wuz not happy ‘bout that. She made me drop it. It was already dead; what dif’rence did it make? She took it an’buried it in d’St Francis Pet Cemetery out back. Don’t know why; I coulda buried it… in me. People are strange critters!

Well, I think my furst Christmas was great! I had lotsa fun, and I didn’t get any coal like Robyn said I wuz gonna get! I think she wuz bluffin’.

Now, I can’t wait fur snow! Robyn says they usually get it once a season. I don’t know what they’re seasoning, but I just wanna see lotsa snow. We got a dusting of snow in December, but it wuz practically nuffin. I wanna see lotsa snow. Robyn hates snow. I think it’d be fun. Robyn says if it snows, she’s gonna have to take pictures. Always wif d’camera! She has definitely got a problem, an’ she thinks I got a problem just cause I tore up d’stupid ‘polstered table.

Here's sum more videos of sum of us doggies an' sum of d'kitties playin' wif our Christmas presents. Sum of'em are reeeeal short; so, don't blink!

Hershey with his Bumble

Cody with his toys

Shasta with one of her Hedgehog toys

It's a Cat House Christmas

It's still a Cat House Christmas

Jake in a Sack

And that's how The Critter Gang celebrated Christmas!

The Christmas that Almost Wasn't

2011-12-28T16:48:00.003-06:00

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 almost ended any happiness that would have been this Christmas.

I had to go to Sherman, Texas for some last minute grocery shopping needs before Christmas. Mom stayed home with the critters. It should have been an easy task, as it usually is. Not this time.

Shasta was in the yard when I left. She watched me through the gate as I pulled away. Like the other dogs, she bolted to the other side of the yard to watch me as I pulled out of the driveway and headed towards Sherman.

After I got to Sherman, I made 2 stops... the Catholic church to deliver a couple of Christmas presents and the post office.

I, then, headed to PetSmart to pick up another dog bed and some cat beds they had on sale still, as well as some litter and food. While there, I got some toys for the cats and a few more for the dogs.

As I got in line at the check out, I got a call from Mom. I listened to her still calming down from a frightful experience...

Shasta got out of the yard.

I asked if she wanted me to come home. She said no; she had managed to catch her, as she called to her and she came.

She put her back in the yard, but she got out again. This time she saw her do it. She squeezed between the house and the fence post. She didn't know how she was fitting, as the space looked too thin.

I told her I would try to hurry, but I had to go to Sam's, Kroger & Walmart, which I dreaded. Things moved along, but seemed to me to be taking forever. As the time passed and more and more people seemed to be out Christmas shopping, I felt like I was getting nowhere, and was nervous as to how things were going at home.

Then, the worst call came while I was at Walmart picking out a birthday card for Mom...

Mom called... Shasta was out of the yard again. She had gone out with her this time to watch her, but she was faster than Mom. She squeezed out and started running. The land is 2 acres, which doesn't seem too large until you are chasing a dog or walking it when you are in pain. Mom walks with a cane and a walker. She was smart this time and took her cane and a coat with her to watch her. She had no treats to entice her with, though, and no leash. Her collar was not on her, as this was the first time she had ever gotten out of the yard.

Sherman is 20 minutes from home doing 70 mph. I told her I would leave and come home. She told me no, just finish; she'd do the best she could.

She was crying. I felt helpless.

Here's my near 68 year old mother, who has been told she needs knee replacements, but refuses to get them because she's afraid, out chasing my 9 month old puppy across 2 acres of land... barb wire barricades 2 sides and horse fence barricades the 3rd side. Wild berry vine bushes with thorns, prickly pear cactus and briar vines with large thorns is everywhere. In some places, there are thickets of trees & poison oak. Mom followed her back as far as she could go. Shasta kept going... through the barb wire fence and through a pasture and to the other side of a line of trees out of sight. That's when Mom called me while I was at Walmart. She was so upset because she thought she lost my puppy. I was upset because I knew Mom couldn't walk that well and to know she was traipsing all over chasing her. I wasn't there to help and Shasta was out of her sight. I was afraid for Mom getting hurt, and I was afraid of losing Shasta.

I called our neighbor. He was still at work, but his girlfriend and his son were home. He asked them to go over to help.

Mom managed to get Shasta to start heading back to her, but Shasta was distracted by a pond... in she went... belly deep!

My neighbors made it back to Mom and tried to help catch Shasta. They all chased her back up to the house. When they got back to the house, Shasta was back in the yard, as my neighbors saw her escape again as they approached. Luckily the three of them were able to corral her at the spot where she got out, and she squeezed back in. None of them could figure how she got out.

I got a call from my neighbor as I got to the truck after checking out at Walmart. I was so panicked I was shaking. He calmly asked, "did you here?" I thought he was going to say Mom fell and got hurt or Shasta ran out in the street and got hit by a car... the street is a 70 mph highway, which was extremely busy just before Christmas and at 4-5pm. No. Shasta was back in the yard. Whew!

After loading the groceries in the truck, I got a call from Mom. I told her I heard from our neighbor already. I asked how she was. She was still shaken and now, she realized, terribly scratched from all the thorns of the berry vine bushes. I told her to wash her legs well and put antibiotics on them because I always get infections from them dadgum thorns. She has problems with her legs with cellulitis, diabetes, as well as she has to watch infections since they removed lymph nodes when she had breast cancer.

When I got home, I looked at the fence. I figured out how she was getting out. The house is a mobile home. The skirting or under pinning is flexible. She was able to push against it, pushing it in, to fit her body between it and the fence post. I tried the best I could to block it off. I, then, took her out on a long training leash I have every time she needed to go out until my brother could do something more permanent with the area.

Both, Mom and I, learned something the Tuesday before Christmas...

After Maverick died this past June, we didn't expect to get another dog. We still had the three we had with Maverick and Copper before they died plus the one that wandered up after Copper died. So, we still had 4 dogs. The only reason we got Shasta 3 days after Maverick died was because we didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to, once again, have a wolf hybrid.

Here we are 6 months later, and we realized we love her... hook, line & sinker! We realized we would have been devastated if something happened to her or if we lost her. We realized, with Christmas presents waiting for her and a new video camera just dying to film it, it would not have been a very merry or happy Christmas without her.

The fence has been modified, but my trust in Shasta is still shaken. I don't leave her outside for long periods of time without checking on her. OK, I am neurotic; I check on her often!

Shasta's first Christmas was a good one. I think I got a little bit of video, but I have to go through it. I hope to be able to sit down with her and write her blog recounting her first Christmas for next week.

Shasta jumping on the "scaredy hole" to play with Cody.
The "scaredy hole" is the underground tornado shelter.

Shasta & Cody playing on top of the "scaredy hole".

Pets at Christmas: Tips Pt 2

2011-12-13T18:51:00.002-06:00

Christmas trees, Christmas lights & cords, tinsel, ornaments, mistletoe, poinsettias, Christmas presents, ribbons, bows, paper, food, hot ovens/stoves, lots of people, laughter and loud noise… these are all parts of the Christmas celebration. These all present issues for pets at Christmas time, regardless of whether the pet is new or been around a while.

Adopting a Pet for Christmas
A lot of children ask for pets for Christmas. Be it a puppy, a kitten, a bunny or a pony, its part of childhood. Parents have many times satisfied these cries for a Christmas pet by actually following through. In some cases, people also feel the urge to get Christmas pets for people other than children… girlfriends, boyfriends, parents or other loved ones. What people do not take into consideration is whether the recipient of the Christmas pet can care for the pet or even wants the pet. Sometimes people say they want, but do they, really?

People advertise Christmas litters of puppies or kittens… ready in time for Christmas. Should you visit these people?

Even shelters and rescues bump up their advertising for Christmas hoping to find the perfect home for strays knowing full well a lot of these pets will be back. Should you take these organizations up on their offers?

I will answer these questions later.

Apache, a Catahoula Leopard Dog,
at Red River SPCA in Cooke County, Texas

Here are some tips regarding giving pets at Christmastime.

Consult the recipient of your gift. Be it children or adults. Pets should never be a surprise. If the recipient is another adult who does not live with you, ALWAYS discuss the gift of a pet with them. They may not be able to care for it or want it as much as you think they would.
Make sure the recipient is capable of caring for a pet. Financially, mentally & physically. Pets are like a member of the family. They are not throwaways. Just as you would not discard your child or parent, you should not discard a pet. They have needs… food, toys, grooming, medical, etc. and your time. Be sure the monetary cost is in your budget, as well as having the time to spend with the pet.
If the recipient is a child, REMEMBER the child is NOT ultimately responsible for the pet. The parents are! If the child loses interest and no longer takes care of the pet, the adult(s) is/are responsible for the pet.
Do your research! These tips are great even if it is not Christmas.
1. What is the best type of pet for your family? Dog? Cat? Maybe something else?
2. Research dog breeds, sizes, etc. If you live in an apartment, a Dalmatian is NOT the right choice. They are large high energy dogs who do not do well in small places. If you have small children, some small breeds like Italian Greyhounds are very fragile and can be injured easily.
3. Again research cat breeds. Siamese are very active cats. Maine Coons are very laid back. Persians need a lot of grooming.
4. Research the medical problems prone to individual breeds. Be aware of what may be in the future. It doesn’t mean the pet you choose will get a specific medical problem, but you need to be aware.
5. Outside animals: horses/ponies, goats, etc. also have specific needs.
6. The Internet has a vast wealth of information. When doing your research, be sure your Internet research is from reliable sources.
Check into vet clinics to choose the vet best for you and your new pet.
Bring the recipient with you to pick out the pet. Allow them to hold/touch the pet. Allow them to choose their new pet. Pets bond with their owners. Give them a head start by allowing the bonding to start at selection time.

If the pet is for your immediate family and you wish the pet to be a surprise, you can surprise the recipient(s) without actually putting the pet under the tree. All adults (parents) should be involved in the decision. Some tips to surprise your family…

Purchase items needed: food/water bowls, toys, bed, collar, leash, cage (for animals needing such)
Buy a book that teaches the recipient to care for the pet.
Wrap the items and place them under the tree.
Wrap a picture of a dog, cat or other animal you have decided to give as the gift and place it under the tree.

When the recipient unwraps the gift you have placed under the tree, they will know they are getting a pet. You can then let them know when they can go to choose their pet.

If you are purchasing from someone advertising Christmas puppies or adopting from a shelter/rescue, ask them to hold the puppy until after Christmas. Some shelters do not have the space to hold animals; so, they may not be able to hold them.

Be careful of any pet, newly adopted or been around a while, near doors, gates, etc. The constant opening of doors, gates, etc. with guests coming and going allows pets to slip out without anyone noticing. If possible, assign pet duty to one or two people. Their job will be to watch the doors, gates, etc. when people come and go to make sure all entries & exits are closed. Christmas festivities will come to an end quick if the beloved pet is found in the road. If you must have the pets in the house, another choice would be to place pets in a separate room at the farthest end of the house away from the noise to keep them safe and help ease their fears.

Keeping Your Pet Safe at Christmas
These tips will help to ensure you get the right pet. Never purchase a pet, place it in a box with a lid and set it beneath the tree. It may cause the pet to be fearful. There will never be enough holes in a lid or box for the pet to breathe properly.

Remember the list at the beginning of this blog? Bringing a pet into a home with all the goings on that happens on Christmas Day, can be very stressful for any animal. Puppies/dogs, kittens/cats, rabbits, gerbils, hamsters, etc. can become very scared with the crowds and hustle & bustle of the day.

Also, be careful of pets who play with or eat tinsel, garland and ribbons. Glass ornaments can cause injury. Food left out can cause illness. Loud noises can cause fear in pets and cause them to run or hide. If you haven’t seen the pet in while, be sure you know they are hiding and did not bolt out a door. Boxes and ribbons can have metal staples that can be choked on. Mistletoe & poinsettias are poisonous to animals. Christmas lights & cords pose electrocution issues if chewed. Christmas trees can be climbed, knocked down or urinated on… all causing potential electrical problems or injury problems. If you have a fireplace, be sure you have a fireplace screen keeping children & pets out. Large dogs can jump on counter and stove tops, as can cats. Be sure they are either kept out of the kitchen or monitored closely. Be sure to keep handles to pots and pans turned inward; so, they can not be knocked down. Do not leave food unattended. Pets have strong food drives. Small bones like turkey and chicken can cause a pet to choke to death.

Please also be careful with candles. A lot of people use candles at Christmastime, as well as year round. Animals and candles do not mix. Keep lit candles out of the reach of pets. Remember cats can jump most anywhere. It is probably better to refrain from using candles at all with pets.

When dealing with pets at Christmastime or any time, always approach each situation with this in mind…

How can this situation become a potential problem for my pet?
Can the pet reach it?
Can it cause harm to my pet?
Can the pet escape, get lost or injured?
Always have the safety of your pet at the forefront of everything you do. Just as you would for your own child or loved ones.

Whether you are adopting a new pet for Christmas or you already have one, remember to take precautions to ensure their safety!

Fran, a Chow Chow/GSD mix,
at Red River SPCA in Cooke County, Texas

And remember to… always paws for critters with 4 paws!

Thanks for reading.
Please leave comments or tips, as well as like, tweet and share with your pet loving friends!

Don’t forget… you can purchase American made pet products right here at Paws4Critters Pet Stuff!

Shasta on Black Friday

2011-12-06T20:47:00.000-06:00

Shasta at PetSmart on Black Friday 2011

Shasta in her new bed she got at PetSmart on Black Friday 2011

Happy Birthday, Mavy, New Business & Veterans Day

2011-11-15T12:53:00.002-06:00

The following post was posted on my webstore on November 11th, 2011. I am reposting it here for everyone's reference...

Today, November 11^th, 2011 or 11/11/11, would have been my beloved Maverick’s “Mavy” 11^th birthday. On June 1^st, 2011, he passed away from gastrointestinal cancer. He started showing signs of illness around the 1^st of May. In the course of one month, he passed away with me lying beside him, holding him, on the dining room floor.

In honor of Mavy, I am finally doing something I have wanted to do for a long time… start an online pet store for pet products. Maverick is in the store’s banner because I have used the image of all the critters for quite some time now.

The name Paws4Critters I have had since 2000. I attended a business school where we had to work in groups to come up with a hypothetical business. I grouped with other animal lovers, and we came up with a pet store… a dream of mine. I wanted a clever name, and came up with Paws4Critters and the slogan “Pawsing for Critters with 4 Paws”. I was in charge of marketing; so, I came up with all the logo designs and such.

When trying to figure what would make Paws4Critters Pet Stuff different from other online pet stores, I thought long and hard about it. It finally came to me… specialize in American made products. That’s not to say Paws4Critters Pet Stuff will not carry products made in other countries, but we will strive to offer American made products, first.

Paws4Critters Pet Stuff will also offer products which are unique and/or products The Critter Gang likes and approves of.

We are in the early stages of securing contracts with several manufacturers of American made products as well as one American manufacturer whose products are manufactured elsewhere.

Dynamic Accents, Ltd – Made in the USA
Dynamic Accents is an American manufacturer based in Ohio. They make beautiful wood furniture at their facility in the United States. American workers building American made products. They specialize in slide gates, which allow you to section off parts of your home to keep pets and small children in or out of specific areas, end table pet crates, which gives you a functional piece of furniture and keeps your best friend by your favorite chair as well and elevated, single feeder bowls. If you have a large breed dog, you have probably noticed the elevated double feeder bowls in stores. Dynamic Accents offers a single feeder bowl, which is great for those of us who have no use for the elevated double feeder bowl. Believe me, I have looked for elevated single feeder bowls, and they are very difficult to find.

Hugs Pet Products
Hugs Pet Products is not made in the USA. However, I have bought these products for The Critter Gang. They are definitely Critter Gang approved. Hugs Pet Products has some very unique items. Some of their popular items are hollowed out rubberized toys with a sponge-like material in them. These toys are great for pets after exhausting activities. You simply place the toy under gently running water for a short while and place in the freezer. Once frozen, you can give the toy to your dog when (s)he is hot, has just come in from play, just come back from a walk or any other time they need cooling down. I give them to Shasta when she gets overly rambunctious, as well, because she loves them. They are not for power chewers or dogs who enjoy the destruction of a toy. I would suggest monitoring this type of dog with them. Hershey has to be monitored with them because he is an extreme power chewer; I have found nothing he cannot chew through in a very short period of time. They have other products I will be offering as well. They even have another product I would like to try with Shasta… the Tee Bone has a pouch to place a worn, not laundered T-shirt in. The theory is to place the T-shirt in the Tee Bone and your dog will have your scent with him/her at all times. Not sure how this works, but I assume you would have to change the shirt from time to time to put your scent back in it. When I get one for Shasta, I will probably get some cheap undershirt style T-shirts to wear around a bit and place in the Tee Bone.

I have a few others in the works, but I do not want to put their names here until everything is set. When I add another manufacturer, I will make an announcement/introduction blog post.

I will still offer some of the homemade toys I have listed such as the Alley Cat Knapsack©, the Animal Crackers©, the fleece rope toys, the fleece blankets and the handmade jewelry – Rainbow Bridge Pet Remembrance Bracelet, Pet Family Bracelet, Pet ID Bracelet and in some cases other handmade necklaces and some manufactured Swarovski brooches.

Please visit Paws4Critters Pet Stuff, like us and share us with your friends.
Please “like” our fan page on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/Paws4CrittersPetStuff

Please check back as we will be adding new items, regularly.

And, to my dear sweet Mavy… Happy Birthday my beloved Fluff Muffin!
I hope you are with Dad, Copper and Gizzy, my little buddy who is now the face of Paws4Critters Pet Stuff.

Today is also Veterans Day… a great day to open a pet store specializing in American made products! Hope I can make Dad proud.

Happy Birthday, Mavy!
Happy Veterans Day, Daddy and to all our military personnel!
Thanks for stopping by and… BUY AMERICAN whenever possible!

Robyn & The Critter Gang

**********************

Since posting this blog, I have added two more American made manufacturers. I am trying to get their products listed as quickly as possible. Please bear with me and check back often.

West Paw Design (from their site) - Made in the USA

West Paw Design manufactures the highest quality dog and cat toys and bedding available, made in beautiful Bozeman, Montana, in the good ol’ U.S. of A. We are a small but mighty company dedicated not only to creating safe, fun, and durable products for your pet, but also to making a contribution to the greater picture. We believe in only the best for your pet!

Katie's Bumpers (from their site) - Made in the USA

Katie's Bumpers were designed with both humans and dogs in mind.
Katie's Bumpers are fun and cool and unique.
Katie's Bumpers are safe for everyone. All of the designs on the bumpers are molded into the non-toxic vinyl as part of the manufacturing process. It is not painted on and therefore will not come off in your dog's mouth.
Whether you are a serious dog trainer doing land or water work or you have a dog that loves to fetch, Katie's Bumpers are great.
They are easy for you and your dog to see in just about any setting or weather condition.
They have just the right amount of weight for a good toss.
When they roll on the ground or on the water, everyone can find them.
We have tested them in pools, in the ocean, lakes and reservoirs and every dog has gotten their new patterned bumper.
They are easy to wash. You can throw them in the sink and use a little soap and water to get the day's dirt off, or throw them in the dishwasher.

Paws4Critters - Made in America, Texas, that is.

These items will still be available. If you do not see them, please do not hesitate to ask.

Rainbow Bridge Pet Remembrance Bracelets are made to order bracelets that offer comfort and reminds us of our beloved pets that have gone before us. Available for both dogs and cats.

Alley Cat Knapsacks & Animal Crackers are Paws4Critters cat toy designs and are handmade by Paws4Critters in America.

Fleece Rope dog tugs/chews are Paws4Critters dog toys handmade by Paws4Critters in America.

Thanks & always paws 4 critters with 4 paws!

All in the Family

2011-11-01T15:41:00.004-05:00

I am writing this blog because I have promised people I would while trying to explain the relationships between some of the cats I have rescued.

Devil (recovering from surgery to his eye to correct an old injury)

Devil is the resident male tom cat believed to be a Maine Coon mix. He is descended from a feral that used to come around circa 1999-2001. He is estimated to be between 9 & 11 years old. He was born outside and lived there until January 2011 when I took him in, had him neutered and had surgery done to correct an eye injury he acquired in a fight circa 2009.

Mama Kitty

Mama Kitty is the long haired black and white mother cat that belonged to my neighbor’s wife’s aunt. When the aunt went into a nursing home, she gave the cat to her niece. Mama Kitty lived outside and was pregnant when she got here. Her kittens were all shorthaired, unlike their mother. It is believed she has some sort of Oriental breed like Siamese, Himalayan, etc, as most of her kittens have the Oriental points like those breeds.

Now, having set those two, I will try to explain the relationship between all the kittens I & the dogs have rescued from the backyard, under the house and/or deck, or wherever they may have wandered or been left by their mother.

Mama Kitty is the mother of Dusty & Sandy, as well as the mother of Harley & Jake’s mother, whom she was pregnant with when she arrived at my neighbor’s house.
Devil is the father of Dusty & Sandy.
Dusty & Sandy are siblings but from different litters, approx 6 months apart.
Harley & Jake’s mother is the ½ sister of Dusty & Sandy, which makes Harley & Jake their nephews.
Harley & Jake are, therefore, the grandsons of Mama Kitty.
Bonnie’s mother is Mama Kitty.
Bonnie’s father is Jake. (Note: This is why I call Bonnie a Penguin Siamese. She looks like a pure bred Siamese, but her parents are both black and white. She is my poster pet for people who go to the shelter/rescue or find a stray and say... "it must be a pure bred ______")

Are you still with me? OK, now it’s about to get complicated!

So… Bonnie is the great granddaughter of her mother because her father is her mother’s grandson. Bonnie’s grandmother (the mother of her father) is also her ½ sister, which makes her father, Jake, and his brother, Harley, who is also her uncle, her nephews.
Bonnie is also the ½ sister of Dusty & Sandy, but they are also her ½ great uncle & aunt (and she is their ½ great niece) because her grandmother is their ½ sister and her father is their ½ nephew.

Still following?

Bonnie is, then, her own ½ grand aunt & ½ grand niece.

Got all that?!

Jake the younger, it is assumed, is somehow related to this group because he resembles Jake the elder in facial structure and body build, as well as having the spots like Dusty. Interestingly, Mama Kitty took Bonnie’s siblings after the dog’s “rescued” her from under the deck and left. All of Mama Kitty’s offspring that I was not able to catch left the immediate area as well, However, they continue to stop by from time to time with another feral, Bobby, who I have been feeding for over a year. They are all feral now, and I see them from time to time near the van where I feed them.

Jake the Elder

Sandy & Bonnie

Dusty & Sandy

Harley

Jake the Younger

And that, folks, is the reason we should not keep it all in the family!

Robyn & The Critter Gang

Corey's Saga (c)2011

2011-10-18T17:52:00.003-05:00

New short story from the author of the much beloved, heartwarming tale Mama, Where Do Strays Go?

Click link below to go to Author Stand and download...

Corey's Saga

Bittersweet story follows a puppy sold by a backyard breeder/puppy mill to a city/town pet store. From the pet store, the puppy is purchased as a gift for someone else. The story offers one of the many reasons why pets should not be purchased as gifts regardless of whether the pet is bought from a store, a backyard breeder or a registered breeder.

Please read, review and recommend to all your friends this Christmas season... and remember, never purchase a pet as a gift, be it Christmas, Easter, birthday, anniversary, etc. Always include the recipient and/or the recipient's family.

Product Specifications

Word Count	1540
File Format	Book will be delivered as a PDF download.

Shasta

2011-10-11T15:30:00.003-05:00

Brother Wolf (c)2011

2011-10-04T13:15:00.004-05:00

The Wolf of Gubbio, a Story of St Francis

Gather ‘round, brother and sister critters!

In Isaiah 11:6, it says, “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb.” Before I met Brother Francis, I would have said this is true, as the lamb makes a great meal. Brother Francis helped me realize that was not what the Book of Isaiah meant.

Not too long ago, I was separated from my pack. I became a lone wolf. Its not easy. Feels like the whole world is against you. I had to learn to do things for myself. I’m a wolf. No one’s going to care about me… or so I thought.

I found myself wandering the countryside looking for easy prey; when one day, a village lay before me.

Gubbio, Italy.

Now, this was a prosperous town of the usual townsfolk and… sheepherders. Sheepherders meant sheep were nearby… meant food for my hungry belly.

In the dark of night, I quietly made my way to the fields of the shepherds. There, to my heart’s delight, were sheep! I watched and I watched. I carefully chose one I knew I could catch. Night after night, the same ritual.

One night, as I watched the sheep, a teenaged boy hollered at me. I crouched down trying to stay out of sight. He started running toward me with something in his hand. Behind him, was another fellow, also running, shouting at me.

What could I do? I was hungry. I couldn’t let these two fellas scare me away. As they drew closer, I leapt from my spot in the tall grass. I headed straight for them; there was no turning back. As our paths crossed, one threw a pitchfork at me. He missed. My powerful hind legs thrust me far enough in a single bound to take them both down. As I finished with the two fellas, the figure of a man suddenly caught my attention. He was quickly coming in my direction, screaming at the top of his lungs, flailing his arms. Fearing he, too, wanted to hurt me, I sprang to my feet and ran straight for him. He was no match for me and my might, as it turned out. I waited for a moment, making sure no one else came; then, I left quickly after the encounter. You never know who else might have come or how many. I figured I should leave just in case; I decided I could come back the next day.

The next day, I heard the town dogs relating their masters’ orders and stories. The dogs were told to be vigilant and protect the town from me. Me? I hadn’t done anything but defend myself!

The dogs said the wife of the man I killed the night before went into town with her daughters crying, “a wolf has killed my husband and two sons.”

I heard the dogs say the townspeople were going to send hunters into the woods after me to kill me. Kill me? What’d I do? I was defending myself. That man and his sons came running at me ready to hurt or kill me!

As dusk settled in, those hunters came right into the woods. Brave fellas, I will say. I saw them. They each had a sword. I decided to make a quick get away, but it didn’t work. They saw me, and charged me with their swords. I turned and growled at them, raising my lips, hoping to scare them off. They didn’t scare easy. One of them lunged forward slicing with his sword. I felt it cut through my shoulder. I yelped with pain. Another came after me, but I got the jump on him. With my claws and fangs, I took him down. As I turned back around, a third hunter approached me. He swiped his sword at me, but missed. I lunged at him. Needless to say, my aim was better than his. I never did get the one that sliced my shoulder. He saw me take the other two hunters; so, he and the fourth hunter took off running back in the direction of town. I chased them, but gave up when I reached the edge of the woods. The last I saw of them was when they entered the gates of Gubbio.

The next night, I crept back for another sheep. I was hungry again since I hadn’t had a real meal since the man and his sons tried to run me off. While I was stalking my prize, I came face to face with one of the town dogs. As he snarled his lips at me, he informed me of the latest efforts of the townspeople to rid the town of me. “They have sent for Brother Francis,” he growled at me. When another dog came up behind me, I decided I better get back to the woods. Not that I couldn’t take them both, but I figured, if the mayor has sent for this Brother Francis, I may need to save my strength. I didn’t need any more injuries. My shoulder was still aching from that sword swipe. I skulked out from between the two as they continued to growl and move towards me. When clear, I ran back to the safety of my woods.

“Brother Francis,” I thought out loud, as I walked through the woods, “hmpf. Who is this Brother Francis? What do they expect him to do to me? I am a wolf.”

“He can talk to the animals,” came a chorus of voices from above, high in the trees.

“Who said that?” I asked, looking up.

“We did,” a flock of birds called down to me, as they fluttered their wings.

So, I asked the birds, “this Brother Francis can talk to animals? How foolish you all are! Humans cannot talk to animals.”

“You will see,” the birds taunted me.

I will see. No, you will see. Foolish birds. Humans talking to animals. This I am curious to see.

Early the next morning, I sat at the edge of the woods, watching the gates of the village. I spied a man, frocked in brown. He was speaking with some folks at the gates of Gubbio. Then, he appeared to bid them farewell and started in the direction of my woods. I backed up slightly, maybe a step or two, when I realized, it’s my woods. I stood my ground.

This man, who obviously saw me standing there, showed no apparent fear, as he continued to approach until he stood just feet before me. I raised my lips, bared my teeth and snarled at him... that would’ve been enough to scare any human into a mad dash back to the village. But not this man. He stood there. There was a Light which seemed to radiate from him. Never seen anything like it.

In a fluid motion, the man raised his hand and gestured to his head, his chest, then, his left shoulder and right while stating these words, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” He then lowered his hand and spoke to me. “Come, Brother Wolf, I will not hurt you,” the man addressed me with a calm voice while holding his hand out toward me. I took advantage, and I sniffed his hand. He smiled at me and said, “Be not afraid, Brother Wolf. Let us talk.”

I did not understand why this man had such power over me. His mere presence calmed all my anxieties towards humans. I agreed to speak with him.

He ushered me to the shade of an olive tree, and he sat on the ground beside me.

“My name is Francis,” he gently offered, “what is your name?”

“I am a lone wolf. I have no name,” I responded. I explained there was no one who cared about me to give me a name.

Francis, then, said to me, “in Luke 12:7, it says, ‘the very hairs of your head are all numbered.’ Do you know what this means?”

“No,” I answered.

“It means God knows you, cares for you and loves you. You are His creation, just as all the other animals of the woods. Even the trees, He knows the number of leaves each has.”

Francis continued to speak to me of God all morning. I listened intently. I was in awe of such a Being. Then, Francis told me how the people of Gubbio were hurt by what I did. He said I killed five of their loved ones. He explained to me how humans were made in the image of God, and how he wanted to bring peace to the people of Gubbio and me.

I explained to Francis, being a lone wolf, I have to find food where I can. The sheep were easy for me to hunt by myself. I told him I would much rather hunt with my pack, but they were long gone. I had to survive and hunting smaller prey or the humans’ sheep was the best I could do. I meant the humans no harm, but they came running after me with weapons. I feared they would hurt me or worse, kill me. I did what I thought I had to do to protect myself. When they sent hunters after me, they set out to kill me. You could not fault me for trying to protect myself.

I asked him, “You say your God cares for me and loves me, but does he want me to be hungry or die?”

Francis listened to my story. I showed him the wound on my shoulder from the hunter’s sword. Francis looked at the wound and cleaned it.

He smiled at me again and told me, “it is true; you, too, need to eat and survive, but you cannot attack the people of Gubbio. God does love you and care for you; so, we will have to pray for a solution to this situation.”

I watched as Francis became very quiet. He knelt in the grass with his head bowed, and folded his hands together. As I sat beside him, he prayed. He asked God to help us find a solution to this problem. One we all could live with.

While Francis prayed, I felt a warm, gentle peace fill my heart and soul. When Francis said, “Amen”, he opened his eyes; he looked into mine as I sat before him. He smiled at me and said, “Come, Brother Wolf, God has spoken to me.” With those words, he stood, motioned to me to follow, and, together, we walked toward the gates of Gubbio.

Upon entering the gates, Francis and I walked side by side; the townspeople gasped. Their eyes fixated on me. Glaring at me. I started to slow my gait, lowered my head and tail, as their stares pierced my soul. Francis stopped walking until my slow gait caught up with him. He placed his hand on my head. “Stay beside me, Brother Wolf,” Francis reassured me.

Some of the people of Gubbio started to walk, briskly, away. “Stop!” Francis, ordered them. “He means you no harm,” he explained as he pointed in my direction.

The people stopped and slowly made their way back to where we were standing.

“You must work together for peace between you. I have a solution, but you all must agree,” Francis addressed the townspeople. “Brother Wolf has agreed to no longer terrorize the town or harm its people. But, in return, you, the townspeople, must agree to care for him and feed him. He has agreed to be your protector… your guardian.”

To show everyone we meant what Francis had said, Francis offered me, once again, his hand. This time, instead of sniffing it, I placed my paw in his hand. We shook to seal the agreement.

The townsfolk began to murmur, “It’s a miracle!”

Francis began to preach to the people about the forgiveness of our enemies’ sins in order to have their own sins forgiven. He quoted Scriptures written long ago to make his point. He reminded them hatred was a heavy burden which separated us from God. Finally, Francis asked them if they would forgive me and accept the agreement for peace.

The townsfolk responded “yes” in unison, as they nodded their heads in approval.

In an ultimate gesture of forgiveness, the widow of the man I killed emerged from the crowd. In her hands, she carried a warm dish with an evening meal. She placed the dish at my feet and said, “I forgive you, Brother Wolf.”

The crowd began to come forward. They thanked Francis and offered me their hands in peace and friendship. I placed my paw in each of their hands.

Soon, it was time for Francis to leave. I walked with him out the gates of Gubbio. We walked to the other side of the woods; I protected him from danger and provided him safe passage. He shared with me more of the Wisdom of God. Before he left, Francis turned to me, bent down on one knee, and said, “You see, Brother Wolf, God does care about you and loves you. With prayer, He has given us a solution that benefits both you and the people of Gubbio.”

I licked his hand and he wrapped an arm around my neck. He whispered into my ear, “and, now you have a name, Brother Wolf.”

Brother Francis stood up, patted me on the head and left on his journey back to Assisi.

With Francis’ blessing, I share my story with each of you, my fellow brother and sister critters. I ask you to forgive those who have done you harm or mean you harm, for it is written, “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb.”

Editor’s Note: Brother Wolf lived with the townsfolk of Gubbio, Italy for a few more years. They fed and cared for him, and he guarded the village until his death of old age.

Written by Robyn L Stacey; October 4, 2011

In honor of St Francis of Assisi’s feast day

The Cost of a Rescue

2011-08-16T18:23:00.002-05:00

Cody
Rescued April 14, 2011

It all started with a conversation about people who, for whatever reason they settle on, can no longer keep their pet and choose to bring it to a shelter.

Regardless of reasoning behind owner surrenders or street rescues, apparently some folks think rescues are out to rob people of their business and/or make money for themselves. The individual who made this declaration claims they have witnessed shelters trespass on property owned by private kennels to confiscate purebreds merely for resale through the shelter via PetFinder. Apparently, it is believed shelters “confiscate” purebreds breeds to resell for breeder prices just to make a buck. In the conversation, the kennel was referred to as robbed.

It was also stated and believed pets are confiscated if the animal is not treated like a child instead of a pet. The notion is that animals are taken often times unnecessarily because of this theory, which supposedly seen first hand on Animal Planet®.

I am far from the person who sings the praises of any of the animal cop shows on Animal Planet®. I know most of the areas portrayed are notorious for their high kill (euthanasia) rates and less than stellar performances in animal care. I am also not the one to ask about how I feel about the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States).

However…

Confiscating animals because they are not treated like a child? Hmmm… I have seen some of these shows. The ones I have seen have confiscated animals who have not been fed, given fresh water, given any water, long haired breeds not groomed left matted, etc. I have seen first hand… yes, first hand, not on TV, how people think they can just put a dog in the backyard and not care for it. Treated like a child? How about treat it like a living creature, period! An animal, despite whether you live in an urban, suburban or rural area should never be allowed to run loose; yet, people think just because they can’t keep the dog in it’ll be fine. No one should have to live with hitting a loose dog on the road.

Trespassing on private property of “professional” kennels. Professional kennels. What are we calling “professional”? Backyard breeders? Puppy mills? If you are breeding dogs for profit, you are not a professional breeder. A professional breeder breeds for love of the breed. A professional breeder breeds for the betterment of the breed. They do not breed the most popular breeds to make a fast buck. They love the breed. They know the breed. They breed genetic problems out of the breed if possible. They breed the breed for what the breed was meant to be for. A hunting dog to hunt. A herding dog to herd. A lap dog to sit on your lap. Backyard breeders have dogs that are not consistent with breed specifics. Puppy mills have sickly dogs who are kept in cages that are too small. Is this a “professional” breeder? Most puppy mills breed more than one breed of the “popular breeds”; so, they can make a quick buck before the trend dies down. This IS NOT a “professional” breeder.

Rescues charging purebred prices! This line really got me. Maybe because I have purchased rescue dogs through a rescue. Maybe because I try to help a local rescue when I can. I decided, since I just rescued a dog and two cats on my own out of my own pocket, I would try to help everyone understand the price of a rescue.

I cannot speak for all rescues, shelters, etc. who list on PetFinder just the one I deal with from time to time, as well as for myself & what I would have to charge if I adopted those I rescued out, as well as two others in the area in which I am aware of somewhat how they operate.

The rescue I deal directly with, the RRSPCA (Red River SPCA), charges a minimum tax deductible donation. They do not like to call it a fee because the entire amount is tax deductible, as it is technically a donation. The RRSPCA receives no additional funding from any local government or the national SPCA. They are completely a volunteer organization with foster homes only. The lady who runs it has some acreage that is used for fostering large breed dogs, as well as other animals from time to time. She is also the animal cruelty investigator for the county.

The fees the RRSPCA charges as tax deductible donations on PetFinder cover expenses incurred in caring for the animal up for adoption. These expenses include but are not limited to spay/neuter, vaccines, heartworm tests & medication, food, vet bills if the animal is injured or ill, medications if needed, grooming if needed, etc.

These expenses vary greatly depending on where a rescue/shelter is located – urban, suburban, rural. Some vets offer services at reduced rates for rescues and shelters; some do not. If a shelter is lucky enough to be located within driving distance of one of these vet clinic, they can get some services at a lower cost and pass that savings on.

Some people think all the food is donated. It is not. What is not received in donations comes out of pocket. Charitable organizations have to basically line up at stores to get the “dented” cans or “torn” bags of cat/dog food stores give to charities. It’s first come, first serve.

Like many of you, I have adopted “rescued” animals, but I also have “rescued” animals. My mom started it when I was a young child. While Dad was serving in the USAF at Beale AFB, CA. Mom would go to the base pound, as they were called back then. She would get the animals on their last day, nurse them back to health, get their “shots” and find homes for them. Dad would always say, “the least you could do is charge for them to recoup what we put out.” Mom responded with, “who’s gonna pay for a mutt?” Dad was ahead of his time, as this was the 1970s!

I have been involved in the rescue of all the animals I have except three. Two dogs adopted from the Red River SPCA and one pedigreed Chihuahua who was too big for his breed. His breeders gave him to us because they couldn’t sell him. One cat was hit by a car when she was 6 mos old and rushed to a vet. She is now 11. One cat was thrown out a truck window, bounced off the door and landed on the ground as a 3 mo old kitten. I stopped traffic to pick her up. She survived with no injuries. Five 2 wk old kittens were brought to me by my aunt when my cousin accidentally ran over their mother. At least three cats were rescued in the backyard by the dogs. Three dogs were strays one of which came with heartworm. One dog was abandoned as a young puppy. In the past 2 years, I have rescued 2 adult cats, 3 kittens, 1 adult dog & adopted 1 puppy from the RRSPCA. All in all, I can break down the cost of a rescue.

So, what is the cost of a rescue, you ask?

Here’s the breakdown of what the most recent adult dog needed:

Exam: $38

Heartworm test: $30

Annual vaccine: $18.50

Rabies vaccine: $16

Heartworm preventative: $20.93

Flea Meds: $6

Tapeworm: $17.12

Neuter: $50 (with low cost neuter voucher)

Total: $196.55

$196.55 just for vetting. No food.

If I were to have adopted him out, what could I honestly expect to be able to ask for on PetFinder? To recoup expenses, obviously, I could ask $200 just to round off for food. Do I think I could get $200 for a dog that appears to be a Black Mouth Cur, realizing the word cur actually means mutt, even though it is sort of a breed? No, I doubt it.

In comparison, the pup I just adopted from the RRSPCA was vet examined, spayed, had all puppy vaccines which was 2 or 3 visits, wormed, etc. I paid $100. They did have her slightly higher to weed out certain types of people because of her breed/species, as she is a Timberwolf hybrid.

The cat that was hit by a car back in 2001 cost over $200 just to save her life; she was spayed at the same time.

The most recent cat, Devil, was rescued in January 2011; he is a 9-11 yr old FIV+ male with a healed over eye injury, which required surgery. His exam, surgery to correct his eye injury, testing for FIV & FeLV, annual & rabies vaccines, neutering, flea & tapeworm meds, etc. totaled about $400. In most rescue/shelter situations, Devil would have been euthanized because he tested FIV positive even though after being neutered and as long as he doesn’t fight he can live with non-FIV+ cats.

Personally, I do not know how some of these rescues/shelters survive by putting out more than they get in. So, when you see a rescue or shelter on PetFinder “selling” a “purebred” for “breeder” prices, don’t be so quick to judge. They are trying to recoup some of what they put into the rescue of the animal.

Mama, Where Do Strays Go? ©2011

2011-08-11T02:32:00.005-05:00

Hidden from the world, in a quiet place, a mother cat gives birth. One… two… three… four… four little kittens. Carefully she cleans each and every one and nuzzles them to nurse.

Time passed quickly, as the mama cared for her newborns. Soon, the little ones’ eyes opened and with them an entire new world.

One evening, as Mama and her kittens settled in for the night, the littlest kitten snuggled up close and asked, “Mama? If all pets go to heaven, where do strays go?”

“Well,” she started, as she pulled him a little closer, “my mama told me when a stray dies, the heavens open and an angel comes down from between the clouds. The angel gently lifts the soul of the stray, tucking him under her wings, as she soars to the heavens above. Soon, the stray is bathed in bright light, peace fills his heart and God, Himself, takes his soul, which never got a chance to shine while alive, and places it among the stars in heaven to shine for all eternity, lighting the way for many other strays trying to make it through the night.”

“Wow,” gasped the littlest kitten, “maybe someday, I can be a star shining so bright lighting the way.”

His mama smiled, “Maybe. You never know. Now, go to sleep, my little Star.”

The mama cat watched as her little ones grew. She often thought back to the evening her littlest one asked about where strays go. She didn’t want her babies to be strays even if it did mean they would become stars in the night. She wanted for them what she never had: to be cared for, talked to, played with, to be warm at night and never to be lonely, but most of all, to be loved. She thought to herself, it’s time for them to go. She had to try to find them a home, a place to call their own where they will be a stray no more. She took each one in her mouth, telling the others she’d be back, and brought each one to an animal lover’s home. One… two… three… three kittens delivered safe and sound. One more left, as she once again headed back.

The littlest kitten waited his turn. He waited and waited. It seemed forever since his mama came for the third kitten. Frightened, he remembered his mama’s last words, “stay put, my littlest one. I’ll be back for you soon enough.” But when? It was getting dark and growing colder. His little tummy rumbling with hunger. “Hurry, Mama,” he quietly cried. “I’m so lonely, if only I had someone to talk to,” the little kitten whispered aloud, “and maybe someone to play with.”

The next day, a dragonfly swooped by. “Mr. Dragonfly?” the kitten called out.

“Yes?” he questioned back with a cock of his head.

“Can you tell me when my mama’s coming back?”

“Well, I don’t rightly know, littlin. She’s probably just stopped to get you some food.”

“I am hungry,” the little kitten cried, “do you think she’ll be back soon?”

“I’m sure she will,” the dragonfly answered gliding out of sight.

Later, a bunny rabbit hopped by with her young kits. The littlest kitten asked the bunny rabbit, “Mrs. Bunny Rabbit, have you seen my mama?”

“I’m sorry, littlin, I have not. I’m sure she’ll be back soon. You can play with my youngins until we leave,” the mama bunny rabbit replied.

The little kitten and the baby bunnies played for a while as the mama bunny looked for a fresh dandelion patch.

As night fell, it grew cold. The littlest kitten shivered. He wondered aloud, "Where are you mama?"

"Don't worry, little fella," came a voice from beneath the weedy grass.

"Who are you?" the startled kitten asked pawing at the ground where the voice came from.

"Just your common ordinary black cricket," he replied.

“My mama told me to wait here for her. She’s been gone an awful long time. I'm cold and lonely. I don’t know when she will be coming back," the kitten explained.

"Well, I’m sure she will be along soon. In the meantime, my friends and I will stay with you tonight. We will sing you a lullaby to help you sleep!" the cricket exclaimed.

"Oh, that would be nice," the kitten answered, as he tried to keep his tired eyes open, watching for his mama.

As the littlest kitten curled into a fuzzy ball, the little black cricket gathered his friends. Altogether, the crickets began to serenade the littlest kitten with a special lullaby chirp just for him. Sleep soon came.

The morning air was gentle but warm for morning had brought the warmth of the sun. The littlest kitten basked in the sun’s warm rays. Warm at last. He stretched; so, he could feel the sun’s warmth all over. Along with the sun was the feeling of a gentle caress, which overcame his little body.

Believing it to be his mother, the littlest kitten picked up his tiny head and looked around. Yet, there was no one around. He was, once again, all alone and he cried out, “Mama, you said you’d come back for me. Now, I’m alone & growing weak. I’m scared, Mama; it’s getting hard to breathe.”

Just as he drew a deep breath, taking in the fresh morning air, out of the shadows of some tall grass, a figure appeared…

“Mama! You did come back,” the littlest kitten squealed.

“Yes,” she whispered back.

“You’ve been gone a long time,” said the kitten.

“I know. I tried to come for you but there was an accident,” explained the mama.

“An accident?” he questioned as he tilted his head trying to understand.

“Yes, I was bringing your brother and sisters to their new home where people would care for them and they would no longer be strays…” her voice trailed off.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I had to cross a large road with fast cars and trucks speeding this way and that way,” she said as she motioned the two different directions with her head.

“What’d you do?” he curiously questioned.

“Each time I crossed I waited; I watched. Again and again to get each of your siblings. The last time I crossed to come back for you…” her voice again trailed off as she bowed her head.

“Mama? What happened?” the kitten quietly asked.

“I misjudged. I didn’t see it. I didn’t see that one car. I’m sorry I made you wait so long,” she said as she raised her head and smiled at the little kitten.

“Well, it’s alright, Mama. You’re here now. You came for me just like you said!” the littlest kitten exclaimed.

“Yes, I did!” the mama cat stated, as she spread her angel wings, “come now, we have to go.”

“Mama, you have wings,” the kitten declared.

“Yes,” she said as she gently tucked her littlest kitten under her wings.

“We going to the place where the people will care for us?” he asked, distracted.

“Better,” his mama answered, “a place where there’s no more hunger, no more loneliness, no more cold, no more fear, no more tears.”

Before he knew it, the littlest kitten and his mama were soaring towards the heavens above. The clouds separated before them.

The littlest kitten and his mama were bathed in bright light, peace filled their hearts and a voice spoke comforting the littlest stray kitten…

“Be not afraid, little one, for I made you, and although you had no one to care for you, I cared for you. When you whispered you wished for someone to talk to, I sent the dragonfly. When you needed someone to play with, I sent a mama bunny rabbit and her kits. When it was dark and you were lonely and could not sleep, I sent the crickets to serenade you to sleep. It was I who sent the warmth of the sun after such a cold night. And right before you drew your last breath, it was I who reached down from the heavens and gave you a gentle caress. When you had no one to love you, I loved you.”

“Mama said God takes us strays and places them among the stars when we die…” the littlest kitten began, as his mama looked on smiling.

God smiled at the littlest kitten and his mama. Then, God, Himself, took their little souls, which never got a chance to shine while alive, and placed them among the stars in heaven to shine for all eternity, lighting the way for many other strays trying to make it through the night.

So, when you look up to the heavens tonight, if you see a star shining real bright, think of the littlest kitten and his mama lighting the way for all the little strays; so, they make it through the night alright.

Story inspired by a little star who’s light went out too soon and now lights the way for other strays.

Written By: Robyn L Stacey

Interview with the Devil

2011-07-30T17:23:00.000-05:00

Devil during his interview

Interviewer: We’re here with Devil, an outside cat that sort of became stray, abandoned or whatever you’d like to call it. He’s a large red Maine Coon mix Tabby. Hi, Devil…

Devil: Puuuuurrrrrrrrrr

Interviewer: So, why the name Devil?

Devil: Well, there are several stories. Where I lived before, there was a guy, his wife and 2 kids. He called me a “little devil”, she thought the kids named me for the cartoon character Tasmanian Devil, but the daughter says neither. She says I use to have tufts of hair that resembled horns growing in from of my ears.

Interviewer: Do you like your name?

Devil: Eh, I really don’t care. These new folks tried to change it to Devon, but once you’re used to a something, it’s hard to change. I think it was harder for them to try to remember. They usually just call me Dev for short, anyway; so, it don’t matter. Really, just call me when you’re dishin’ the food!

Interviewer: Do you know how old you are?

Devil: 9, 10, 11… su’um like that. At least 9, but at the most 11.

Interviewer: Where’d you live before?

Devil: That’s a tough one. The neighbor claimed me as theirs, but they just put food out for me and a bunch of other cats. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciated it! I went wherever I wanted, though. Basically, I stayed within a 3 acre or so range – the house that put food out and their neighbors on each side.

Interviewer: So, it’s rural?

Devil: Yeah.

Interviewer: Did you like it?

Devil: Well, what’s a cat to do? You can’t choose what happens to ya a lot of times. Stuff just happens. You deal. The neighbor to the east used to let me in sometimes. The neighbor to the west always showed me attention and looked out for me.

Interviewer: What happened that brought you to where you are now?

Devil: The lady who was feeding me just up and left. No idea. I’ve heard she left her husband. Took the kids, the inside cats and split. Left all us outside cats here either for the husband to tend to or to fend for ourselves. The husband works weird hours; so, feeding got real erratic. Most of the other cats left. Not me. I’m more of a homebody, I guess, always have been. Been here about 10 years, didn’t see a need to go someplace else. Born and raised right here. It’s my home. The neighbor to the west who I said always looked after me started putting food out when she saw me getting real thin looking. She even got me a dogloo. What kinda word is that? We called it the cathouse. Well, no self respecting cat would live in a dogloo, would they? Sounds like an outhouse for dogs! Anyway, she put some nice bedding in it come winter, food, water and me time. She’d sit with me for about a half hour in the morning and a half hour in the evening. Oh, how I longed for those moments each day. Hey, us cats are not the loners folks like to make us out to be. We like companionship. We get lonely! When I saw her comin’ to feed me, I ran to her.

Interviewer: Being outside like that, I imagine you’ve been in a few fights?

Devil: Oh yea. Well, you know, gotta protect the ol’ territory and the gals! Not to mention keep the youngin’s under control, teach ‘em some respect for their elders.

Interviewer: That how you got that eye injury and illness?

Devil: Yeah, it’s no big deal. The eye was a real a pain for a couple of years. Constant infections, always draining and stuff.

Interviewer: And, since these new folks have been caring for you, you’ve had a couple major surgeries?

Devil: Eh-em, yeah. I was not asked about them either!

Interviewer: So, how’s the eye?

Devil: Well, after they shaved one side of my entire face, they had to pull my lower eye lid down cuz it had rolled inward when my eye healed from that fight injury. They said the eyelashes were rubbing against my eye. Well, duh… I could’ve told ya that. Anyway, they cut some skin & sewed it back together, itchy stitches, and there ya go.

Interviewer: Like a kitty facelift?

Devil: A kitty what?

Interviewer: Never mind. Just a joke. So, how’s the neutering?

Devil: Well, how do you think?! One day, you’re a guy, feeling all big and lion like ready for a fight and a gal. You take a nap, snip snip, wake up – no more lion, just a big ol’ pussy cat! All I gotta say is, why wasn’t I involved in that conversation?!

Interviewer: Hear you were quite the ladies man; do you miss the ladies now?

Devil: To be honest, not as much as I thought I would. I mean there’s some gals here, but they’re all hissy!

Interviewer: Do you still feel the urge to fight?

Devil: hmmm… not really. I don’t think I mind that. Didn’t really like it much. I mean, some folks would say, I was quite the fighter, but no, take it or leave it. There’s another youngin’ that was out with me, Harley. He took off and came back. I chased him about outside, never really fought him cuz he’d always run off. Well, they took him in, too. Neutered his sorry self, too! Hee hee… purrrr. Sometimes, he still annoys the fur off of me. We get along better now though. We’ve played, but, dang, he can be annoying. No respect in these younger generations! There’s another guy, Punkin. No one messes with him. Of course, he’d probably just sit on them; he’s a tubby. He’s about my age, but he’s the top cat. He let me know right away, too. They say he’s usually docile – never hissed at anyone. Well, he sure hissed at me! Told me exactly, in no uncertain terms, who he was and where I stood in the house. I told him not to get his britches all matted; I had no intention of taking his position. I don’t think I could move him off of it anyway. What’s he weigh… 25 pounds! We’re alright now, though; we understand each other.

Interviewer: So, you did not assume Top Cat in the house?

Devil: Nope, and I don’t want it.

Interviewer: How do you like inside life?

Devil: Inside life is better than outside. Trust me! The AC is real cool… really. Then, there are meals at least 3 times a day, companionship from people and other cats. The dogs I could live without, seriously. I really do not like dogs, especially that new pup they just got. Can’t keep her mouth off any of us cats! Oh, and the really nice, soft places to sleep…. I cat could reeeeeally get sooo used to this life.

Interviewer: Do you miss going outside?

Devil: Not so much. Did you listen to what I just described to you? Would you want to go live outside?

Interviewer: Well is there anything you miss about being outside?

Devil: Hmmm… well, maybe roaming, ya know, come and go as I please. Nah, not really. Being my own cat, not in comparison to the bennies of inside. Solitude, nope. I can find hidey places to get solitude if I want it inside, but trust me, if you’ve been outside as long as I have, you will not miss solitude!

Interviewer: Earlier we talked about you acquiring a major illness while outside due to the fighting. Want to talk about it?

Devil: Sure. What do you wanna know?

Interviewer: What did you get?

Devil: FIV or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. It’s like HIV in people, but they say it can’t be transmitted to people.

Interviewer: How’s does it affect you?

Devil: At the moment, it hasn’t. I live my life same as before. I don’t feel sick or nothing. Out of precaution, I am forced to stay by myself when no one is home. I don’t like it, but I guess they think they are doing right by the others in case someone ticks me off & we get in a hissy fit. Not all cats will just have FIV. Some get feline AIDS. There’s no cure and you will die from complications. They found chronic eye infections & upper respiratory infections cause a lot of cats’ demise. The problem with my eye injury always draining and getting infected is the reason they had the vet do the corrective surgery. If my FIV goes to AIDS, then my eye could, in a sense, kill me.

Interviewer: Does it affect the others?

Devil: No, not really. They’ve done some research on it. Found that I can eat, drink, play and sleep with the others. It’s mainly just fighting. Fighting males get it most. It is transferred through saliva getting into deep puncture wounds. So, fighting causing injury deep puncture wounds with fangs can be deadly. Believe me, if playing appears to get out of hand or we start the kitty roll, they are on top of us splitting us up making sure I didn’t sink my fangs into nobody.

Interviewer: So, you like your life now; do you think it has turned out for the better?

Devil: Yessiree Jim Bob! It’s cool. People can be weird, though – they have dogs – don’t see a need for them critters, but they like ‘em. Guess I’ll have to get used to them. As long as they don’t bother me, I’m fine. I think this life, even with the dogs, is much better than what I had outside. I can curl up in a nice place and sleep, get attention whenever I want it, eat canned food not just dried up stuff riddled with fire ants and roaches. Yeah, this is the life! Every critter should have this!

Interviewer: Well, that concludes our interview with Devil. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I have. Thanks, Dev, for filling us in on the life of a rescued cat.

Devil: You’re welcome. Now, I am late for my nap. I gotta go. See ya!

Mourning the Loss of the Guardian

2011-07-26T17:17:00.000-05:00

My Beloved Friend & Guardian

I haven't been on in a while. A lot of critter tribulations. First Copper became ill and passed away. Now, Maverick.

Shortly leading into May 2, 2011, Maverick's eating was noticeably changed. I brought him to the vet on May 2nd. His blood work showed elevated white blood cells, as well as some other issues.

Diagnosis: most likely a gastrointestinal cancer.

I fought the diagnosis. Could not except the youngest dog had cancer and was going to die. The inevitable was not something I could except. I tried to get him to eat. The more time progressed the less he would. I would cook for him. Every piece of food he ate I triumphed only to be let down at the next meal. I convinced myself maybe it was this or maybe it was that. No. It was nothing else.

In the wee hours of the morning, June 1st, Maverick became restless. I tried to comfort him. Thought maybe he has to go to the bathroom. I walked him outside. He attempted to go down the stairs of the deck. He collapsed on his way down only to end up in my arms at the bottom of the stairs. I screamed for him in the darkness of night. Holding him there. When family members came, I was there holding him, his eyes in an icy glaze of a stare, with me weeping uncontrollably over him.

We stayed with him for a few minutes; then, tried to get him onto a blanket to carry him back onto the deck & then into the house. Once on the deck, the glaze vanished from his eyes. He tried to stand. Wobbly, he did. He attempted to walk to the door to go inside, but he couldn't. We carried him in on the blanket.

Once again, he lay on the blanket, now in the house. Again, he tried to stand. Wobbly, he walked around the dining room table and stood there. I held him to steady him. He slowly sat down and then laid down. I laid down next to him. My arms around him. Comforting him. I told him, if it's time, you can go. I didn't want him to suffer. That was 4 a.m.

Two hours passed. I held him for 2 long hours, crying & telling him I loved him, but didn't want him to suffer. I told him to go ahead Dad was waiting for him at the Rainbow Bridge with Copper and all the other critters.

At 6:10 a.m., Maverick, my guardian, took his last breath.

Good bye my friend. I will always love you. I will always cherish you & your memory. I will never forget you.

Pole Dancing with Bonnie, the Penguin Siamese

2011-04-03T00:38:00.001-05:00

I posted this video on my facebook page, but thought folks might get a kick out of it here.

When you see the video get real close to Bonnie, it's because I had to unstick her claw from the fish. LOL!

I tied the fish toy to the pole to get her to stay long enough to shoot video of her, but she does this all the time without the toy. I have a still digital photo which, I believe, is posted on the blog already, but since I found one of my old HP digital cameras would work with one of my new camera's card, I wanted to video her.

The video seems to end abruptly, but the it is the limitations of the camera. It only record video for approx 2 mins.

So, sit back & enjoy pole dancing with Bonnie Blu, the Penguin Siamese!

Red River SPCA on Facebook

2011-04-02T16:35:00.001-05:00

Recently, I have been dedicating some time to helping a local animal rescue group.

The Red River SPCA is located in Cooke County, Texas, which borders Oklahoma on the Red River. It is operated completely by volunteers led by the SPCA investigator, Tommie Kirksmith-Newman. It is known as a no-kill shelterless rescue. What this means is there is no actual shelter location. All animals are kept in foster care. Because of this, they need to keep a good number of foster homes available and animals must be adopted or it limits the number of new rescues they are able to actually rescue.

The Red River SPCA does have a listing on PetFinder.
The listing can be accessed here: Red River SPCA on PetFinder
or www.rrspca.petfinder.org

The Red River SPCA is also now on facebook.
Here you can visit them & "like" them on facebook: www.facebook.com/RedRiverSPCA

If you are looking for an adoptable cat, they also have rescued cats/kittens.
The cats are not listed on petfinder at the moment or on their facebook page, but they do rescue them, as well. A few of these cats are available at the Sherman PetSmart store.

If you live in the Texoma area, Sherman/Denison area, Gainesville area, Cooke & Grayson Counties area, north Texas area, Dallas area, or southern Oklahoma area, please remember to check out the Red River SPCA for adoptable dogs & cats.

Copper's Chip In Posts

2011-03-25T22:00:00.001-05:00

February 24, 2011 @12:10am

Dad's Little Buddy, Copper

******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* *******

February 24, 2011 @ 12:36am

The Reason for this Chip In

Recently, about February 12 & 13, Copper began having a lot of problems with his hind legs.

He has fatty deposits, which is common with overweight dogs & overweight dogs who have lost a lot of weight, in his left hind leg. We thought the fatty deposits were hindering his ability to stand and walk.

We were wrong.

Instead, after taking him to the vet for an exam to confirm our suspicion, the vet told us both legs have problems, but the right hind leg is his biggest problem. He has bad crepidation in both knees of his hind legs. They are so bad that x-rays appear to show bits of bone that have fractured off and are basically floating within his knee joint.

Our vet said, if his knees did not receive some form of help, a decision would eventually have to be made to possibly euthanize him.

I do not believe in euthanization; so, I am trying to do everything I can for him. Currently, that means, I am having to follow him around while he attempts to walk. When his legs can't make it, they collapse under him; I, then, pick him back up. He tries to walk a little further, and we do it all over again. When he has to go outside to go potty, I have to take him and stay with him in case his knees give out while he is doing his business.

Our vet said she did not think Copper was a good candidate for surgery, which is one way to handle the situation. She suggested to search the Internet for braces for his hind legs which are made for dogs with ACL injuries. I found very few offering these braces, 2 to be exact.

When I contacted these companies I found the braces were not even close to anything I could afford.

The braces, called stifle braces, cost $595 - $750 PER LEG.

A cast would have to be made of Copper's legs for them to make the braces, as they are custom made for each dog.

Before Dad passed away from complications of Agent Orange, which he was exposed to in Viet Nam, I promised him I would take care of his little buddy.

******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* *******

March 3, 2011 @ 2:02am

Donation Methods

I want to take a minute to let everyone know Chip-In says it allows PayPal and checks/direct deposit for donations. I do not know if this is still true, as when I tried to set this up, it would not give me the option for anything other than PayPal.

If you would like to donate, but have a problem using PayPal, please leave a comment on my blog http://paws4critters.blogspot.com/2011/03/leg-braces-4-copper.html

I should be able to contact you by clicking your name.

My apologies for the inconvenience. I hope, if you are financially able, you can donate even a small amount to Copper; so, he might be able to live the rest of his life in the least amount of pain and human assistance as possible.

If you have stumbled upon this page or were led to it from the many links that have been posted around the web, please feel free to re-post it wherever you think it might be of interest.

Many thanks from me, Copper and I am sure, Dad!

******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* *******

March 11, 2011 @ 6:56pm

Having a Bad Day

Today, Copper has been having a somewhat bad day.

He has been in some pain when I pick him up to carry him to go outside to potty since last night.

He also has been not really wanting his breakfast. It is possible he has an upset/nauseous stomach.

He is on Carprofen (generic Rimadyl) 25 mg 2x/day. Carprofen can have a negative effect on the stomach making him nauseous. He is on a 1/2 tablet of Zantac 75 1x/day, for nauseousness for his other meds.

I called the vet's office today to see if he can have the Zantac more often. They called me back to let me know he can have the other 1/2 tablet late at night to help curb his nauseousness in the morning.

To help control the nauseousness, we may need to cut back on the amount of Carprofen he is getting, which may leave him in more pain.

Copper still wants to be mobile, as he is constantly trying to get around the house and the yard when outside. He will struggle to walk and drag his bottom & legs just to follow me around.

Hard to watch, but he is still fighting to have an active life.

The last post on Copper's Chip In page is the same as the post I made here titled "Mourning a Member of the Critter Gang".

Mourning a Member of the Critter Gang

2011-03-25T21:55:00.000-05:00

Today, The Critter Gang is in mourning.

Chico & Copper ~ Best Buds
Copper's last photo March 17, 2011

The Critter house seems a bit quieter today...

Well, it's a sad day in the Critter house with the passing a great little friend who has been part of the Critter Gang for 11 1/2 years.

Dad's dog, Copper, has been having some health issues for the past year, some of which are stated above.

He began with hypothyroidism last year, which he was taking levothyroxin for. Then, his liver showed slight problems, which he was taking S-Adenosyl (sp) & milk thistle for.

About a month ago, he was diagnosed with crepidation in both knees of his hind legs. He needed braces for them, as they do not do doggie knee replacements. The crepidation was so bad he had bone chips in the area of his knees. Since the chipin wasn't going all that well (had 1 donation which I have to contact that person abt), we had finally figured out how to pay for the braces for his legs when he suddenly fell ill on Tuesday morning.

I spoon fed him Tuesday; then, I hand fed him on Wednesday.

I called the vet on Wednesday & they had me drop him off this morning, Thursday. Because they were busy & had no appts, they examined him in between appts & surgeries. He almost immediately went into an oxygen cage. His normal oxygen level should have been abt 94/95+; his was 81. His exam did not go well; so, she followed it up with xrays, ekg & blood work. All bad. One of the things they look at with the blood work didn't even register on the chart because it was too high. An indication of organ failure.

When she, the vet, called me to tell me the bad news, she told me his liver probably already failed and his kidneys were in the process of failure. Both his lungs & heart were having problems & his blood pressure was difficult to get because his feet pads were already cooling down. She asked me to let him stay until 3pm today just to give him a little more time in the oxygen cage since he was resting peacefully. I said ok. Within about 1/2 an hour of our conversation, one of the vet techs called and told me I needed to come get him now so he could go at home. His oxygen level had dropped too much and he could go anytime. I left then.

By the time I got there, his bowels had already let go. They let me stay with him in one of the exam rooms for a few minutes in case he passed then. His bladder released while I held him, but he was still breathing. The vet helped me get him in the truck; so, I could get him home. I was hoping Mom & Chico, Mom's dog, as well as the other dogs, would get to see him before he passed. The vet is abt 6 rural miles from me. I made it up to the intersection of the road her clinic is on & the road I live on where there is a red light. I had to wait at the light, figures. He seized there at the light. I petted him and talked to him, but I don't think he made it home. I rushed him in the house for them to see him, but he was pretty much gone by then.

So, it is a very sad day in the Critter house, as the Critter Gang mourns the loss of their oldest brother.

Copper was 13 1/2 years old, at least. He was estimated to be abt 2 years old when he became a member of The Critter Gang.

While at the vet's office, I kept telling him to "go see Daddy", "Daddy's waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge". He didn't really show recognition when I said his name, but whenever I said 'Daddy', he would turn to look at me. You have to wonder.

Rest in peace, Copper. I know you and Dad are spending tonite together. We will miss you!

I will, like I did with Devil, re-post the posts that were made to ChipIn here. I ended the ChipIn for Copper's leg braces for obvious reasons.

Dog Chews: Rawhide, Pig's Ears & Hooves

2011-03-03T02:26:00.000-06:00

I recently posted in a forum about the dangers of rawhides, pig's ears and hooves. I decided I should post the info here on The Critter Gang's blog.

A lot of people seem to still be unaware these items can be extremely dangerous to our beloved dog friends. I couldn't believe someone was suggesting these items to be given to a dog to control chewing. It amazes me these dangerous chews are still on the market when they are hazardous enough to cause the death of our beloved dog friends.

Folks please educate yourselves on the dangers of these terrible 'treats'. I have known about the dangers for many, many years, as a vet warned us against them a long time ago.

BEWARE: They cause severe and costly health problems and can lead to death!

Rawhides, as well as any of these types of 'treats' like those mentioned above, have been well known to cause a variety of ailments from choking to blockage. They can, over time actually cause a blockage in your dog's intestines, with expensive surgery usually being the only option. Chewed off pieces can be easily swallowed and become lodged in your pet's throat causing him/her to choke. In addition, they can get bacterial infections, etc.

Here are some links you can refer to for more info on these so-called treats...
http://www.doglogic.com/rawhide.htm
http://www.askabreeder.com/?q=node/247

http://www.k911.biz/Petsafety/RawhideandChewyTreats.htm
http://www.essortment.com/dangers-rawhide-chews-22202.html

So, please always remember 2 things...

1. NEVER give your best bud rawhides, pig's ears, hooves or anything like that in nature.
2. Always monitor your best bud when (s)he is given something (s)he can chew pieces off and swallow.
3. PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE & THE CHEAPEST!

Leg Braces 4 Copper

2011-03-03T01:50:00.000-06:00

It's taken me a while to post this because I really didn't know how I wanted to handle it.

Copper is Dad's dog, his little buddy. He, in a sense, was Dad's first dog since his childhood, as most of the dog's we've had were family dogs. When Dad passed away, we promised to take care of his little buddy.

So, here we are. Copper is approaching his very senior years. When Dad got him, he was estimated to be abt 2 yrs old, that was 11 years ago.

Now, Copper is suffering from debilitating knee problems. To make matters worse, he has, for most of his life, also suffered from a twisted joint in one if his front legs, which has progressed with time. He struggles to walk, and I have to pick him up and place him outside. Most of the time, I have to stay with him, as his legs, the right more than the left, buckles under him causing him to collapse on his rear.

I can only imagine the pain he is in. He is on Novox, which is Carprofen, also known as the generic of Rimadyl(R), twice per day. Because of his daily intake of this drug, he will need to have blood work done every 6 mos to test for organ malfunction/failure. For everyone's FYI, here is the FDA's sheet in PDF format on Carprofen: FDA Sheet - Novox (Carprofen).

In addition, he has already been experiencing some liver problems, which he is taking Milk Thistle & S-Adenosyl (SAMe). You can read about how S-Adenosyl (SAMe) helps liver function at Dr. Foster and Smith's peteducation.com website. He also has a hypothyroid. He is on Levothyroxin to help get his thyroid working properly. It must be working because he dropped from 52 pounds to 40 pounds. He could stand to lose at least another 5-10 pounds.

Copper's vet does not believe him to be a good candidate for surgery, which is one way of handling the situation, because of his other medical issues. She state because of the debilitating nature of his knees, in the future, a decision will probably have to be made about his quality of life. Of course, those that know me know I am not an easy person to convince euthanasia is in the best interest of anyone other than the humans who do not wish to watch a loved one grow old, weak and need constant care.

As an alternative to euthanasia, his vet did mention leg braces that may help him walk. She told me to do a search on the Internet for them. I did. They are expensive and well beyond my means. Because of this, I have started a Chip-In page for Copper. I am hoping we will stumble or convince some warm-hearted dog lovers
to help Copper live the remainder of his time, be it months, a year or more in the best way he can and in as little pain as possible.

You can read more about Copper on his Chip-In page, as well as donate as much or as little as you can, for any amount, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated!

Maverick's New Diet

2011-02-11T23:22:00.006-06:00

Well, poor Maverick has been battling yeast infections for 10 years.

Maverick

I questioned his last vet as to whether it could be allergies. His reply was probably; however, he offered no suggestions as to how to handle these allergies, as he assumed them to be environmental.

As time has gone on, I have wondered if the allergies might be more than environmental allergies. I started thinking, shouldn't environmental allergies be seasonal? Which, then, would mean, Maverick's allergies should be seasonal. Problem is, Maverick's allergies seem to be year round.

I heard once dogs can have food allergies. I started checking into food allergies recently and what to do about them. It turns out, food allergies can cause a great deal of skin issues with dogs from chronic yeast infections in the ears to yeast infections between their toes, on their faces and on their belly and groin area. Dogs lick incessantly causing these areas to become red and raw.

Maverick has been on medication for his ears for years, as well as medication to rid him of yeast infections on his feet and belly/groin area.

I spoke to his most recent vet about food allergies. She agreed it is possible he could have them. I asked her what food she recommended. I also did some searches on the Internet for hypoallergenic dog food.

The dry foods I came up with that are suppose to be the best are...
(I have not checked all brands, but some of these also come in canned/wet food)

Blue Basics(R) by Blue Buffalo
Wellness Simple Solutions(R)
Taste of the Wild(R)

My vet recommended Taste of the Wild(R). Blue Basics(R) is available at both PetSmart & Petco. Wellness Simple Solutions(R) is available at Petco, but may soon be available at PetSmart, as PetSmart is beginning to carry the Wellness(R) line. You may be able to request it at your local PetSmart. Taste of the Wild(R) may be a little more difficult to find, unless you have a feed store or a Tractor Supply store. You can also search the Taste of the Wild(R) website for a location near you. Taste of the Wild(R) can also be purchased over the Internet if you cannot find it sold near you.

If you are looking into changing your dog's food to one of these foods, be sure to read the guaranteed analysis and ask your vet if it is OK for your dog, especially if your dog has any other medical conditions. Because one of Maverick's house buddies, Chico, is diabetic, I asked my vet about the protein content of Taste of the Wild, as two of the flavor varieties has protein over 30%. I was told, because none of my dogs are working dogs, I do not need to feed any of them a food with protein content over 30%.

I also read, in some cases, dogs can acquire food allergies by eating the same food for years with no change. In this case, they can become allergic to the meat in that food, as well as the additives for color, preservatives, gluten and grains such as wheat, corn, rice.

The above mentioned foods are meat, veggie & fruit based, with meat as the first ingredient. The Blue Basics(R) & the Wellness Simple Solutions(R) have very limited ingredients in them. They have items you will actually recognize as food.

My dogs have been eating Beneful(R) Healthy Weight their entire lives. This is a grain based food with chicken and some veggies.

It is said, you should note the first 5 ingredients of your pet's food to be sure you are feeding them good food.

If you need a low carb food, look for food low in grains and sugars. Sugars are anything ending in 'ose': glucose, fructose, etc. or the natural sugars: sugar, honey, molasses, corn syrup, etc. These should not be in the top 5 ingredients. Sugar is a quick energy boost; so, foods advertising to be for energetic dogs just may be high in sugar content. Read the labels, both the ingredient & guaranteed analysis.

As of February 1, 2011

Maverick has been off of Beneful(R).
The foods I am using for Maverick right now are:

Blue Basics(R) dry dog food by Blue Buffalo
Taste of the Wild(R) dry dog food
Blue Buffalo Wilderness canned dog food
(This is a low carb pate-style food that is mixed with chicken; beware if your dog is allergic to beef. Read the ingredients, as some include beef.)
Taste of the Wild(R) canned dog food
(This is a chunky-style food that from what I can tell from the ingredients may also be a low card food; although, it is not advertised as such.)

I am alternating between Blue Basics & Taste of the Wild(R) Pacific Stream dry dog food for Maverick.

For Breakfast and lunch, Maverick gets one of these two dry foods dry.
For Supper, Maverick gets one of these two dry foods mixed with some water and a portion of canned food. I split the can between Maverick & his 4 other house mates according to their size. (For instance, he gets more than Chico, who is a lot smaller.)

I will try to chronicle his progression, if any, here.

At the moment, I can't tell if he has had any progression because he has been on medication to try to get the yeast infection on his belly/groin under control.

I have noticed, whatever the reason, food or medication, he is licking his feet less.

Please stay tuned for updates...

Caring 4 Pets During Winter

2011-02-09T01:14:00.000-06:00

As we are fully into winter, we should really be practicing good animal/pet husbandry.

For some reason, unbeknownst to me, some people believe animals can withstand all of winter’s fury. Why?

When animal protection organizations say you need to provide food, water & shelter, they do not mean rotted leftovers, filthy rain puddles & the underside of the stairs to the deck.

True, animals usually bulk up for winter by putting on weight and getting a winter coat.

False, animals cannot put on this extra weight by still eating the same amount of their same diet, and a ‘winter coat’ can be interpreted differently. A Great Pyrenees’ winter coat is a great deal different than that of a Great Dane.

Just because an animal is deemed an ‘outside’ animal, does not mean it can handle all the weather that is thrown at it. In the wild, a great number of animals perish because of winter’s harshness. When these animals are cared for, or at least, in the care of humans, you would think they would stand a better chance at surviving the cold reality of winter.

But, alas, some people think animals can survive on their own in their pens or fenced areas with no compensation for the cold.

Here are a few things you can do to help keep your friend/pet safe and warm during the cold, wet winter months:

I. Get your dog or cat a warm place to stay. Dog houses come in a variety of shapes and styles. Make sure it is facing a direction that is not going to allow rain/sleet/snow to blow in. Place warm bedding in it. Some animal rescues believe hay/straw is better than blankets because it stays dry & dries better than a cold, wet blanket. Regardless of what you use, remember to check it after storms to make sure it is dry. If it is not, change the bedding. If using a blanket, it can always be placed in the dryer to quickly dry it or to add instant warmth. You can entice your dog or cat to go into the doghouse by putting their bowl of food inside with them. Doghouses such as the Dogloo® are the better than most, as they have offset entrances that will help keep the wind and wet weather out in addition to being insulated.

II. Yes, your best friend would probably love to finish your leftovers, but it should not be their only diet. You should find a good, quality dog/cat food that fits the requirements of your dog or cat during the winter months. If in doubt, consult your veterinarian. You may need to give them more food in order for them to survive outside, as they will need extra nutrition to make sure they maintain a healthy weight that will keep them warm. Fresh food should be given daily in a clean bowl.

III. True, a rain puddle may be nature’s water bowl, but it is not clean enough for your dog/cat to drink. Puddles can carry bacteria. During freezing temperatures, these puddles can and do freeze. Fresh, clean water should be provided in a clean bowl at least once a day. When temperatures are at, near or below freezing, your dog/cat’s water bowl should be checked multiple times during the day. If it freezes, you will need to remove the frozen water and replace with fresh, clean water.

IV. Other dangers for pets during the winter months can include:

A. Ingestion of anti-freeze. Be sure to never leave anti-freeze lying about, as it is a deadly toxin which entices its victims with a sweet taste. The ASPCA recommends using products containing propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol

B. Cats will sometimes crawl up inside the engine compartments of vehicles to escape the winter chill. Be sure to check your engine before starting your vehicle. You can bang the side of the vehicle or blow the horn to try to startle the cat into leaving. As said, a small doghouse is a great alternative to an engine compartment.

C. Keep pets off frozen waterways. Ice can be thick or thin. It is a dangerous game to guess. Always assume ice is thin and will crack beneath your pet’s weight.

D. Hypothermia & frostbite can strike any pet at any time it is left to the cold icy conditions of winter. Ears, feet and tails can often become frostbitten. Be sure to keep pets indoors or at least provide adequate warm shelter for he/she to stay. If your pet is an indoor pet you let outside, you may want to invest in a sweater to keep the pet warm while outside.

1. Signs of frostbite: paler or even blackened skin, frosty coverings (particularly on paws, ears and/or face), excessive shivering. If your pet exhibits any of these signs, contact your veterinarian.

2. Signs of hypothermia: dilated pupils, pale gums, uncontrollable shivering (even after being indoors), weak pulse, wobbly unsteady walk, dizziness, unconsciousness. If your pet exhibits any of these signs, contact your veterinarian.

E. Salt to melt snow & ice is also a potential hazard. The salt used to melt snow & ice can accumulate on your pet’s feet. When your pet licks their feet, they can ingest the salt, which can cause gastrointestinal bleeding. If you must use salt to melt snow & ice around your home, be sure to wash your pet’s feet, legs and stomach after he/she comes in contact with the salt.

F. Never let your pet off their leash or allow them to roam freely. Winter storms can become dangerous. According to the ASPCA, more dogs are lost during the winter months than any other time of year, as dogs can lose their direction on snow covered ground with more snow accumulating.

G. Remember to never cut your dog or cat’s hair during the winter. Their winter coat aids them in keeping warm. Some shorter haired breeds may even need a sweater to keep warm especially elderly pets.

H. Puppies & kittens do not handle the cold outdoor weather well. It is recommended all puppies & kittens should be kept indoors during cold winter months. House breaking puppies may even prove to be difficult. If you have a puppy that is difficult to house train, you may find it easier to train him/her to use specially treated ‘pee pads’ until the weather warms up, allowing proper house training.

Here are a couple more risks for inside pets:

I. Space heaters. Space heaters are great to heat small areas. Some people use them to warm the space their pet sleeps. This can be a potential hazard to the pet. If the pet is sleeping nearby, they can move too close and become burned. The space heater could get knocked over and overheat pet bedding and start a fire. Some space heaters come with a safety function that automatically shuts the heater off if it is tipped. The cords for the space heaters cause yet another potential hazard for pets, as cats and dogs alike sometimes chew cords. NEVER leave pets unattended with space heaters.

II. Carbon Monoxide. Old furnaces can produce the deadly gas carbon monoxide, which can kill small animals. If you have an old furnace, you may want to get your home tested for carbon monoxide.

III. Fireplaces. Be sure to use a fireplace guard/screen to keep pets out of fireplaces. Hot ash can burn pets. Pets who sleep too close to the fireplace can also experience burns.

IV. Fire. A large number of fires happen during winter months due to space heaters and candles. Candles can be extremely dangerous with cats or dogs with wagging tails. Candles should be kept away from flowing curtains, drapes, human & pet bedding and all other flammable materials. NEVER leave candles unattended with pets in the house.

There are also specialized care for inside birds & rodents for winter; unfortunately, I am not versed in caring for these critters. If you have questions regarding the winter care for your critter, please do your research online or ask your veterinarian.

Also, remember other outside pets like rabbits, goats, horses, etc. They, too, need special care during the winter. Heat lamps can be purchased to keep barns warm; however, please use them with caution. Heat lamps can cause fires. Be sure these outside pets have fresh food & water and warm bedding. Be sure to check water often when temperatures are below or at freezing, as the water will freeze.

It is a responsible pet owner/caretaker who tends to those in his/her care making sure their winter needs are met.

And remember… always paws 4 critters with 4 paws!

Devil's Surgery - January 11, 2011

2011-01-22T23:17:00.001-06:00

For those following Devil from the Chip-In page, here's an update.

I did not receive much help from the Chip-In, but everything worked out OK. There was one sweet, caring individual who donated her Christmas Eve sales to Devil. To whom, Devil & I thank and are much appreciative!

On January 11, 2011 between 8 & 8:30 a.m., Devil was on his way to All About Pets Animal Hospital. I didn't take him in the cat carrier I bought for him last August because he didn't like it the last time. He spun around like the Tasmanian Devil causing slight injury to his nose. He scraped it up a bit. We received snow a couple days before, which had yet to melt. Odd for north Texas, as it is usually gone by the same afternoon or, at the very least, the next day. Because of the cold, I wrapped Devil in a throw blanket. He meowed some in the truck, but was otherwise a good boy.

When I got there, I explained again how I wanted Dr. Rhoads to try to correct Devil's eye problem. They asked if I wanted blood work done prior to the surgery. I didn't really know. The anesthesiologist was there when I dropped Devil off; so, I was able to talk to her about the blood work and also a few concerns I had. For Instance, being Devil has tested positive for FIV, I was wondering how that affected the anesthesia. She said since Devil is 8-10 yrs old, the smaller blood test would probably be a good idea. It would check for any organ issues that he may have that have not presented symptoms yet. She said other than him possibly being a little anemic due to the FIV, he should be OK, otherwise.

I agreed to have the blood work done because the whole point was to make sure he was well and taken care of... something he's never had before.

After signing some paperwork and being reassured everything would be OK, I left and awaited their call with an update.

Shortly after lunch, I received the update call. Devil made it through his surgery & was doing well. Whew! I always get nervous when I have a critter undergoing anesthesia & surgery. Anesthesia can cause many problems and you never know what might happen. I was, needless to say, relieved to receive the call. I was told he could go home anytime after 4 p.m.

All About Pets Animal Hospital maintains a page on Facebook where Dr Rhoads posts a Case of the Day. These are cases that stand out that Dr Rhoads thinks people will find interesting. She includes photos of the critter along with captions as to what is going on in the photo. I did suggest they use Devil's surgery as the Case of the Day when I dropped him off; whether or not this led to them using his case, I don't know. If you would like to see Devil's Case of the Day, please click here: Case of the Day: Blink of an Eye

Before & after images:

Before surgery

After surgery

I think it is interesting to see how she corrected his problem. To leave a comment, you have to click the "Like" at the top of the page of All About Pets Animal Hospital's home page.

In addition to getting his eye fixed, Devil was also neutered and received all his shots.

When we got home, Devil was hungry & tired. He readily ate his supper & slept quietly in the laundry room for the rest of the day & night.

Please come back as I update his healing process.

Cold Reality of a Homeless Cat - January 10, 2011

2011-01-22T16:07:00.008-06:00

From Chip-In...

January 9, 2010... mild fall-like weather turned ice cold overnight, bringing snow to north Texas beginning early in the morning continuing most of the day.

These pics are of Devil trying to cope with now lightly falling snow & cold winter of north Texas...

Hiding under a trailer to stay out of the falling snow
Trying to get through the freshly fallen snow
cold & wet, looking around at the now white world

wishing he was someplace warmer & drier

A Reason to Neuter - January 8, 2011

2011-01-22T16:04:00.001-06:00

From Chip-In...

I am posting this because I want folks to understand the importance of neutering their male cats.

Devil recently got into another fight with another male that wandered into his territory. Male cats are very territorial. Being in bred it is a very difficult instinct to ignore.

Devil's bad eye is a reminder of how bad these fights can be.

Fighting is the number one way male cats transmit FIV, mostly from deep puncture wounds. FIV is the feline equivalent to HIV. FIV in cats can lead to Feline AIDS. Eye infections, I have read, are common in cats with FIV,and can be deadly.

Hopefully, once Devil is neutered,his fighting days will be over. Ending his fighting would have 2benefits:1.he will no longer transmit FIV and 2. he would not acquire any injuries that could cause infection and lead to his demise.

As described in the post about his eye, he has constant irritation with this eye. It drains constantly which requires cleaning. Because it is always wet, he gets dirt in it, which causes more irritation.

With the help of kind-hearted, cat loving folks, I hope to be able to get his eye injury corrected when he is neutered.

If you can spare even the smallest amount, Devil & I would appreciate any help you can offer.

We thank you for your big heart!
Robyn & Devil

Devil's Bad Eye - January 3, 2011

2011-01-22T15:59:00.001-06:00

Another post from the Chip-In page...

As I am sure most can tell, Devil has a bad left eye.

A couple years ago, Devil got into a territorial fight with another roaming male believed to be Taz.

Taz is either Devil's brother or son... their births have been a while and memories being what they are...

My neighbor, when she was here, tried to care for Devil's eye without vet care. Since at that time, she claimed him for her's, I had to remain out of it. Something I now regret.

My neighbor told me once Devil didn't take kindly to having her put anything in his eye. I can understand, as I have since tried to get some meds in the eye myself when it becomes irritated. He puts up a fight, but I actually have gotten some in it a few times.

When Devil saw the vet in Aug 2010, she said, naturally, the injury was healed over and there was some scar tissue. Also, his eyelashes are now turned inward causing irritation to his eye. The irritation causes him to scratch at it. Because of the irritation, the sensitivity and him scratching, the skin around his eye now gets frequent infections. I got some antibacterial ointment from the vet, but getting it into his eye does prove difficult most of the time.

It is possible this injury is probably the injury that lead to Devil's FIV positive condition.

I was doing a little research on FIV when I found eye infections are common enough with FIV cats that he does not need any additional help from an old injury like the one described here.

It is possible, if the FIV becomes Feline AIDS, this old eye injury & it's chronic infections could deal a deadly blow.

I am hoping to have the injured eye corrected when I have him neutered. I think it will help him live a better, healthier life without the constant irritation.

With any luck, having him neutered will also curb some of his territorial habits.

I am trying to give this poor guy a fighting chance at a somewhat happy existence.

Thanks for any help anyone can offer... Robyn & Devil

Devil: December 23, 2010 post from Chip-In page

2011-01-22T15:56:00.004-06:00

On December 17, 2010, I introduced y'all to Devil, a Maine Coon mix. Please refer to the post titled, The Outside Guys. Since Devil's Chip-In is ending, I am going to move all the posts to this blog. This is the first of the posts...

As winter begins to set in, I always feel so bad for the critters forced to live outside either because their people think it is better for them or because they have no people to care for them.

In Devil's case, he is an outdoor barn cat of sorts only without the barn. Most folks in this area keep cats in the barn to keep the rodent population in check. In Devil's case, a neighbor who use to live here just liked having cats around. She liked the kittens. Devil was one of those kittens abt 8-10 years ago.

Now, she's left and Devil was left to continue his outdoor life on his own. I guess she thought he could survive without her.

He's not much of a hunter, but he is very territorial.

Devil & I have been friends for most of his 8-10 yrs. When my neighbor left & I realized Devil was on his own, he was almost emaciated. He was thin. I began feeding him, and he has now put on a good bit of weight.

Now, as I said, I feel bad for those critters forced to live outside during the cold wintery months. Since Devil cannot live with my cats due to the deadly disease, FIV, he carries, I have to keep him separate. During warm days, Devil stays outside. He rarely roams and keeps very close to the house. At night, he comes in and stays in the laundry room, which is closed off from the rest of the house.

I thought everyone might like to know how Devil spends these cold days & nights. I suspect, when winter really kicks in here in TX in January & February, he will spend a great deal of time in the laundry room. Of course, I will have to take him out for walks. He walks with me like a dog.

He's a real sweet little guy.

I hope y'all will find a warm spot in your heart for this wonderful little kitty who just needs people to care about him and take good care of him. For years, those who said they cared and lay claim to him, never really did a lot to "care" for him. Now, he has the chance to finally have his needs taken care of.

Won't you help?
Thanks... Robyn & Devil

Looking 4 a Furever Home for...

2010-12-22T15:25:00.001-06:00

This is Hershey. He is a Jack Russell Terrier mix
born to Sooner, a Jack Russell Terrier.

Hershey is looking for his furever home.

He currently lives in the North Texas area. He is a Jack Russell Terrier mix. His mother, Sooner, is a Jack Russell Terrier. Sooner and her two sons, Hershey & Brutus, live at my neighbor's house. The puppies were unexpected & they cannot keep them all.

Hershey was born 10/20/10. He is mostly white with some black spots that may darken with age.
He's very affectionate, will curl up & cuddle with you. Loves to play. Loves children. Lives with 1 child under 10 & 1 under 5. As said, he also lives with his brother, as well as a kitten that's apprx 9 mos old.

He's very sweet & hoping someone out there has a special place in their heart & their home for him & all his love.

You can also find him by clicking here Pet Finder

If you know someone in the North Texas area who is looking for a puppy that will be a small to medium size dog when full grown, please click on Pet Finder & go through the contact methods there.

Thanks!

Devil

2010-12-17T15:59:00.002-06:00

The Outside Guys

2010-12-17T14:02:00.003-06:00

Since I introduced everyone to Harley, I wanted to introduce y'all to the rest of The Outside Guys.

Harley
Everyone has met Harley, who just went through a life altering surgery. He, I am happy to say, is no longer a part of this group. It was decided, by the non-cat loving person in the house, Harley will now be a welcomed member of The Critter Gang, of course some members of The Critter Gang are trying to adjust to this new change. Interestingly, Bonnie is really the only hold out. I think she feels infringed upon. Being the baby, she wants all the attention to herself, with a new guy in the mix, she just wants to know she's still all that. Harley, on the other hand, is having to try to cope with getting use to so many cats around and dogs. Yes, the dogs are quite interested in him, but he wants nothing to do with them, throwing a hissy fit, literally, every time one is near him. We, on the other hand, are awaiting the blending. I am sure it will take a few weeks to... well, whenever. It has taken up to a couple months in the past.

Moving on...

Devil
Devil is a left over kitty from my neighbor; he was named by my neighbor's children for the Tasmanian Devil. He has also been referred to as "you little devil". He has always been outside, but this past year was traumatic. My neighbors went through a divorce, where the wife left. She was the caretaker of all the outside cats. Her husband, who is still my neighbor, is not a cat person, but did try to feed them. Unfortunately, with the work hours he kept and not being around, the cats, one by one, left. Harley is one of those cats, but he too left for a time. Devil, a mainstay for 8-10 years never left, but had no where really to go. I started feeding Devil in late spring because he was starting to get real thin and scraggly. Once he began to have regular meals again, his weight started coming back. He began to hang around more. I started to try to keep him cool during the hot Texas summer and find him some relief with food, water and shelter. In August, I pulled some money together to bring him to the vet to have him tested for FIV & FeLV. Since I was handling him a lot, I needed to know; so, I would know how to handle him and not infect The Critter Gang. Unfortunately, Devil tested positive for FIV. Fortunately, he tested negative for FeLV. By fall, I managed to get him a Petmate Indigo Dogloo. As colder weather approached, I filled the Dogloo with an old bed The Critter Gang cats had used and some old blankets. Devil is the territorial male who defends his area well. He is a sweet Maine Coon mix who follows you like a puppy dog. He comes to his name and will sit in your lap for a morning or evening nap. I sit with him often after everyone has been fed breakfast & supper meals.

Bobby
Bobby is a dark gray/black tabby with a sort of bobbed tail; hence, his name. I grew tired of just describing him as the bobbed tailed one; so, I gave him the name Bobby. How original! Bobby started coming around, probably, about 2 years ago on and off. He is a scrapper and used to get into fights with many of the outdoor cats that use to hang around my neighbor's & my place. I am sure he came for the food left out and the females.

[There were other males like Harley's brother, Jake, who is Bonnie's father, and Taz, who is either the brother or son of Devil. I last saw Jake on Mother's Day 2010. He had a severe bite would on his hip from Bobby. I tried to tend it & it seemed to be healing. I wonder, though, if Devil is FIV positive, if Bobby is also FIV positive. In the case of Jake & Bobby's fight, it is possible Jake may have contracted the illness. Taz usually disappears during the summer and comes back during the winter. He has not returned this year. He, too, may be FIV positive, as I believe he may be the one who gave it to Devil.]

Back to Bobby... Bobby now stays mostly at a distance from Devil. There's an old van here I have placed another old cat bed in. I give him water and food there, as well. I don't know if he uses the bed because I rarely see him. He comes around, mostly at night and in the early morning. I know he's there because for one, I see him from time to time slinking to the van, and two, because his food is gone. Occasionally, a possum or field mice come into the van to finish the food Bobby has left, but I can tell when they have been there. Mouse poo and the possum makes the food & water bowls dirty. I saw the possum once. The closest Bobby let me come is about 40-50 feet. I zoomed in and took his picture. The picture here is the best one I have of him. He's very elusive and shy around people.

And there ya have it... The Outside Guys!

The Penguin Siamese Is Growing Up!

2010-12-17T12:23:00.001-06:00

"I am Siamese, if you please... I am Siamese, if you don't please!"

Yep, that's right!

Bonnie, the little Siamese with the black & white parents, is growing up fast. She turned 9 months old December 14th & was spayed on December 15th. What a way to celebrate her 9 month birthday!

Special thanks to Noah's Ark Animal Shelter in Gainesville, Texas for offering low cost spay vouchers and to the staff of All About Pets Animal Hospital where Dr Wendy Rhoads performed the coming of age surgery for Bonnie.

Of course, in typical Bonnie, aka Bon Bon, fashion, she was up to her usual antics in no time. Keeping this little wild cat quiet for any length of time is quite a chore. By the next day, she was running at top speed through the house with at least 2 cats on her heels followed by me trying to keep her calm.

Harley... A Changed Man!

2010-12-17T12:03:00.003-06:00

New flavor of Yoplait Delights... Harley!
All your biker buddies'll love it!

Harley would like to thank all those who contributed to his medical expenses.

A very generous young man, teenager really, came forward. I say young man because his actions speak more of the man he is becoming than the teenager he is. When he saw Harley's needs, he put aside his own wants and desires. Money that was to be used to buy him a Christmas gift, he instead wanted donated to help Harley get the medical attention he needed. To this generous young man, Harley says "meow mew" {thank you}!

Now, a little info regarding Harley's vet visit...

Harley was tested for FIV & FeLV. Both tests came back NEGATIVE. This means, of course, he does not have these two dreaded kitty diseases. He is a healthy 18 month old kitty.

Harley was neutered and will no longer have to worry about those male kitty things: hunting females, protecting his territory, spraying stuff he calls his, fighting off other males, etc.

Harley did have ear mites, tape worm and, of course, the dreaded fleas; so, he had to be treated for these. A dose of Drontal took care of all wormy issues, an ear cleaning while he napped and a dose of Revolution for the ear mites & fleas, which by the way, I found out also takes care of roundworms & hookworms... who knew!

Harley came back a changed man... and a much happier one!

Harley's Digs

2010-12-01T12:22:00.004-06:00

Hi, y'all... Harley thought y'all might want to see where he spends most of his time.

The entrance to the bus Harley stays in.

This is an old handicapped city bus that's used as a storage/work shop by someone who claims to not like cats. However, Harley has begun to win him over.

The doors on the bus have to be propped open because the wind blows them shut. Until I realized it, Harley would get locked outside of in the cold. Temperatures have been dropping at night to the high 20s & low to mid 30s lately. We've had freezing rains and winds over the past week... and it's only December. We are expecting colder weather next week. December is usually a very windy, rainy month with very cold nights.

Come January, we usually get frigid ice storms. I have already had to dump frozen water bowls; so, I can imagine what January is going to bring.

Harley eating breakfast
with his bed in the foreground.

I am hoping to have Harley neutered by the middle of December. I am also keeping faith that after he is neutered he will feel comfortable enough to bunk with one of the other male cats, Devil or Bobby. Bobby's feral, however; so, I don't know if any of them will bunk with him. I rarely see Bobby; I just know he comes and goes.

The second picture is of the area inside the bus where Harley eats & sleeps. The bed is an old cat bed lined with a blanket. He has a little handmade Animal Cracker toy I made for him that he likes to play with.

The bus does stay a little warmer than the outside temps and the windows allow him to sun in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon. Yet, I still find leaves and seed heads to the long grasses inside... yes, even all the way to where his bed is, which is almost to the back of the bus.

Oh, yeah, there is also a roll around chair he likes to sit in.

All he really wants is to be loved and cared for; so, I am trying to provide a little comfort and compassion for him.

Please Help Raise Funds for Harley

2010-11-29T02:30:00.002-06:00

This is Harley. He is a sweet little guy about 1-1/2 years old.

To all my critter friends and friends of critters...

Harley is one of three stray/feral cats I try to care for. I provide fresh water and food for him.
I am working on getting him his own shelter, but until then he is currently staying in an old bus. He has an old cat bed and some blankets to snuggle in during the cold nights we have been having recently.

I am trying to raise some funds to help get Harley some medical attention. There are 3 things I am hoping to provide for him...
1. Testing for FIV & FeLV (see below)
2. Vaccinations
3. Neutering to stop any territorial male stuff, as well as mating, which will in turn stop producing any unwanted litters.

Cat overpopulation is a big problem many urban, suburban and rural areas are trying to cope with. Another issue many are trying to cope with is the spread of feline diseases, which can be highly contagious and sometimes deadly. Some of these deadly diseases are transmitted through territorial males fighting.

If we can prevent the mating of males & females, we can put a stop to unwanted litters of kittens. According to the ASPCA, 5-7 million companion animals enter shelters each year. Of these, 3-4 million are euthanized. Approximately, 70% of all cats/kittens relinquished by owners or picked up by animal control are euthanized, which means 7 out of 10 cats/kittens are euthanized. Of course, the percentage is a nationwide percentage and may vary by actual location. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP) less than 2% of cats are reunited with their owners. In addition, only about 10% of the animals received by shelters are spayed or neutered. It has been estimated there are up to 70 million stray cats nationwide. A cat can have, on average, 1-2 litters per year of about 4-6 kittens.

Neutering the male is half the battle of trying to control these numbers.

An un-neutered male also becomes territorial, as he searches for a female to mate with. These un-neutered males will fight when they come in contact with each other, be it trespassing into another's territory or for the mating rights with a female in the area. This fighting brings on illness and transfers highly contagious diseases from one male to another.
Two of these highly contagious diseases are deadly...
1. FIV or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, which is the feline equivalent of HIV. FIV, like HIV, can become AIDS, in this case known as Feline AIDS.
2. FeLV or Feline Leukemia Virus, which can lead to other ailments such as lymphoma - a cancer of the lymph system.

Harley & I appreciate any help anyone can offer.

Thanks for all your help and God bless!

More of Bonnie Blu

2010-11-22T00:37:00.003-06:00

OK, folks... I had to do it.

More pics of little 8 month old Bonnie Blu.
Sometimes, kittens can be so dadgum cute!

Took these today, November 21, 2010.


No, I am not pole dancing! I am practicing to be on Dancing with the Stars!


Thank you, thank you very much! Am I not just the cat's meow?! Now, don't furget to vote fur me... 1-800-CAT-DANC (Disclaimer: not a real phone number)

In all reality, Bonnie just likes to climb things and play the wind chimes.

The wind chimes are her favorite instrument!

Paws4Critters Pet Stuff

2010-11-20T19:05:00.001-06:00

Howdy, my dearest critter friends & friends of critters, I have a new booth on Bonanza.com.

The new booth features handmade / handcrafted dog and cat toys and blankets and/or beds. The toys and the blankets are made of washable fleece. Some of the toys have cords on them for dangling, dragging or tying to a stationary object. The cords are made of either 100% cotton or 100% polyester depending on supplier and availability. The blankets are hand-tied, not sewn. They are soft, warm and double thick, usually with critter themes. They can either be used as blankets for small animals or beds for small dogs or cats to lie on. I do plan to offer larger blankets for larger dogs. In the meantime, if you need a larger blanket, please contact me through my booth and let me know what size you need.

In the future, I hoping to offer handmade Martingale collars. They are similar to chain choke collars, but without the chain and the choke. They are better for dogs with smaller heads than necks, as well as dogs with sensitive throats. Hopefully, I will be able to offer them before Christmas or, at least, before the new year.

I already have some original toys listed:

Alley Cat Knapsack
Crazy Cattails
Catfish Catch

Please stop by the booth and check out the really cool toys and great blankets at
www.bonanza.com/paws4critters2
or... click the box on the right that goes directly to the booth!

Thanks... Robyn & The Critter Gang

Caught! Another Dog Rescue... Bonnie Blu

2010-11-18T03:12:00.003-06:00

Awwww... ain't she cute with hind feet in her face?
Bonnie Blu @ approx 1 month

Bonnie Blu is the latest rescue by Hershey.

They kitten hunter/rescuer has struck again!

Dusty & Sandy's mother, Mama Kitty had a litter of kittens under the house.
It is believed another black & white cat, Jake, is Bonnie's father.

Bonnie, who has acquired the nick name Bon Bon, is the purrrfect example of "yeah, it looks like a purebred, but... nope, think again!" Don't be so quick to think you have a purebred anything. Bonnie is proof you can look like a pedigree, but you are far from it. If you have a stray that looks like a purebred, chances are a combination of breeds have fooled you. If Bonnie had been found without knowing who her parents were, the assumption would have been made that at least one of her parents was a full blood Siamese. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although she was born outside and essentially stray, her parentage is known.

Bonnie's parents are BOTH black & white... one short hair and one long hair. Both black & white cats have some sort of Oriental cat in their ancestry. Since we cannot figure out if she is a Chocolate or a Seal Point Siamese, I have decided to call her a Penguin Point Siamese! The wrinkled up faces with question marks surrounding them will be hysterical!

Jake is a grandson of Mama Kitty from a litter she had with a short haired cat. Jake is a black and white short haired cat who's features are very Siamese or some Oriental cat breed. Of course, remember, Mama Kitty has some Oriental cat breed in her as well, whether it's Siamese or Himalayan or something else, as many of her kittens either feature Oriental points or appearance by features such as long tail, pointy nose, etc.

Hershey found Bonnie under one of the back decks. After trying to rescue her by pawing at the wood plank step, he allowed me to remove the plank with a drill. I pulled her out and he began fawning over her trying to pick her up and carry her around like she was his.

It is estimated Bonnie was born around March 14th, 2010.

Bonnie loves playing with her half siblings, Dusty & Sandy, to whom she has become very close.

About Bonnie's name... Bonnie Blu is the name of the daughter Rhett Butler & Scarlett O'Hara of Gone with the Wind. Bonnie Blu was chosen when Bonnie was approx 1-1/2 months old. It was believed at the time she was a blue point Siamese. It was later found a seal point Siamese can sometimes be mistaken for a blue point when young. Because she also has Tabby features (stripes on her fore-legs), as well as her parents being all black & white, she does not totally fit the seal point Siamese. She seems to also fit the chocolate point Siamese. Her color point is a mystery. She is getting dark enough, though, to conclude she just may well lean towards a seal point Siamese. So, her Bonnie Blu is representative of her captivating blue eyes, which are ever so slightly crossed... or, of course, they just may be set too close together.

Here are some of her favorite pics...

Hi, I am from Australia... NOT!
My imitation of a koala bear.

Do you see it?
Can you see the end of my tongue?
How 'bout that punchy bag thingy?

My halo... don't you see it?
A purrrrfect angel!

Look deep into my eyes...
Now, open the can of tuna fish and put it in front of me.

Wow, look how dark I'm getting!
8 mos

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun... Silver Sands 'Sandy'

2010-11-18T02:15:00.002-06:00

"Girls just wanna have fun"
What? You don't like my singin'?

Silver Sands or 'Sandy' is named for her silvery gray color. She is a light gray calico, as she has a slight tan sandy color mixed into her silvery gray.

Sandy's mother is believe to be the same as Dusty's... Mama Kitty, a long haired black and white cat.
Sandy's father is believed to be, yes, again, the same as Dusty's... either Devil or Taz.
This is supported by the fact Dusty had a sister in his litter that was colored almost exactly like Sandy.

Sandy was born approx. October 8th, 2009.

We 'rescued' her from about 5 males in the area. When she was about 5 months old, she started showing signs of possibly reaching adulthood, as these males followed her everywhere she went. She tried to hide but to no avail. Most folks thought she may have become pregnant with this ordeal when the males began to leave her alone.

Sandy at 6 mos when she lived outside

Not so. The following month was more of the same. Once again, she was trying to fend off the advances of these males.

Sandy, however, had no desire for any of them. All she could think of was playing. She would try to play with anything from a leaf to a small stone or twig. She would play until one of the males tried to have their way with her. When the torment of the males came to be too much, it was decided to take her in and give her a home away from the advances of the outdoor males.

Once inside, Sandy settled right in. Being only 6 months younger than Dusty, the two hit it off. Dusty had already been neutered; so, all he wanted to do was play. He taught her how to have fun playing indoors. Within months, Sandy was spayed. She never really wanted anything but to be able to play like a kitten.

Now, all she ever does... all her waking moments... are spent playing and having a good time.

Oh, hi... just tryin' ta make this box bigger;
you shoulda seen it when I started!

She has never given any indication that she even misses being outside. It is as if she was meant to be a playful kitten forever.

Sandy recently had her 1st birthday and has not slowed down. All she wants to do is have fun. Along with Dusty and a new kitten, Bonnie, she is all play!

(Note: Sandy & Dusty are probably brother and sister; however, they are of different litters. Bonnie is their half sister.)

Dog Rescue or Toy?... Dusty Patches

2010-11-18T01:45:00.001-06:00

Dusty was sort of 'rescued', we think.

He was born April 2nd, 2009.

During the night, Copper went outside. After being out for quite a while, he was called in.
He would not come. Not to worry; he almost never comes when he is called.

It is always good to know your dogs' personalities. Maverick also was outside. When he was called in, he, too, would not come. This was totally unlike Maverick. He obeys quite well.

When Maverick would not respond, I knew something was up. However, I had no idea nor did I even imagine the scene I was about to walk up on. I assumed something bad... coyotes, perhaps, had their attention.

Dusty @ 1 month old

No... Copper had a small kitten upside down. I couldn't tell if he had watched Hershey try to pick kittens up or if he thought the tiny 'mews' coming from the kitten was equivalent to the squeaker in a squeak toy. If he figured the latter, then, my thoughts were is he trying to catch a kitten or pull the squeaker and stuffing from the kitten's belly. I wondered if Copper even understood what he had and what he was doing.

My first thought was to separate Copper and the kitten. As I pushed Copper out of the way, I realized there was blood on the kittens hair. Fearing Copper had done damage to the small kitten, I took the kitten inside for a quick exam.

Maverick stood by watching trying to figure out if he could get in on the act.

As it turned out, the kitten was not bleeding; he only had blood on him. Copper, on the other hand, had a bloody nose and mouth. In trying to pick the kitten up or pull the stuffing out, the kitten used his claws to scratch Copper enough to make him bleed.

Dusty's mother is a long haired black and white cat. What breed gives her the long hair is unknown, but one theory is Himalayan, as Dusty has Himalayan points similar to that of a Siamese. A Himalayan could very well be a long haired Siamese, or at least, I think so!

Dusty's father is one of two Maine Coon mixes, Devil or Taz, who is either Devil's brother or son.

ha ha... you funny lookin' wit camera stuck to face!
Dusty @ 1 year

Over time, Dusty has been found to possibly have seizures from having toxoplasmosis.
Yes, the same disease/illness doctors warn pregnant women about telling them not to clean the litter box while they are pregnant. The illness can infect cats as well and lead to seizures. Dusty has difficulty breathing when cradled in one's arms like a baby. He also has breathing problems when he purrs. Sometimes, thankfully infrequently, if he ends up sleeping on his back or if he falls asleep with his neck bent, he again has breathing problems. Sometimes he throws his head from side to side, becomes frantic wanting to be put down and acts as if he is gasping for breath.

He is not on any medication at the moment, but his condition is monitored. If he begins having these symptoms more often, his vet will be consulted.

All in all, Dusty is a real sweetheart staying by your side at almost all times.

The Dog Rescue... Katy Rose

2010-11-18T00:27:00.004-06:00

Katy Rose is a black & white cat who was 'rescued' by Hershey.

Joker - kitty

I know, you thought this was going to be a story about a rescued dog,

didn't you?

Nope, it's the story of a kitten rescued by a dog.

To say Hershey loves cats would be an understatement. The dog seeks them out. If he were female, I believe he would mother them.

Katy's mother was a feral black cat. Her father, well, it is believed he was a Siamese who escaped from a neighbor's house. Sadly, the Siamese male lost his battle with the 70 mph highway that runs in front of our property. We saw the feral mother for a couple of years, but then she vanished.

So, how did Hershey rescue this half feral kitten? It seems critters seem to find the underneath of our house the perfect nursery! Several cats have given birth under the house, as well as a skunk. Unfortunately, it is believed the skunk met the same fate as Katy's father. The baby skunks, at least one, did not fair well either, as it's tiny body was found at the edge of the house... maybe it wandered when mom didn't come back. It was buried in the Paws4Critters Cemetery guarded by St Francis.

Singin' in the Rain

On a happier note, Katy seems to have been the inquisitive kitten in her mother's litter. She wandered out from underneath the house and into the back yard. One night, while eating supper, Hershey repeatedly asked to go outside. He was told to 'go lay down', but he persisted. At this same time, we thought we saw someone walk across the deck. Not like a real person, but more like a shadow. When Hershey was finally let out, he searched the deck frantically. When we went to see what he was looking for, Hershey turned around with a little black & white kitten in his mouth. Being he has retriever in him, he carefully held the tiny kitten in his mouth.

To this day, it is believed the shadowy figure was one of two beings... St Francis of Assisi, who, of course, is the patron saint of critters, with a special delivery or, perhaps, God, delivering a blessing in a furry bundle!

We took Katy inside and cleaned the Hershey slobber from her. Her unmistakable 'Joker' smile led to the idea to call her Joker; however, saner minds prevailed. Instead, we went with the black & white theme.

With Cindy named for cinders and Ashley for ashes, we searched high and lo for a suitable name to go with the two fire-related names of Cindy & Ashely. We came across St Catherine of Siena, who is the patroness against fire. We didn't want to give her such an aristocratic name as Catherine because of her Joker smile and feral beginnings. It just didn't seem to fit. So, Catherine was shortened to Katy, which was spelled as such because of the close proximity to the Katy RR lines, by which we live. The Rose portion of her name was in honor of the rosary.

Katy doing her Kilroy impression!

Interestingly, for a cat with a totally religious name, I seriously believe she heard us laugh and toy with the name Joker. I also believe she is fully aware her name as it is spelled, Katy, is the name of a locomotive. If she could have a sinister laugh, she would laugh similarly to the Joker, as she barrels through the house like a freight train!

She still has a feral-ness about her. She refuses to allow anyone to touch her feet... cutting her nails will send you to the hospital, or at least to the bathroom for antiseptics and bandages! She has finally allowed us to at least pet her. We have been working hard on that; however, her vicious attacks are still unpredictable and unwarranted, at least in our eyes. She can be calm one minute and lash out in an instant. Still, she is a sweetheart and we love her!

She also has an oddity about her... she does not purr!

I have never heard of a domestic cat, regardless of her being half feral, not purring. I believe she was born without a 'purr box'. How is it that a cat does not or cannot purr. Never heard of such a thing.

New Ebook for Owners of Diabetic Dogs

2010-08-09T01:31:00.013-05:00

I am happy to announce that I have finished writing my first ebook!

The ebook is titled Living With A Diabetic Dog.

This ebook was written from a dog owners point of view for other dog owners. Written in a simple, easy to understand format with real life information from Chico, my mom's diabetic Chihuahua. This ebook will help anyone dealing with a diabetic dog.

Important information covered in this ebook ranges from recognizing symptoms to emergency conditions such as ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia. There is also a section on how to choose a veterinarian. I have also indcluded some links at the end for further reference and reading. For more on what is covered, please see the table of contents image (below right).

I have included a screen shot of Chapter 1: Recognizing the Symptoms as an example of the ebook's style and information.

Special page on how I got/get Chico to eat when he refused or still refuses, which he does from time to time.

Please click this link Living With A Diabetic Dog to order your copy of this informative little ebook.

Delivered electronically withing 24 hours via email. Weekends & holidays may take a little longer. Because shipping is electronic via email, there is no shipping fees.

The ebook format is in Adobe .pdf; so, you will need to have Adobe Reader.
It is 27 pages from start to finish.
It is approx. 645 kb.

Actual screen shot of the Table of Contents

A sample of the ebook, a screen shot of the Chapter 1 Recognizing The Symptoms

Ebook Reviews...

This is absolutely wonderful and so well written. It is so complete with information, yet written simply enough for Joe Shmoo to understand. I can't find anything to pick apart about it. And so necessary now, people are letting their pets get obese and the problem is increasing... Anyway, so well done.

Nancy, Nancy's Nostalgic Dolls, www.bonanzle.com/nancysnostalgicdolls

All I can say is WOW... very well written with many well talked about information. This book brought back memories of a dog my mom and dad had that became diabetic and by the time they found out it was too late. I have to say you did a wonderful job of explaining everything you should know from the symptoms to vets to treatments. I highly commend you for the wonderful work you have done.

Regina, Buttons and More, www.bonanzle.com/buttonsandmore

Wow very informative... written very well; it was easy to understand and easy to read.

Cindy, Critter Creek Ranch, www.bonanzle.com/crittercreekranch

You did a fantastic job with this! Super A+++++++++++

Mary, SofyBlu2 Vintage Collectibles & More, www.bonanzle.com/sofyblu2

Oh, my. I have just finished reading your book more carefully/thoroughly. It is very informative and awesome! I do like the brown informational boxes about specifics of your fur baby. Your 'Forward' to your book is great and very touching. I have 3 dogs and a cat, so have done reading on fur-babies quite a bit. I would have to say your e-book is very professional and informative. I give you an A+ and a hug for all of your efforts in your book.

Julie, The-Pink-Frog-Shoppe, www.bonanzle.com/the_pink_frog_shoppe

Very good! Well written and informative. Would be very helpful to anyone whose dog is diagnosed with diabetes. I admire your dedication to and the desire to help others in the same position.

Joyce, Twin Beaks Pets, www.bonanzle.com/TwinBeaksPets

El Grande... Chico

2010-07-04T23:46:00.001-05:00

El Grande Chico Perro...

The big little dog describes Chico in sooo many ways!

Chico Burrito!

Chico was born December 5th, 1998.
The very day after Snoopy passed away.
His parents Lil Bit & Peanut lived next door.

My neighbors were trying to sell the litter of pups, but unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for us, Chico was too big for his breed.

It seems, Chico's daddy, Peanut, was a little 4 pound pedigree Chihuahua who had a gene that came from his much larger ancestral breeds. Because of this larger dog gene, all the puppies he fathered were larger than officially acceptable by Chihuahua standards.

And so, my neighbors, having trouble selling the round little burrito of a pup with the Dino bark, brought the little fella here. A secondary benefit was they could watch him grow up.

Chico has very long legs and stands about a foot or more tall. His heaviest weight, and a little overweight unfortunately, was 29 pounds. When he became sick with diabetes, he dropped to as low as 16 pounds. He has yo-yo'd back and forth between 16 & 19 pounds since being diagnosed, but lately has evened out at a very round 19-20 pounds. His heftiness from birth has lead to the nicknames 'Chub Chub' and 'Chico Burrito'.

As for that Dino bark... well, think back to the Flinstones cartoon and Dino their dinosaur 'dog'. He barks just like him; so, he has also earned the nickname... Dino!

In August of 2007, Chico began showing symptoms of diabetes; however, due to the summer heat, we believed he was drinking more because of the hot, humid Texas summer. Because he was drinking more, he also was beginning to ask to go outside to urinate more. We again just attributed it to him drinking more because it was so hot. After all, it was August in Texas.

By the end of August, the excessive drinking & urinating really caught our attention. Chico was brought in to see his vet. He was officially diabetic.

He was started on Vetsulin. He was to begin getting injections, 'shots', of insulin 2x per day.

At first, he didn't fair to well. Later in the evening, after the first injection, which had been administered by his vet, he began vomiting, and lost his appetite and began showing other signs of ketoacidosis.

He was rushed to the emergency vet clinic some many miles away. They immediately checked his sugar/glucose levels and ran some other tests. The verdict: ketoacidosis. He began an IV of insulin to get his sugar/glucose levels under control. He spent the rest of the night at the emergency vet clinic. When Chico's vet reopened the next morning, he was rushed from the emergency vet clinic to his usual vet, who allowed Chico to come home.

Chico's vet admitted he only had one other diabetic patient, who was controlled. Chico's diabetes was extremely difficult to control leaving him dumbfounded as to how to handle it. The vet recommended we take Chico to a specialist. The specialist was, like the emergency vet clinic, some many miles away.

We took Chico to the specialist vet, who kept Chico for a day and night. Chico was fed, his sugar/glucose levels were monitored and he was given insulin during the day. After being brought somewhat under control, Chico was allowed to go home.

These first few months were quite daunting. We were sure Chico would not live through the next year. We were all but told that by our regular vet. We were told his sugar/glucose levels were never going to be under control because some dogs are difficult that way, and Chico was going to be one of the difficult ones.

By the time Chico's sugar/glucose levels again became a problem, we had switched vets. Chico's new vet, Dr Wendy Rhoads, seemed to have more experience with diabetic dogs, as she herself had a diabetic dog. In her eyes, Chico's diabetes should be under control. Dr. Rhoads worked at getting Chico's diabetes under control.

It has now been 3 years since Chico's diagnosis.
He has lost some of his hair, which has led to his need for a sweater on chilly nights when he goes outside.
His vision isn't what it used to be. He has difficulty seeing in the house when he just comes in from a bright outside. In the past several weeks, he has become a little more nervous outside at night leading him to go outside and just bark at whatever he hears.

All in all, we are very grateful to be enjoying his friendship 3 years into a diabetes diagnosis, in addition to, on December 5th of this year, his turning 12 years old.

The Guardian... Dusty Maverick

2010-07-04T02:47:00.002-05:00

Are you a fan of the TV show Maverick? Maverick is!

Maverick is named for the character Maverick.
Since Bart & Bret were already used, he wanted a really cool name; so, because of his coloring, he decided on Dusty. Besides, Dusty sounds like a good ol' western name!

Maverick is not named for the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, as most people assume when they meet him.

Maverick is believed to have at least Border Collie and Great Pyrenees in him, but we all know now what a critter looks like may not be what they truly are.

As to the title of this post, Maverick is the guardian of everything. If you have seen the cartoon of the Old English Sheepdog & the wolf, you will know what I mean. The two go to work, punch their time cards and begin their day. The Old English Sheepdog sits in his stoic guard dog position. The wolf dresses like a sheep and tries various ways to sneak in amongst the herd and steal a sheep. Well, as you can see by Maverick's pic, he sits and he guards. In his younger days, he could sit like this for quite some time. We have built in benches on the deck, just behind him in this pic, where he usually sits and watches. It's all he does. Inside, he will lay in doorways where he can see most of the house at once or with the turn of his head.

If you've ever wondered what happens to the "Wal-mart dogs", wonder no more. What? You don't know what a "Wal-mart dog" is? Well, you know those folks that sit in the parking lot with a crate or box full of puppies and a sign: "puppies for sale". We've all seen them. They look real cute, but who would get a dog from these people?

Well, according to the old man who had Maverick, he did. Here's how I came by Maverick.

In December of 2000, an old man, as I am told, had his van towed to the shop my brother worked at as a mechanic.
Because he had no where to stay, they took him to a shelter. The shelter would not take the man's new 6 week old puppy he just got in the Wal-mart parking lot; so, the man left the puppy in the van.
The owner of the shop took him home the first night. My brother brought him here the second night.
I was to take care of him until the man's van was fixed. It turns out the van was not fixable. The man was told.
He did not show up to claim the puppy.
About two months or more later, the man finally came back tot he shop with a very small car. He asked the guys at the shop for his puppy, the one he left in the van and never once called about or checked on.
Because the man never came by for the puppy, never inquired about the puppy for so many months, they tried to talk the man out of taking the puppy back. At first, the man refused, but the guys offered him $50, which is, from what I understand, what he paid for the puppy. He agreed, took the $50 and left.

Of course, hind-site being 20/20, this was probably for the best.

Maverick has a long double coat which requires extensive grooming and clipping to keep it well managed during the summer time in Texas. The cutting also helps keep him cool, as it takes the heavy weight off of him, as well as keeps hot spots to a minimum. He has allergies to almost everything he touches from grasses and weeds to ragweed and cedar pollen. He has chronic yeast infections in his ears because they flop to close to his head. He has had an ear resection in both ears to try to open his ears a bit more to allow more air flow, but this did not work. Yeast infections are caused by moisture in enclosed areas that are constantly warm. Because Maverick is always hot with all his hair in Texas, dampness sets in and yeast infections soon follow. Rainy season is the worst. He also, from time to time, gets yeast infections between his toes and has been on medication to eliminate the infections. He has joint issues in his knees, as he suffers from ACL, anterior cruciate ligament, problems. This is a problem more well known to athletes. It can be helped with dogs, but it has to be done when the injury occurs. If you wait, the injury leads to arthritis and cannot be corrected properly or with good results.

Maverick is tri-colored being mostly white with tan and black markings. He has chocolate brown eyes, and he knows how to use them to get what he wants. He self-taught himself to shake hands. When he wants you to not make him do something or you are mad at him, he will try to shake your hand, as if to plea with you to stop forcing him to do what he doesn't want to do or to please forgive him and not be mad at him anymore. It is heart-melting! Gotta love him; he's a real sweetheart!

The Lady... Tiffany

2010-07-04T01:43:00.004-05:00

How do you catch a stray dog?
Some simply call it to them.
Some use a trap.
Some offer food.

When my brother & his co-workers at an auto repair shop saw Tiffany, they offered her food. Hamburgers, I think. She refused, as her trust in humans was non-existent. She would only run and grab the food when they were not nearby. She then ate it under nearby cedar trees.

Finally, after weeks of trying, on January 26, 2002, she cautiously approached and ate the food they offered while they were there leading to their catching her.

When she was brought to the vet, she tested positive for heartworm.
She was immediately put on a heartworm treatment program to kill the heartworm.
The heartworm treatment takes some time and offers no promises.
Tiffany was lucky. She survived her heartworm ordeal.

The vet guessed her to be about 2 years old and obviously a mother, at least once.

Her breed was a whole other story.
People have speculated about what she is from the first time anyone laid eyes on her.
The obvious, a Finnish Spitz, probably means she doesn't have an ounce of it in her, as I later found out with another new addition, a kitten now named Bonnie. You'll just have to come back to read about her and why I now know... just because a critter looks like a specific breed doesn't mean it is!

Some believe, because she has one small black spot on her tongue and her red color can only mean she has Chow Chow in her.

Her foxy appearance also leads one to make the assumption she is a coy-dog, coyote dog mix. I am not so sure about this, as I have heard you can not have a coyote or a coy-dog with cats. Coyotes & cats are supposedly mortal enemies because you cannot stop a coyote from thinking of a cat as prey. Well, Tiffany absolutely loves cats. So much so, she thinks she can mother the kittens and play with all of them. Her favorites are Punkin, Dusty (not yet bio-ed here) and the newest addition, Bonnie (also not yet bio-ed here).

Another guess is possibly something along the lines of a Sheltie.

After knowing the parents of Bonnie and seeing what pure breed she appears to be, I would be curious to know the parentage of each of the critters, as I have often wondered "what's in them"!
To know just what I am speaking of, you will just have to keep checking back for when I get little Bonnie listed. I can say this, she is the newest member of The Critter Gang and there are 5 critters in front of her waiting for their bio's.

As for Tiffany, she has made some social improvements, but I don't get to give her a lot of one on one with so many critters. She does walk a little on a leash, but she still panics near parked cars causing her to try to scoot under them to hide. She is still very skittish with noises and unexplained things. She has improved on her human contact though. A huge improvement, as she will actually come out to visit with people who come over. She still has a hard time on linoleum floors. She has learned how to take a treat (human food) from a fork.

The Second Miracle... Pearl Ann

2010-07-04T01:03:00.002-05:00

A little more than a year after the first miracle a second miracle landed right in front of my truck on May 30, 2002.

On that day, I was headed home from work on the same US Hwy I scooped Amber up on.
I was a little closer to town though this time.

As I just entered town, a small kitten, about 7-8 wks old, bounced off the driver's door of a truck going the opposite direction. My first thought was "I can't believe this person just threw this kitten out the driver's window in front of me".

Dumbfounded, I have played that scene over and over in head year after year.

I quickly pulled over and stopped. Almost without looking, I ran out to the center of the road to try to catch this little kitten. She, obviously, was in no mood to be caught and plopped back into another truck.

As I, bent over, chased this little kitten all about the road's center stripe, I unwittingly had stopped traffic into town... 2, 3 and at least 4 cars just going into town and at least one leaving town. After what seemed like forever, I finally caught the little kitten.

I got back in the truck, placed her in my lap and drove home.

She didn't appear to have any injuries, but I made an appt with my vet to check her out.
She was fine.

Whenever I tell this story, the usual response from people is "did you report the guy?"
Well, um... no, I did not. I don' t even know if the person was a man or a woman.
I barely knew what color the truck was. I only know it was white because it was coming in the opposite direction, and I had a good long time to see the color. No I did not stop to get the plate number. I was locked in on "get the kitten out of the middle of the road before someone comes and runs it over". It was my top priority. Dealing with the other driver was not. Besides, how would I prove what I just saw?

The other question I get is "how do you know the person threw the cat out the window?"
I, too, have often asked myself this question, thinking maybe I was wrong.

Here's the conclusion I reached as to how I am not wrong...

1. Pearl was 7-8 wks old... approx. 2 mos old.
2. I saw her bounce off the driver's door?
3. If she was already on the ground, how did I see her bounce off the driver's door?
4. If she was already on the ground and was hit, how could she bounce high enough off the ground to hit the driver's door?
5. Critters don't bounce.
6. If she was already on the ground and was hit, she would have been run over and died. She was 2 mos old.
7. Maybe she jumped out the window. If she jumped out the window because the driver was holding her, wouldn't the driver stop and pick her up? Seriously, I would.

So, the only explanation I can understand is she was thrown from the truck.

When I tell this story, I met with total disbelief. People always reply "I have heard of that happening but never knew it actually did happen."

I often have thought I should have spelled her name Purrl, but I spelled it Pearl in honor of Minnie Pearl, of whom I was and am a huge fan.
Pearl is a silver, tan & white Tabico, Tabby/Calico, leaning more toward the Calico.
She has large round green eyes.
She has been such a sweetheart of a miracle.

The First Miracle... Amber Lynn

2010-07-03T23:55:00.004-05:00

February 6, 2001 was a devastating day for Amber, but also the day she experienced a miracle, as did we!
She was about 6 mos old when she was struck by a car on US Hwy 56 heading out of town.
Amber is a pale peach Tabby with white markings and light green eyes.
Obviously, her name comes from her color.

Living in a rural area has its ups and downs. One down is the constant reminder that humans often move in on rural critters... spring doesn't just bring forth flowers. Spring also brings forth young critters who cannot judge the speed of an oncoming vehicle. Many critters lives are ended on the roadside of our rural roads, highways and byways. Some get used to it, some don't see it... I always see them. I always say a prayer for each one of them.

On this particular day, we were on our way out of town headed to the vet to pick up Ashley, who had just been spayed. As usual, I noticed this little pale red Tabby lying in the shoulder of the road. It broke my heart to see her there. As we passed her, I looked over at her. In a rather animated motion, she lifted her head and turned it my way, as if to say "please, help me; don't leave me here." I screamed "stop, back up, turn around! It's alive!"

We turned around and headed back to where she lay. I always keep old sheets in the car to cover the seats when it's been raining and the dogs are muddy. I grabbed one of the sheets and ran to her. I scooped her up off the ground with no fear of her biting or scratching me. Jumping back into the car, we sped off to the vet.

She was bleeding from her mouth and her rear; so, we figured she would not make it. How could she? She was hit by a car. It was surprising she was still alive at all, really.

When we arrived at the vet, she was in shock. They took her to the back and started her on fluids. After a quick exam, it was discovered her tail/back bone was broken just above the base of the tail. They kept her on fluids for a couple days, as she could not handle surgery yet. When she was strong enough for surgery, her tail was removed. Further exam proved her only injuries were the broken tail/back bone, some missing front teeth, a tiny notch in her ear that soon fell off as it was covered in tar.

$200+ later, she had survived... a real miracle!
It would be the first miracle.

Years later, we found she had also suffered an injury to one of her eyes, as her pupils are no longer the same size. One eye does not see as well as the other. As one eye reacts normally to light becoming smaller, the other does not.

Today, she is a loving, affectionate kitty. She may not see all that well, but she is a good bug catcher. Her balance & jumping is a little off because of her eyes and the lack of a tail. Her rear where the break actually happened is still a little sensitive. She is a true blessing.

The Five Kittens

2010-07-03T04:10:00.002-05:00

Carmel Taffy, Tammy Sue, Ted E Bear "Teddy", Silver Mittens, Frosty Punkin

These 5 kittens will be forever known as "The Five Kittens".
They were born March 20, 2000.

My cousin accidentally ran over their mother, a Siamese mix, when the kittens were about 2 wks old.
Their father was a stray Tabby.

When my cousin decided to leave her husband quite quickly, our aunt, not her mother, told her she could not leave the kittens for fear her husband would do harm to them. She suggested putting them in a laundry basket and bringing them to me, as she knew I would take care of pretty much anything. Boy, way she right!

No sooner I laid eyes on these little 2 wk old kittens, I had fallen in love with them. They had names within the week! And, everyone knows... once you name'em, they're yours forever!

Because of their age, they had to be bottle fed. There was little sleep during this time, but the time seemed to speed by. In almost no time at all, they were being weened off the bottle and starting kitten food.

Unfortunately, in 2008, Mittens was the first of The Five Kittens to become seriously ill and pass away.
She is buried in the St Francis Paws4Critters Cemetery out behind the dogs' fenced in yard.

Here is a brief description of each of The Five Kittens...

Carmel Taffy

Taffy is a carmel colored Tabby with black tips and gorgeous green eyes. She looks like a smaller version of her sister, Mittens. She has the Siamese build, as she is the smallest of the group and barely weighs in at 9-10 pounds. She is the talker of the group... and the house. She will have a conversation with herself if no one else is inclined to listen! She loves dogs and will use them as a ladder to get where she wants. I have a photo of her "riding" on Hershey's back. Although her name is Carmel Taffy, she answers to Taffy, Taff & Taffarini (I have no idea if she has any Italian in her, but I do!)

Tammy Sue

Tammy Sue is a silver Tabby Siamese with beautiful blue eyes. She is the only one of the group that is cross-eyed. She doesn't let it bother her, as she is one of the best bug hunters. She takes after the Tabby with her build and is a fairly large cat at about 14 pounds.

Ted E Bear "Teddy"

Teddy is a Blue Point Siamese with some Tabby markings, albeit very slight markings.
He has the typical Siamese slim build with beautiful blue eyes against his silvery gray color offset by some white on his chest and toes. He loves the ladies even though he is neutered. He is affectionate and clingy. He suffers from separation anxiety when left without human companionship and will follow you everywhere once you return, making sure your attention is on him, and only him. In general, he is very shy around other people.
Teddy occasionally suffers from Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). This is a crystallization of urine in his urinary tract. These crystals can cause a blockage, which is extremely dangerous. The condition needs to be monitored and owners need to be aware of the symptoms. When symptoms occur, action must be taken immediately to rectify the problem. The number one symptom is difficulty urinating or not urinating at all. In Teddy's case, when I begin to realize he is having trouble urinating, I start him on vitamin C. He gets 1/4 of a 500mg chewable vitamin C tablet crushed and blended into his can food 2x's per day.The vitamin C helps his urine be more acidic. Interestingly, Teddy likes the watermelon flavored vitamin C. I give him the vitamin C in his food until he becomes fussy with eating his food with it in it, usually about 2 weeks.

For more info on FLUTD, please click here: The Pet Health Library

Frosty Punkin

Frosty for his icy blue eyes. Punkin because I was trying to grow Lumina Pumpkins the previous year, and then again the year he was born. Never did get them pumpkins to grow, but Punkin, boy did he ever grow! Weighing in at a hefty 26 pounds, he is the heaviest of The Five Kittens! Punkin is a Fire, Flame or Red Point Siamese with reverse Tabby markings. Reverse because he is white to cream with orange Tabby stripes, which are becoming darker as he gets older. He was the largest kitten and he never stopped growing. Taking after the Tabby build, his fiery points and killer icy blue eyes are the only hint at his Siamese background.
Because of his sister, Mittens, and Misty, who I spoke of in another post, I am leery of putting him on a diet, for fear of him losing too much too fast and turning his liver to fat. I have asked 2 vets how I could get him to lose weight safely. Both vets expressed the same concern as I do. Fatty liver disease in cats is extremely dangerous and putting him through losing the weight is not worth the alternative... death from fatty liver disease.
He does have a health issue because of his weight, and it must be kept under control. He has chronic constipation. Because he is so large and because he has never been that active a cat even when he was younger, he does not have regular bowel movements. When this occurs, it builds and builds in their bodies. The longer it sits; the harder it gets because of lack of water/moisture/fluid. This causes constipation. When he finally has the feeling to go, he can't. The first time it happened, the vet explained to us how to give him an enema. We use generic water-based enemas equal to Fleet brand. He gets 1/2 the bottle at one time and then wait. Sometimes, it takes 3 enemas. We know keep enemas on hand at all times as part of critter maintenance. In addition, he has been prescribed lactulose. This liquid draws fluid into the intestines and keeps his poo soft; so, he does not become constipated. It does work, and thank God he is not diabetic or lactose intolerant, as it is related to the milk sugar, lactose.
Recently, he once again had a severe constipation. I, again, took him to one of my vets. She took x-rays to make sure he did not have another condition, megacolon, which is another very serious condition. He did not have megacolon. I discussed what I could possibly do more than I already was with the vet. I told her he primarily eats dry cat food, but I have been trying to get him to eat more canned cat food. She said if he will not eat just canned cat food; then, he needed more fluid intake and more fiber. She suggested using a syringe filled with water several times per day to get him to drink more.
This is because he has an issue with water. I do not know if he knows how to drink, as he paws at the water to spill some out on the floor. He, then, drinks off the floor. I have a plastic tray under the water now because of it. It seems he copied Gizzy, who I already posted, with his drinking. Gizzy used to drink by pawing at the water, as he was used to having the old Coke bottle waterers, where you have a bowl that fits a Coke bottle upside down in it. It releases water as the bowl empties. Gizzy knew the water in the bottle was fresher; so, he would paw at the bottle opening to get the water to come out, and he would only drink from near the bottle opening. Towards the end of Gizzy's life, he didn't have that style water bowl either, but he continued to paw at the bowl. In addition, his eyes were starting to fail him; so, he couldn't see the water as well. I have a feeling Punkin copied his pawing without realizing what he was doing, as Punkin never had that type of water bowl. I suppose, with his blue eyes, Punkin may have difficulty seeing the water, as well.
Anyway, I didn't end up needing to give him water with a syringe, which is a good thing. I don't think he would have liked that! I leave a bowl in the sink now, and he drinks from it. If he paws at it, it just goes down the drain. I use to flavor his water with the gravy you can buy to add to the food to make it enticing, but it got old quick. I did switch his food. I searched and read many, many food labels. I found Blue Buffalo makes a "Healthy Weight" food that is high in fiber. It is the highest in fiber I could find. And believe me, I read a lot of labels to find out! It comes in an orange bag. I told my vet and wrote the brand and name of the food down for her because she had another cat with the same problem.

Silver Mittens

Silver Mittens was a black and tan tabby with white markings on her feet, chest and belly and silver tipped hair. She had gorgeous green eyes. She was the second largest of the kittens weighing in at about 16 pounds. She had markings around her eyes that made her appear to be wearing eye liner. When she looked at you, she always gave you her bedroom eyes. She had a very sweet personality.
One day, I noticed she began eating a little less than normal. Over the next several days, I noticed nothing out of the ordinary except her eating less. Within the week, she went from eating less to not eating at all. I scheduled an appt with the vet.
The vet thought maybe she had a bug and gave me some amoxicillin. I tried to hand feed her to make sure she ate. Nothing. I called the vet again in a couple days to let them know there was no improvement.
They had me bring her back to run some blood work. Her red blood count was almost non-existent. Seriously. He should be the test tube with her blood separated. There may have been a small drop of red cells at the very bottom of the tube. He said she was extremely anemic. Well, that was obvious. He suggested cancer, but before we had a chance to figure that out for sure, we had a secondary disease take hold... cirrhosis of the liver, better known in kitty world as fatty liver disease. He ran some more tests for Feline AIDS and Feline Leukemia. All the tests came back negative.

We were now trying to figure out what was wrong with her and had to deal with the fatty liver disease. We knew this illness... Misty passed away from it. I knew I didn't have much time. Misty died within 2 weeks.

I desperately tried to get Mittens to eat while trying to figure out what made her sick in the first place. I never did find out what she became ill with, but as I said, it is believed she probably had cancer.

I said when Misty passed away from this dreaded disease, I would never let another critter suffer like she did. I was beside myself. I still couldn't bring myself to have Mittens euthanized. I prayed for guidance. I prayed, I prayed and I prayed. As a last ditch effort, I brought Mittens to another vet for a second opinion. When they examined her, they, too, came to the conclusion it was probably cancer, but in her condition... about 2 weeks into fatty liver disease, there was nothing they could do. They said they could only recommend euthanization. I said I would have to think about it. I cradled her in my arms and brought her home. I spent all afternoon and evening with her. She stayed close, but she was restless. She wanted to lay on the floor; so, I let her. I laid down beside her. She hardly meowed at all. A couple times she may have whimpered a little, if a cat can whimper. I curled up beside her, and she beside me. We stayed like that until just after 11pm when she finally drew her last breath. Her body went limp and she passed away.

The first of The Five Kittens was gone... Mittens passed away May 19th, 2008 at a little after 11pm.

Her death changed everything.

I no longer rely on one vet. I no longer wait to see if they get better.
When any of the cats stop eating, I give them 1 day. On the 2nd day, they go to the vet.
I always have more than one vet. I do not rely on one to "fit" them in. I will keep calling vets until I find one who will see them...now!

For more on Fatty Liver Disease, please click here PetPlace.com

I will try to post some info on this topic soon.

The Rescue... Hershey Kisses

2009-08-26T03:03:00.007-05:00

Hershey Kisses! Nuff said!

After Snoopy passed away back in December of 1998, it was decided the house could not be without a dog. So, the local SPCA was having a thing down at a local shopping outlet. Off we went. So many dogs, I could have had them all. Then, we saw them. Two siblings. Hershey and Coors. There was a third, Chocolate, but he had already been adopted. At the time, the SPCA believed they were Vizsla mixes. Their breed mixture is really unknown, but the guesses are... Vizsla, Weimaraner and Labrador Retriever. The SPCA rec'd the mother and three pups from someone who had found them on their property. Someone had dumped them off out in the country. The mother was a yellow color with some white markings. She was not up for adoption. The pups were. Coors was a beautiful honey gold color similar to beer; hence the name. I don't know why someone would name a female dog Coors, but they did. Hershey was a gorgeous milk chocolate with white markings and brown ticking on his chest. We decided to adopt both since they were siblings and we wanted two; so, they could be companions for life. We changed Coors name to Honey, as we thought it suited her better. Hershey kept his name, but we added Kisses to it because he loved to give kisses.

Hershey and Honey were born approx. September of 1998. We adopted them in December of 1998. Everything was great until Honey started to assert herself as the dominant dog. In a very short time, she began to snap at Hershey and became increasingly aggressive toward him. If he had decided to back down and allow her the top dog position in the house, all would have been fine. That didn't happen. This became a learning experience for us. A lesson in setting up a dog pack within a household. Hershey had enough! In the hall and dining area, he decided to let Honey know her place in the house. He was going to be boss not her. The fight lasted until we could break them up. A couple more fights later and we had to call the SPCA. We explained the situation. The lady who runs the SPCA offered to take Honey back and work with her. They decided Honey would be better off with some obedience training and socialization. They worked with her and offered her for adoption again with the stipulation that the person adopting her have no other pets. As I understand it, she was adopted to a newspaper reporter who took her everywhere. Honey found her perfect home. We hated to have to give her up, but it was the best for both Hershey and Honey.

Hershey on the other hand learned something from his sister that he never forgot... the pecking order of a pack and aggression towards other dominant dogs. We contacted the SPCA many times for help with working with him and how to deal with different scenarios. This was before Cesar and his dog whispering. We learned how to be assertive members of the pack before it was popular. There are still some trying moments. Hershey still has his issues, but he's a lot better. We learned a tough lesson when adding another dominant pup to the group in 2000.... Maverick, a member of the infamous "2000 group". When Maverick was a very young pup, Hershey told him straight away who was boss by attacking him. He tore his ear which required vet care. Maverick was going to be a big dog; so, we worked at getting this issue under control.

Dealing with both Maverick and Hershey's dominance at an early stage has led to only a handful of fights that are fairly easy to diffuse. Most times these dominance wars are mere growling as they pass, but every once in a while one figuratively steps on the others toes leading to a little more than just an argument. We, then, have to become the dominant top dogs and get them back in line before someone gets hurt.

This has led to the observance of how different these animals are. Interestingly, each dog lives in a different state of dogdom. Hershey is more the "people" dog. Maverick is more the "wolf pack" dog. Maybe it's more of a "domesticated" and "undomesticated" dog. For Hershey, he seems to understand things in people or domesticated dog terms. He doesn't really seem to understand he is a dog or that there is suppose to be order to things like in a wolf pack. Maverick, on the other hand, seems to understand things on more of a dog level like a wolf pack. He knows to put another in his place not by drawing blood, but by showing his ultimate strength and dominance. For instance, Maverick knows I am top dog. He watches all that I do. He listens to what I say. If I am at the gate to their fenced area and I tell them to "get back and stay", he will guard the gate and keep the others back forcing them to stay inside the fence. If they get out of hand, he will stand over them and press them with his body to the ground holding them there until they give in to his dominance. Hershey does not understand this. When he asserts his dominance over any of the others, he snaps and goes for damage. I think this probably comes from his early encounters with his sister, Honey. Copper has either learned to listen to Maverick or has gotten too old to care. The others, Chico and Tiffany, never bother to question who's in charge. Chico doesn't mind his status. Tiffany, well, she's the only female and knows it. She throws her weight around when necessary. The "men" do whatever it takes to shut her up.

Hershey loves cats and has "rescued" one of them as well. Later, you will read of Katy Rose, a black and white rescued from the back yard by Hershey. He gently picked her up and carried her in, but that's another story. His love for cats goes back to Gizzy. He loved Gizzy and mourned him at his passing. He stared forlorn at a neighbors cat that happened by shortly after Gizzy passed. After staring a while, he glanced up at me as if to say... "hey, that's Gizzy, aren't you gonna let him in?"

All in all, Hershey is a great dog. He's been through a lot. He's taught us a lot. He's learned a lot. He's watched 5 of his cats pass away. He, too, lived through the loss of Dad. He's high strung, but not destructive. Instead of tearing up furniture when he gets excited, he'll get a "dog" towel that was covering the chair the cats like to scratch on. He understands a lot of words; so, we have been trying to teach him "get a toy" instead in his old age. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. When he gets his mind set on something there is no changing it. It's hard to get his attention when he set on it. He probably would have made a great hunting dog, as all his contributing breeds are hunting dogs, because he loves to get you things.

Hershey is the kind of dog you can sit and tell your troubles to. He sits, looks you in the eye and listens to every word. He'll curl up next to you and keep you warm in winter. He's always happy to see you and always ready to play. He loves food and like any other Lab mix has a weight problem. With a lot of tips from vets and Chico (Hershey's Chihuahua buddy you'll read about later) becoming diabetic, I managed to get Hershey's weight under control. He weighed over 100 pounds in 2007. He now weighs in the mid 80 pound range. I would like him to lose a little more, but I am happy with the weight he has lost.

He is truly a great friend with boundless energy! Always there to cheer you up.

The Roadwarrior... Copper

2009-08-26T02:15:00.010-05:00

Copper... a tenacious terrier mix! He is believed to be a cross between a Jack Russell terrier, a beagle and possibly have a little Red Heeler thrown in there just to mix it all up. Copper came to us as a wanderer. US Hwy 82 is a long road that stretches from Texarkana all the way into west Texas. Where this pup came from is anyone's guess. I say pup, but he was full grown when he joined the gang. It is believed he was born in 1997, as his age was estimated at about 2 years old when he came to live with us in September 1999.

When he arrived, he was a young hyper dog who loved to climb fences and take off running. At the time the fenced in yard consisted of a six foot chain link fence which he easily climbed to the top and down the other side. When the fence had been cleared, he took off like a shot out of a cannon. In these early days, I, of course, took up chase! With a US Hwy at our front door, I could not allow him to run the way he wanted to. It seems as though any of the dogs get loose and they head in the direction of that highway. If the speed limit was 20, even 35 miles an hour, that would be one thing, but, alas, the speed is 70 miles an hour. Too fast for a critter to be roaming as they wished. Back then, it was hard to keep him in the yard. He had lived on the road too long. He was up and over that fence quicker than I could get his name out of my mouth. And there I was... chasing after him. Tunnel vision. He didn't stop to look for traffic and neither did I. One thought in his head... get to the other side. One thought in my head... catch him before he gets hit. By the way, don't stop to think about you getting hit. The four lane highway has a grassy median, as most Texas highways do. No time to stop though and think the act through. As we cleared the east bound side and the grassy median, we started to run across the west bound side. The west bound side is the down side of a hill. Even if you stop to check for traffic, you would never really know if you are safe. You have to take your chances. Thankfully, nothing came before we both reached the other side. But, as luck would have it, as I reached the other side, the foot stumbles on uneven terrain and boom... flat on your tummy! Feet in the air. The whole time screaming... "COPPER!" "COME BACK!" My only thoughts... get back up on my feet and start the chase all over again. Finally, he stopped to check out something interesting... or to laugh at me. I don't know which because I had to be quite the hysterical site! I caught up to him though.

I picked him up and carried him back across that highway. Looking both ways this time.

This chase scene happened several times before the fence was changed. The changing of the fence became the recognizing factor of our house! Six foot chain link fence with another foot of non barbed wire going all the way around similar to a prison. When people came up or when we described it when giving directions, everyone would say... "Oh, yeah, I know that place. I always wondered what could be back there with a fence like that!" Well, the answer is... one of the smallest dogs we have, but the one that knows how to escape a six foot fence!

He also loves to go for rides in the truck. There is a truck stop east of town. It is often wondered if he belonged to a truck driver. He was stray for a while before coming to live with us. We ran an ad, but no one claimed him. He still loves to go for rides. He loved my dad and would go for rides with him. He became Dad's dog... sleeping right beside him, following him around. The first dog that seemed to claim Dad and be just Dad's since Dad was a kid.

A lot has changed since then. Dad passed away. Copper still misses him. When Dad's brother, who resembles Dad, comes for a visit, he jumps on the couch, lays down beside him and places his head on his lap. He doesn't get up until it's time to go. It's too bad we can't explain things to them; so, they can understand. Copper doesn't get around as well either. Long gone are the days of jumping that six foot fence. A crippling front knee joint has stopped most of his running days, as well. He's gained a lot of weight with age, his eyes are a little cloudy and his muzzle is turning white, but he still loves to see everyone come home, still loves to go for a walk or a ride.

He still makes the extra effort to follow me around when I vacuum, regardless of how much I tell him to stay out of the way and go lay down somewhere not in the path of the vacuum. I hate to get on to him when he follows me around and gets in the way; so, I am trying to just let him be. I know as time passes, one day he won't be there to follow me. I'm gonna miss that. He's real stubborn, as terriers can be, but he can be real sweet. He greets us with a shrilling trill noise at the door with all the other critters when we come home. For those of you who have seen the old Star Trek series "The Trouble with Tribbles", you know what trilling sound I mean. He sounds like that. It is sooo cute!

Hopefully, he will have many more years with us! He is approx. 12 years old now.

Choosing the Right Vet

2009-08-11T17:58:00.005-05:00

Everyone wants to give their pet the best medical care. Choosing the right vet is very important. Some suggestions:

If you have family, friends or neighbors who have pets, ask them which vet they use.
Call your local animal rescue or shelter. These groups use vets who sometimes donate their services or provide low cost services. They may recommend vets in the area. You will also feel good knowing your potential new vet is offering their services to help out these organizations.
Get a current local phone book and locate the vets in your area. You can do this on the Internet, but sites are only as accurate as those updating them. Internet sites not updated frequently enough leave you with incomplete or outdated lists.

Make a list of vets near your home. In an emergency, you do not want to make a 30 minute drive to your vet during rush hour, prolonging the drive to an hour or more with a sick or injured pet. Make a list of important questions. Call each prospective vet's office. Explain your situation - new to the area, new pet, etc. Ask them if they have a moment to answer a few questions. You can write their response next to your questions. Questions you may ask include:

What are your hours? Open late? Saturdays?
How much do you charge for: office visit, regular and rabies vaccinations?
If I need to bring a pet in immediately, how are emergencies handled?
If you are closed, what do I do? Where do I go?
If your pet has a specific ailment - diabetes, asthma, etc., ask questions regarding your pet's illness.
A. Has your office dealt with this illness?
B. Do you treat other pets with this illness?
C. If medications are required, how do I reorder prescriptions?

Make a note how they answered the phone.

Did they answer quickly or let it ring? This is important if you have an emergency.
Were they courteous?
Did they answer your questions?

After calling those on your list, compare what you have learned about each vet. You may want to visit each vet's office during a slow and busy time to observe how they handle both situations. When visiting during a slow time, ask to be introduced to the vet. If time allows, discuss your pet. All this will give you a little better feel for the vet's office staff and the vet.

Unfortunately, your vet may not always be available. Having a back up vet is a good idea. This vet can see your pet whenever your first vet choice cannot. You should always be knowledgeable of several vets in your area. Emergency clinics are another way of insuring the best medical care. Knowing where they are and how to get there will save time and hopefully your pet's life. Keep your vets and emergency clinic phone numbers in your cell phone.

Adoptable Pets from PetFinder.com - Updated Automatically

2009-07-30T18:43:00.012-05:00

Here are some pets from around Texas that are currently up for adoption.
You can scroll through the photos and click on them. You will be taken to PetFinders.com's site for more info.
(Note: I had to adjust the width pixels of the scroller to fit here. This scroller will automatically update.)

Noah's Ark Animal Shelter

2009-07-30T02:31:00.004-05:00

Noah's Ark Animal Shelter is located in Gainesville, Texas.

From their site:

Our Mission
Noah's Ark is dedicated to providing humane treatment for unwanted and abandoned pets in the Gainesville area. Our Shelter facility operates in cooperation with the City of Gainesville to accommodate impounded animals and will accept animals relinquished by local citizens in return for a small donation. It is our mission to find proper homes for the many healthy and loving animals that find their way to our shelter. All our adoptable animals are temperament tested, spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Under the leadership of founder and veterinary advisor, Dr. Shelly Gomulak, Noah's Ark has combined efforts with other compassionate veterinarians to offer low cost spay and neuter services for low income households.

We wish to thank the following Veterinarians for all the spays, neuters and medical assistance given to our animals:

Dr. Shelly Gomulak, Independence Small Animal Clinic, Gainesville
Dr. Justin Harman, Refinery Road Veterinary Clinic, Gainesville
Dr. Wendy Rhoads, All About Pets, Whitesboro
Dr. Cynthia Westbrook, Grand Ave Animal Clinic, Gainesville
Dr. Dale Gleason, Lone Oak Veterinary Clinic, Mtn Springs

Also from their site...

Over the past several years concerned citizens have formed different organizations to solve the increasing problem of unwanted, abandoned and abused animals in the Gainesville area. Under the leadership of Dr. Shelly Gomulak, Noah's Ark was organized and with support from the City of Gainesville and donations from the community, Noah's Ark Animal Shelter opened in February of 2006.

Although we work in cooperation with the City of Gainesville, we are not a government agency. We are a publicly funded 501(c)(3) corporation dependent on donations from compassionate citizens who volunteer their time and money to support our efforts.

Address:
Noah's Ark Animal Shelter
P.O. Box 405
2501 N Weaver St
Gainesville, TX 76241

Phone: 1-940-665-9800
Fax: 1-940-665-9803
Email: noahsark@kiowaonline.net
(checked this email - it is currently not working. I will check with them)

Hours:
Monday - Wednesday 10 am - 5 pm
Friday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm
Thursday & Sunday Closed

Homeward Bound Humane Society

2009-07-30T01:39:00.004-05:00

I have heard of Homeward Bound Humane Society mostly through our local news on TV and in print. I have not had much dealing with them personally; however, I did meet some of their volunteers at PetSmart one day. They bring some of their adoptable animals there, I believe, once a week for showing. I believe on Saturdays. I also know Red River SPCA uses them for low-cost veterinary care.

From their site...

Pet of the Month
Our pet of the month is every dog in the shelter and of course we would like to see all of the dogs and cats here at this shelter get adopted. We have a few that have been here for two years, yes that's right, two years. All of these little guys and girls need homes. So, come on, give 'em a break and give 'em a home.

Spay/Neuter Clinic
Homeward Bound has a spay/neuter clinic once or twice a month at its shelter located about 5 miles east of Durant, Oklahoma. These clinics are for low-income households that cannot afford it otherwise and we are in our seventh year of operation (pun intended). We also have a mobile unit with which we travel from county to county in southeastern Oklahoma preventing unwanted litters and helping cats and dogs be healthier. Homeward Bound has facilitated over 10,000 spay/neuter surgeries since its inception. For more information and scheduling please call 1-580-924-5873 and Sue can get you the information that you will need.

Adoptions
Homeward Bound also has wonderful dogs and cats to adopt out that are fully vetted, spayed or neutered and micro-chipped for identification to qualified individuals or families.

Donations
Donations can be mailed to:
H.B.H.S.
P.O. Box 1751
Durant, OK 74702

Location
They are located in Durant, Oklahoma.
Coming from Oklahoma City:
1. Take Hwy 35 south to I-70 east
2. Take this all the way east into town in Durant.
3. Follow basic directions below once on Main Street.

Coming from Dallas/Ft Worth:
1. Take Hwy 75 north to the I-70 Main Street exit in Durant.
2. It is the first exit.
3. At the end of the loop, you will turn left at the light, heading east onto Main Street.
4. Follow the basic directions below once on Main Street.

Coming From Tulsa:
1. Take Hwy 75 south to Durant
2. Take I-70 east Main Street exit
3. Turn left (east) at Main Street
4. Follow basic direction below once on Main Street

Basic Directions:
1. Take Main Street all the way through town, heading east
2. Do not make any turns
3. You will cross a double railroad track at the end of town
4. From there, travel 4 miles east to Roberta Road
5. Turn right
6. They are about 1 mile down on the right.

Please call first before heading out to the shelter, as they sometimes have to step out for a short time.

Address:
Homeward Bound Humane Society
2925 N. Roberta Rd.
Durant, OK 74701

Phone: 1-580-924-5873

Hours: Tuesday & Saturday 10 am - 2 pm or by appointment for adoptions

Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) ARFhouse

2009-07-30T00:37:00.008-05:00

Animal Rescue Foundation also known as ARF and ARFhouse is not far from me. We found this organization through a dog we could not take care of ourselves. We already had many dogs and cats we rescued ourselves. Martha agreed to take the dog, which from what I heard at the time did well there. My brother did some vehicle work for Martha free of charge in exchange.

I think this is a great organization.
From their site...

About ARFhouse

Arfhouse is now the third largest care-for-life, no kill canine sanctuary in the U.S. with over 340+ dogs on site. Arfhouse provides refuge and care for unwanted, abused, and/or physically challenged canines without regard to size, breed, temperament, age or physical disabilities. Many of the dogs are free to roam the 25 acre property and swim in one of the three ponds. The unsocialized dogs have large 30' by 60' yards with their own dog houses, and if possible, an animal companion with which they can get along.

Another day at ARFhouse! Not only do we see that the dogs are healthy, and well-cared for, but it's also important to us that the animal be happy. The animals aren't in small cages or confined to small areas. And there's always something to keep the interest of the ARFhouse canines, whether it be "helping" ARFhouse volunteers do chores, chasing wildlife, swimming in the ponds, or socializing with the other dogs.

ARFhouse Programs

The Arfhouse Adoption Program allows some of the Arfhouse animals to be available for adoption to suitable owners. Since those animals which are not adopted will stay at Arfhouse for life, Arfhouse works hard at insuring that a prospective owner has the level of commitment necessary to properly care for a dog.

The Be-A-Pal Program lets you sponsor the dog of your choice at Arfhouse. These are dogs that may not be suitable for a family environment or have special health needs that require frequent attention. For $20 a month periodic photos of the dog you choose to sponsor. Through your support and Arfhouse's caring volunteers, these dogs are given a second chance at a good life.

You can help ARFhouse even if you only have a little money to give. For $5 (includes S&H), you can have a rubber ARFhouse bracelet. This is a great way to help teach young children about giving and they get a fun bracelet in return for helping spread the word about ARFhouse.

Here's a link to their newsletter...
ARFhouse Newsletter

Donation Opportunities

Online donations can be made safely and securely with your credit card by using our PayPal link.
(please click here to get to their PayPal link)

Here's how you can contact ARFhouse...
ARFhouse
3377 Spalding Rd.
Sherman, TX 75090

Email: martha@arfhouse.org

Rainbow Bridge

2009-07-29T18:33:00.005-05:00

I am posting this poem because of its popularity with pet lovers and because of it's special meaning for me and my critters. This version is a compilation of two versions I found of the one poem. Each had parts I liked, but I could not make up my mind which to use. So, I compiled the best parts of both into one. The author is, as far as I know, unknown.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge...

This bridge connects Heaven and Earth. It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors.

When a beloved pet dies, he/she goes to the Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows, hills and valleys of lush green grass and fields of flowers for all our special friends to run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine keeping our friends warm, comfortable and happy.

All the animals who had been old, ill and frail are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

There is only one thing missing - one sorrow they endure. They each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth.

To keep from their sorrow, they run and play together until the day comes. Suddenly, one or maybe several, abruptly stops playing and looks into the distance. The nose twitches. The ears perk up. Bright eyes are fixed. An eager body quivers in anticipation. Suddenly, this one, or several, begins to run from the group. His/her legs carrying him/her faster and faster towards...you!

You have been seen. When you and your special friend(s) finally meet, you embrace him/her/them in your joyous embrace, never to be parted again. Happy kisses rain upon your face. Your hands again caress the beloved head(s), and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet(s)... your friend(s), so long gone from your life but never absent from your memory or your heart!

Then, you cross the Rainbow Bridge... together... never again to be separated.

Barn Cats

2009-07-29T04:11:00.007-05:00

~ Working to Provide Safe Relocation Sites for Feral Cats in Harm's Way ~

From their site...

Mission Statement: To save the lives of urban feral cats by placing them in safe, barn homes.

At Barn Cats, Inc., we have healthy, sterilized cats in desperate need of new outdoor homes! These cats are feral (semi-wild) and need to live at a farm, horse stable, warehouse, or other suitable outdoor location.

Veterinarian care has been given (sterilization, rabies, and exam, etc.) No adoption fee will be assessed. Your only responsibility will be to provide daily food and water, protection from the elements, and long-term vet care. After a short period of secure confinement, the cats will accept their new home.

They will help keep rodents away from grain and food storage areas, and you'll enjoy watching the cats as well as have the satisfaction of giving them a much needed home! If you own or manage property and have permission for long-term placement of animals on the property, please call us! We will assist you while the cats settle into their new home.

Barn Cats, Inc. is an all-volunteer group that is devoted to saving the lives of the "forgotten" cats in our society. We work to locate rural situations where the cats can live out their lives in as safe an environment as possible. The organization was incorporated in September 2003 and received 501C3 classification from the IRS in October 2003.

All the cats are spay/neutered, have had current Rabies and FVRCP vaccinations, and have their left ear tipped (notched), the universal sign that a feral cat has been spay/neutered. THey come from all over the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The organization places an average of seven to ten cats each week primarily on Saturday and Sunday. Only cats old enough to be sterilized are received into the program. All expenses attached to the veterinary care are incurred by the original colony caregiver or group that has trapped the cats.

Barn homes are found all around North Texas. The barn owners agree to continue to care for the cats (food, water, and medical care) for the remainder of their lives. There is no charge to the barn owner to receive a cat. Cats have been placed in big barns, small barns, sheds with a cat door, riding and boarding stables, garages, offices, nurseries, and guest houses.

The best way to reach Barn Cats is by email. Through email, we can forward your contact information to our volunteers to set up a schedule to receive a cat or arrange for barn placement.
If that is not an option, please call and leave a message.

Donations
By using your credit card, you can make a secure online donation by clicking their link on the lower right side of their site. The link will redirect you to their PayPal acct. To make that donation, click here.

Address:
Barn Cats, Inc.
P.O. Box 293152
Lewisville, TX 75029

Email: info@barncats.org

Phone: 1-972-315-2875

God bless all the "barn cats" and those who care for them!

Red River SPCA

2009-07-29T03:15:00.009-05:00

From their site...

Who We Are
Red River SPCA is a non-profit organization. Started in 1987, RRSPCA is dedicated to helping people and pets to enjoy each other. RRSPCA is operated entirely by a handful of volunteers fostering at their residences. We are a no-kill "shelterless." We rescue and rehabilitate, investigate abuse calls, answer MANY questions in person and by phone (also email). We help people get their pets sterilized low-cost, offer animals for adoption and speak to groups.

Prior to the summer of '03, Red River SPCA helped 500-700 animals each year (average of 50 dogs and 30 cats at a time) in Cooke, Grayson & Montague Counties in Texas plus areas of Oklahome right across the Red River. Most are dogs and cats of all ages and sizes. However, this area is largely rural, so, RRSPCA also rescues a variety of livestock and even wild critters. (We rehab and release wild critters. They are not adoptable.)

Tommie has been a big help to us over the years. She has helped us when we have needed help dealing with aggression issues between dogs, as well as many other things. We adopted Hershey (you'll read about him later) from her. We adopted his sister, Honey, as well. Due to their eventual aggression towards each other, she was instrumental in helping us deal with the situation, which unfortunately led to her taking Honey back. She dealt with Honey's aggression issues and found her a home. Tommie also found their brother, Chocolate, a home. These three were abandoned with their mother. As I said, you will read about what I know about them later when I write about Hershey. Tommie is a very nice lady who is a dear friend to all the critters she has rescued, as well as to those who have adopted rescued critters from her.

Please make donations to the Red River SPCA at the address below.

Red River SPCA Founder, President & Investigator: Tommie Kirksmith-Newman
Phone Number: 1-940-668-6309
(This number rings on Tommie's personal phone, 1-940-668-6714. Her answering machine explains this. Any phone calls she makes, such as responding to a message left, will appear on caller ID's as "Tommie Kirksmith", which is her late husband Jack's last name. He passed away in 2003. She has since remarried Ned Newman, who's wife, Linda, also passed away.)
Address:
Red River SPCA
1215 Cooke County Road 140
Whitesboro, TX 76273
Email: redriverspca@ntin.net

For their adoptable critters on PetFinder click here... Red River SPCA Critters

God bless the critters and all those who help them!

Addition: After speaking with Tommie through emails, she says the Red River SPCA is also looking for people who are capable of becoming "foster families". If you are in the area of the Red River SPCA and are able to foster any animals or know someone who would like to, please contact Tommie for instruction. Thanks!

Cindy & Ashley - Sisters

2009-07-29T02:33:00.011-05:00

Currently there are a group of critters in our care known as the 2000 group. This consists of all the critters who were born in the year 2000. It seems that year was a boom for orphaned and stray critters to be born and happen to find their way to the south side of US hwy 82. Their count started at 10; however, with the passing of 2 of them, their numbers are now 8. Most of them arrived as puppies or kittens in the year 2000. One arrived two years later. Here is the story of two of them...

Let me start by saying my older brother is an auto mechanic.

Back in the year 2000...one day, a non-running vehicle was brought to my brother to be repaired. When he started to work on the vehicle, three black and white kittens sprang from the vehicle, running in all directions. He and others tried to catch the little kittens. They caught one. He tried to catch another, but she bit him and took off. They could not catch the third one.

I got the one they caught. She was about 6 weeks old. Being black and white, cinders crossed our minds when trying to name her. From cinders, she was named Cindy. At the time, we had the Russian Blue stray, Misty Blu. Cindy's name became Cindy Lu.

Things were going fine with Cindy until she was spayed. Unfortunately, sometimes when a female cat is spayed, she can become asthmatic. Cindy became one of those cats. Cindy started having difficulty breathing soon after she was spayed. At first the vet diagnosed her with asthma by her symptoms alone. She finally had confirmation of the diagnose a few years later with x-rays, which is the only way to confirm the asthma.

There are many treatments for cat asthma. There are inhaling methods and steroids. Cindy was started on steroids, Prednisone. Side effects of Prednisone can lead a cat to be overweight. Cindy gained weight with the Prednisone and has never been able to lose the weight. She still has a lot of breathing problems. Her asthma is aggravated by stress and seasonal allergies. Recently, over the past couple of years, I have inquired about the inhaling methods. Most of what I have found after questioning local vets and research online is against the inhaling method.

I will soon have a post here regarding cat asthma. Please be patient. If you have stumbled upon this blog because of this post about Cindy and you need information I might have or reassurance, please feel free to contact me or leave a post in response to this post.

A short time later, the guys at the shop caught the third kitten that got away. The owner of the vehicle decided to take that kitten back home. He didn't want all the kittens. His decision to get at least one kitten was strictly to "shut the mother up". I do not agree with his tone, but I do believe in the best interest of the mother, at least one kitten should be returned to her. I hope she and the kitten benefited and are doing well.

A few months after bringing in Cindy, my brother managed to catch her sister, the one that bit him. He called me to come and pick her up. I did. We decided to play along with the cinders/Cindy theme and named her for ashes... Ashley. Adding to the southern charm names... her full name became Ashley Mae.

We had Ashley spayed, and thankfully, she did not develop the same asthmatic problem her sister did.

While driving to the vet's office to pick her up, I saw another cat lying in the shoulder of the road. Usually when I see an animal that has been hit by a car, I say a little prayer for it. As we passed by this little peach colored tabby, she animatedly lifted her head and turned toward the road and our vehicle. I screamed, "Back up! Turn around! It's alive!" We turned around at the next intersection. We went back to the cat in the shoulder; I got out and scooped her up. Brought her with us to the vet to pick up Ashley, but.... that's Amber's story. Check back when I get to her story!

Unfortunately, Ashley's life, although longer than it probably would have been if she were left out on her own, was cut short by lymphoma. She fought it hard, but it was not to be.

To keep this post from being lengthy, I will post the link to the blog about Ashley's illness, as I kept a small journal when she was diagnosed.

Here's the story on Ashley Mae and her illness...Ashley Mae's Journal

I will say I knew it was bad from when I first noticed the lump on her throat. The vet I had at the time did not feel it was necessary to do a biopsy, as he did not think it was cancerous. He thought maybe she had a thyroid problem. My loyalty to one vet sealed Ashley's fate. I had never had multiple vets in the past. I always thought you were suppose to take your pets to one vet. Loyalty. I have since learned, in the best interest of those you are caring for, do what is right by the critters (this also goes for your human children). DO NOT HARBOR THOUGHTS OF LOYALTY! It may cost them their lives. It cost Ashley hers. It took me a month or two to get him to agree Ashley needed more care than he could give and needed to see a specialist. We finally got her to a specialist in the Dallas area.

I now have two vets I use at the same time. Some of my critters go to one and some go to the other for specific reasons. This works well when one is taking vacation or is too busy to see a sick critter that I feel is an emergency. Sometimes I may over-react in what I think is an emergency, but I would rather be safe than sorry. When I am in dire need, I have a third choice I have brought a couple to. I also keep list of most of the vets within my area, as well as several emergency clinics. I am live in a rural area and all emergency clinics are at least a 30 minute drive, that is if you do the speed limit. And, we all know we do not do the speed limit when we are heading to an emergency clinic!

Local Animal Rescues

2009-07-29T02:15:00.007-05:00

Over the years, I have come to know of several animal rescues in my area. I want to acknowledge them and provide them some exposure. My way of helping them out. So, I have decided to make an entry for each with their name and a brief description with their address, phone number, etc.

The ones I will be introducing y'all to are...

The Red River SPCA
Red River SPCA is located in Cooke County, Texas.
Red River SPCA rescued one of my dogs, Hershey. You will meet him later.
The lady who runs the Red River SPCA is also the SPCA investigator for our area.
She has been a great help to us and our dogs over the years.

Animal Refuge Foundation (ARF)
Animal Refuge Foundation is located in Grayson County, Texas.
This group has been around a while and rescues unwanted dogs.

Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark is located in Gainesville, Texas.
Noah's Ark is fairly new, but they are already a staple in our area when it comes to taking care of stray cats and dogs.

Barn Cats
Barn Cats is located in Lewisville, Texas.
They take feral cats, spay/neuter them and relocate them to the country to be barn cats.

Homeward Bound Humane Society
Homeward Bound Humane Society is located in Durant, Oklahoma.

Please come back for each as I feature them. I will link to their sites, as well as to their adoptable rescued critters.

Hopefully, each week or month, I will be able to offer a featured adoptable pet from each.

I have the labels for each post turned on; so, these organizations can be searched by their names.
If you are interested in seeing posts about just one of these organizations, please scroll down the right side of your screen to the Labels section. The labels are listed alphabetically for easier search by you. The number in parentheses beside each label shows how many posts have that label attached to it. Choose the organization you wish to see posts about, which will include the brief description and any featured adoptable critters. I hope in the future to be able to list adoption updates.

Thanks & God bless!

P.S. Please, when looking to add a pet friend to your family, go to your local animal rescue or shelter first. You will be pleasantly surprised at what you will find!

The Critter Gang

A Critter Christmas by Shasta

The Christmas that Almost Wasn't

Pets at Christmas: Tips Pt 2

Apache, a Catahoula Leopard Dog,at Red River SPCA in Cooke County, Texas

Shasta on Black Friday

Happy Birthday, Mavy, New Business & Veterans Day

All in the Family

Corey's Saga (c)2011

Shasta

Brother Wolf (c)2011

The Cost of a Rescue

Mama, Where Do Strays Go? ©2011

Interview with the Devil

Mourning the Loss of the Guardian

Pole Dancing with Bonnie, the Penguin Siamese

Red River SPCA on Facebook

Copper's Chip In Posts

Mourning a Member of the Critter Gang

Dog Chews: Rawhide, Pig's Ears & Hooves

Leg Braces 4 Copper

Maverick's New Diet

Caring 4 Pets During Winter

Devil's Surgery - January 11, 2011

Cold Reality of a Homeless Cat - January 10, 2011

A Reason to Neuter - January 8, 2011

Devil's Bad Eye - January 3, 2011

Devil: December 23, 2010 post from Chip-In page

Looking 4 a Furever Home for...

Devil

The Outside Guys

The Penguin Siamese Is Growing Up!

Harley... A Changed Man!

Harley's Digs

Please Help Raise Funds for Harley

More of Bonnie Blu

Paws4Critters Pet Stuff

Caught! Another Dog Rescue... Bonnie Blu

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun... Silver Sands 'Sandy'

Dog Rescue or Toy?... Dusty Patches

The Dog Rescue... Katy Rose

New Ebook for Owners of Diabetic Dogs

El Grande... Chico

The Guardian... Dusty Maverick

The Lady... Tiffany

The Second Miracle... Pearl Ann

The First Miracle... Amber Lynn

The Five Kittens

The Rescue... Hershey Kisses

The Roadwarrior... Copper

Choosing the Right Vet

Adoptable Pets from PetFinder.com - Updated Automatically

Noah's Ark Animal Shelter

Homeward Bound Humane Society

Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) ARFhouse

Rainbow Bridge

Barn Cats

Red River SPCA

Cindy & Ashley - Sisters

Local Animal Rescues

Apache, a Catahoula Leopard Dog,
at Red River SPCA in Cooke County, Texas