Ain't we sweet? Freyja PUPPins 'n Mr. Scout Holmes wish you a Happy Howl-o-weenie!

Our momma is makin' us be in a Howl-o-weenie costume contest in the digital division. We is askin' - no, we is beggin' you to please vote fur us so's she doesn't get all sad an' cry-baby on us which is a PURRty pathetic sight. So, if you will, please take the time to go here to Addies K-9 Costume Contest an' over to here at the Halloween Spooktacular where you will need to leave each of us a lil' comment.

Yesh, a lotsa' work but believe us - better than our momma gettin' all wacko on us - not a PURRty sight, trust us☺

Freyja PUPPins, sweet, kind an' gentle. The PURRfect nanny for any little boy or girl.

 

Mister Scout Holmes, just the right mixture of curiosity an' snooper-vision to get the job done!

Nora the Piano-Playing Tabby Wins ASPCA Cat of the Year Award

When Betsy Alexander and Burnell Yow of Philadelphia, PA, visited an animal shelter in Cherry Hill, NJ, they never imagined they would adopt a feline prodigy. Nora, a grey Tabby named after the surrealist painter Leonora Carrington, appeared to be your average mischievous young kitten. But this seemingly ordinary shelter cat is receiving an extraordinary honor next week, when she will be officially named Cat of the Year at the annual ASPCA Humane Awards in New York City.

Originally deemed “bossy” by shelter staff, Nora wasn’t the most popular feline among her four-legged clan, but Betsy and Burnell saw something special in the demonstrative kitty and welcomed her into their furry family. Nora immediately established herself as the alpha cat of the family’s four other felines, but it wasn’t until she was a year old that her secret gift suddenly emerged. One afternoon, Betsy, who teaches music lessons, was startled to discover Nora delicately tickling the ivories of her Yamaha piano. Playing the piano soon became the cat’s favorite pastime. Her sensitive pawing, which several newspapers have described as "a cross between free jazz and Philip Glass,” became a YouTube sensation, drawing more than 20 million page views. It also inspired a Lithuanian composer to arrange a symphony in her honor.

Though her talents are unrivaled, Nora has been named the ASPCA Cat of the Year as much for her musical abilities as for her pluck and drive to prove that shelter pets—far from being castoffs—often make the best animal companions. Nora is a true testament to the spirit of the Humane Awards, which every year honor exceptional animals as well as inspiring individuals who have dedicated their lives to animal welfare.

Come celebrate with the gentle Miss Peach her upcoming union with Mr. Mickey

We are over at the gentle Miss Peach's bridal shower and tea PAWty today to celebrate her upcoming nuptials with Mr. Mickey. Please join us there for a day of girlie fun, pampering and delicious delights for nibbling!

Our bridal gifts for the genteel Miss Peach are: a lovely and delicate mint green baby-doll negligee, a spa gift certificate and some milk and honey bubble bath. Of course, we are also including some of our favorite chocolates for all of the guests to sample as we sip our tea and giggle about the upcoming nuptials.'re

♥Come on over - we're having the time of our lives♥

Miss Camille Suzanne is pleased to unmask herself as a PAWticipant in MASKED MONDAY hosted by Zoolatry. You just won't beleive all of the lovely, talented and mysterious masked felines that have congregated over there! It is a Monday MUST SEE!

PURR 4 PEACE: Healing Bodies - Healing the World - Healing our Souls

This is a furry imPAWtant month fur a lots of us. October is Breast Cancer month. A time when 'beans all over the world band together to seek a cure for a horrible disease that has taken from us our mothers and daughters and sisters and friends. A disease that has overstayed its welcome here on earth. 

Click photo to view the Susan G. Komen Foundation

We also see organizations forming to combat Canine Cancer. What we seem to forget sometimes is that all cancer research is related - what helps one living being, helps another. Medicine has no boundaries and neither does research. Often it was the family dog placed in a drug trial for a physical malady that helped scientists formulate better and more beneficial treatment for grandmothers and grandfathers and moms and dads and sisters and brothers. I am speaking about clinical trials - not research performed on unwilling and innocent animals in a laboratory setting.

Click photo for the National Canine Cancer Foundation

In thinking about the GRAND picture, our purrs should also encompass our teachers - our educators - because without them we will not have our future mathematicians and scientists that tomorrow will seek out diseases that take lives away from us that are still in bloom and blossom.

Let us all gather in our h♥arts purrs to heal all forms of malady here on earth - illness, sorrow, rain forrest desecration, purging critical species from our planet through hunting and environmental ruination. We need to heal our bodies and our souls and our minds. Let us purr for all of us, at all times and for all reasons to gain PURRfect harmony and health.

Click photo to visit Cats of the Rainforest

Confucius Cat says:

Week 19 of Purrs 4 Peace details are as follows: Week nineteen’s appointed time is Sunday, October 18, 2009. Participants should purr for three minutes commencing at 12 p.m. EDT (U.S.) which is 5:00 p.m. (17:00 hrs.) BST in the U.K. The cat’s human staff should assist their cats with the project by stroking and nuzzling the cat at the appointed time.

Please post your cat name and the country you purr in at www.confuciuscat.blogspot.com as a COMMENT if you are participating in this historic project. (posting a link to your own website-if you have one-is encouraged.) Or let me know by message on twitter or facebook.

Posting purrs on facebook (Acolytes of Confucius Cat or as friend to Alley Mason) and twitter (@ConfuciusCat) is encouraged, since it inspires purring in others, but not required. On twitter please use #purrs4peace in your tweets.

Miss Peach's Wedding Blog - a MUST SEE for the romantic in all of us

If you are a romantic you need to take the time to visit Miss Peach's Wedding Blog. It's been a long time since I have seen something this creative, darling and loaded with eye-candy! Don't go there when you are in a hurry - take your time and enjoy!

The whole ambiance of the blog is SO Miss Peach!

♪ Forrest catchin' the rays on Friday ♪

♪Raindrops on roses 'n sunbeams on kittens♪

These cats need love and warmth and food just like any other feline. They just aren't like every other kitty. You need to express it to them in a different way than with your lap cats. Don't overlook them - you can impact their lives. Trap - spay & neuter - release - it's the right thing to do. (If you want to learn more, click on the poster. It will take you to Alley Cat Allies who really know how to treat feral cats like kings and queens!)

Feline inadvertently shipped from Dallas to Chicago suburb

A Woodstock chiropractor was initially miffed this week when he opened a box of supplies shipped from Texas and noticed tufts of fur. Then he spotted the cat, which had hitched a ride from Dallas. "My first reaction was, I didn't know what kind of animal he was, so I closed the box back up," said Brett St. Aubin, clinic director at Chiro One Wellness Center of Woodstock.

The stowaway's collar identified him as Cody Bennett, 2, a black and white cat who disappeared Monday from the Chiro Design Group. Cody jumped unnoticed into the roughly 2-by-3-foot box as it was being packed, said Marie Webster, whose daughter owns the cat.

"She taped it up, put the label on it and off he went" via UPS, said Webster.

Making the best of it, the cat burrowed deeply into a bundle of foam products designed for the neck.

When St. Aubin called Webster on Wednesday to report Cody's whereabouts, her first thought was that he had found him wandering nearby in Dallas. "I didn't know he was in a suburb of Chicago," Webster exclaimed.

Cody spent the night at a veterinarian's office and made the trip home Thursday, this time by crate. He arrived at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport about 3:30 p.m., looking a bit thin, Webster said.

The cat won't be forgotten any time soon at the Woodstock chiropractic clinic. "We made him patient of the month," St. Aubin said.

Canadian Man Says His Cat Detected His Lung Cancer

In many cases, a CAT scan can detect if a person has cancer. In Lionel Adams’ case, his cat Tiger detected it. "I get a little emotional when I think about it...as far as I'm concerned, he saved my life," Adams told The Calgary Sun.

Adams said that his 8-year-old kitty (above), who was never much of a cuddler, began to paw at his left side about seven months ago. "He would climb into bed and take his paw and drag it down my left side -- he was adamant there was something there," he told FOX News. "And it was right where the cancer was."

Later, during a routine exam, an x-ray showed that Adams had a tumor in his left lung, which he has since had surgery to remove. Recent studies have shown that dogs have the ability to detect cancer but it’s rare to hear of cats doing so. In 2006, National Geographic reported that ordinary household dogs learned to accurately distinguish between breath samples of lung- and breast-cancer patients and healthy subjects.

Miss Camille Suzanne moves into her new aPAWtment

I know you think you're cleaning this cupboard BUT I've decided to move in and claim it as my new three-story aPAWtment. And, I DO expect a housewarming PAWty with gifts!

Duct-Taped Cat Finds Home — And Inspires over 100 more Adoptions!

Yesterday I posted a story that made people sad and angry and frustrated with our society. A while back I shared with you the story of the little cat that was totally and cruelly covered with Duct tape.  Well, here is the ♥HAPPY ENDING♥. Every now and then the good guys win, just like with the story of Oreo and his little girl I shared with you on Tuesday. ADOPTIONS! Those are words that make my heart sing songs of joy and happiness☺

A cruel act by a heartless person turned into happily every after for Sticky the cat and for many other homeless cats in the Philadelphia area. Just last week the feline made headlines when she was found bound by duct tape and abandoned in a yard in North Philadelphia. But now, the famous feline has found a new place to call home and has inspired a slew of others to rescue cats of their own from the Pennsylvania SPCA.

After searching through over 100 inquiries from eager animal lovers, the PSPCA reports that Sticky was placed in the loving care of a physician and his wife who live in suburban Philadelphia and wish to remain anonymous.

But Sticky's saga is not the only success story to come out of this ordeal. According to Williamson, the publicity Sticky generated during her short seven days with the organization managed to inspire animals lovers to take action, and led to an astonishing 119 cat and kitten adoptions. To add a little perspective to the grand total, during the same week back in 2008, PSPCA adopted out only 15 cats.

"The awareness that Sticky helped to bring, not only to the Pennsylvania SPCA but also to the plight of many other cats and kittens, resulted in the 119 adoptions," Williamson says. "We are very, very happy about that."

The feisty feline, who is about a year old, was found bandaged by duct tape -- from neck to tail -- and abandoned for days. PSCPA staff were able sedate Sticky to remove the tape and the cat suffered no serious health problems. After offering a $2,000 reward to find Sticky's abuser, a call into the PSPCA's cruelty hotline lead local law enforcement to arrest a 19-year-old male suspect in North Philadelphia, who confessed to duct-taping the cat because he was "annoyed."

With her cruel past now behind her, Sticky is settling into her new life with her new family -- and new siblings! The animal-lovers are the proud owner of two dogs and four cats. Says Williamson, "We are confident that they will provide and can provide an excellent home for Sticky."

Loyal and Loving Cat Helps to Corner Child Abuser: One Abuser, Two Victims

Yes, this is a sad story but it has a good ending with justice being served. I wanted to share it with all of you because all too often we hear about dogs being loyal and valiant and protective. I thought it was time for Oreo to have his day in the sun and for people to see that cats, too, are capable of above and beyond heroism. Mimi and the gang

When 9-year-old Beth* was sexually abused by her stepfather, she told the prosecuting attorney that someone else knew about it -- but that he couldn’t talk. She was referring to her beloved cat, Oreo.

Beth explained that Oreo would bravely lie outside her door at night and hiss whenever her attacker appeared. In trying to protect her, the loyal black and white cat also became another victim of violence; Beth’s stepfather would always brutally kick Oreo away from the door.

Beth’s revelation gave the prosecutor an idea. She decided to have Oreo examined by a veterinarian. The results were chilling. Sure enough, poor Oreo had sustained injuries consistent with being physically abused.

When the prosecutor submitted the veterinarian’s report to the jury as evidence showing a pattern of violence in the home, Beth’s allegations gained credibility. In a way, Oreo was able to testify, convincing the jury that the traumatized little girl had been telling the truth.

Beth’s stepfather was convicted and received a long prison sentence. Meanwhile, Beth and Oreo were finally able to experience what every child and animal deserves: a safe home.

The prosecutor in Beth’s case was Allie Phillips, who now works for American Humane as vice president of of their Public Policy Office. She and her staff regularly conduct trainings for attorneys, judges, veterinarians, social workers, domestic-violence counselors and other social services providers on what American Humane calls The Link between violence to people and violence to animals, increasing awareness of the powerful role it can play in unmasking and preventing abuse.

Will you abandon those who love you most to save yourself? PURR 4 DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Isn't it funny when something happens to your most ordinary day that connects with something else larger, much larger, than yourself? My local health department sent out a brochure and postcard to all residents of the county where I live. It was all about natural, or (heavens) man-disaster, and what part, if any, my household would play if one should take place.

On that card there were spots for doctors and nurses and contractors, and a little spot to write in what you would do if a disaster struck our area. I wrote in "animal rescue and animal welfare". I mailed that card yesterday and once it is received my name will be placed in a data base to be used by the members of our response team.

I am pleased to say that, even though my town is small (15,000 pop.) we have in place written instructions/protocol for the rescue, shelter and reunification of animals with their humans - large and small - should disaster strike.

On Monday, why don't you call your county seat to find out if you have a plan for animals during crisis. If not, call the rescue agencies in your area, call a meeting, and get busy on putting one together. One thing I now without even asking is that people who live alone, seniors, the disabled - none of them will leave their companions behind without duress. As for me, I have prepared an emergency kit for my animals with food, bottled water, copies of their inoculation records, a small First Aid kit, extra plastic ID tags, collars and leashes, and a couple of toys. One is in the trunk of my car and the other in my basement storage area. About every six months or so I rotate the food to keep it fresh.

Now, after you've read everything and checked out the links, look into the eyes of your cats and dogs, birds, even fish and turtles. Then - imagine telling them "good-bye" and that you are sorry but you have to leave - not knowing if you were telling them the truth. Not pleasant, right? Today is the day to get busy - so GET BUSY!

Please, let Confucius know that you are participating this week in the PURR and that you will do your part in keeping those who are most helpless safe - and - ALIVE! Mimi and the gang.


From the HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES:

Every year, hurricanes, tornadoes, hazardous-materials incidents, floods, earthquakes and other disasters threaten the animals who are so important to our lives. Members of The HSUS National Disaster Animal Response Team (NDART™) learn how to prepare their families, help their community be better prepared and rescue and shelter animals when a disaster or crisis happens in their community or across the country.

If you are interested in joining HSUS NDART™ please read information on the following topics and recommended/required training: Prepare Your Family and Pets, Volunteer at your Local Animal Shelter

Training: NDART™ and Emergency Animal Sheltering Training, Federal Emergency Management Agency Training, Help Other Organizations, The HSUS National Disaster Animal Response Team, Application to Join NDART™

Prepare Your Family and Pets

As a trained responder, your first priority is to make sure your family and pets are taken care of when a disaster or crisis strikes. Make a plan now, because when they are safe, you will be a more effective responder.

Volunteering builds great skills

Start volunteering at your local animal shelter to gain practical experience in animal care and handling. This is excellent experience you can gain right in your own community.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Independent Study Program

Any disaster responder, whether paid or volunteer, must take the following courses in order to be part of disaster response:
Incident Command System (IS 100)
Incident Command System for Single Resources/Initial Action Incidents (IS 200)
National Incident Management System (NIMS), an Introduction (IS 700)

The HSUS strongly recommends all its responders take the following FEMA courses:
Animals in Disaster: Module A—Awareness and Preparedness (IS 10)
Animals in Disaster: Module B—Community Planning (IS 11)
Livestock in Disasters (IS 111)

The FEMA Independent Study program has many useful and informative courses, which are quick and easy to take at home. For those interested in holding a supervisory-level position during a disaster, please review the information contained in the FEMA Fact Sheet.

Help Other Organizations Active in Disaster Response

Are you unsure how you would react in a disaster situation, or even in a small-scale local emergency? Get some practical experience close to home and help your community, too.

American Red Cross: While the Red Cross does not have response teams for animals, many local emergencies involving families do involve their pets. By being part of your local Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT), you can help pets and people, too. The Red Cross does not set up shelters for pets, but they do care about pets in emergencies. They need to work with local humane groups to help the community provide disaster services to families with companion animals.

Locate your local American Red Cross chapter and look for these recommended classes for NDART™ volunteers:

• Human first aid/CPR
• Pet first aid/CPR
• Mass Care
• Shelter Operations

Introduction to Disaster Services

Citizens Emergency Response Teams: The CERT program teaches you how to take care of your household and neighborhood until more help can arrive. CERT also trains citizens to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community.

The HSUS Disaster Animal Response Team

The HSUS National Disaster Animal Response Team consists of animal care and control professionals, emergency services and rescue professionals, and other qualified volunteers. Team members are trained in community disaster response and preparedness as well as specialized response techniques for rescuing animals affected by disasters.

If you have skills and experience in animal handling, emergency/public services, or other disaster work and are interested in joining our DART, please explore the self-study courses listed above. Once you have taken several of these courses, particularly the FEMA Independent Study Programs, please visit the HSUS Animal Disaster Response Training Calendar to see when and where you can take HSUS disaster courses. Because of the overwhelming response from people wishing to be volunteers, please understand that it may take a little while for us to get back to you.

To apply to become a member of the HSUS National Disaster Animal Response Team, please fill out the application at www.ndart.org. Thank you for your support, and please make sure you have a disaster plan for your own family, including pets!

If you've read this far and took some notes or bookmarked some of the links, THANK YOU from the beating hearts filled with unconditional love that rest at your feet. Mimi and her gang.

Week 17 of Purrs 4 Peace details are as follows:

Week seventeen’s appointed time is Sunday, October 4, 2009.

• Participants should purr for three minutes commencing at 3 p.m. EDT (U.S.) which is 8:00 p.m. (20:00 hrs.) BST in the U.K.
• The cat’s human staff should assist their cats with the project by stroking and nuzzling the cat at the appointed time.
• Please post your cat name and the country you purr in at www.confuciuscat.blogspot.com as a COMMENT if you are participating in this historic project. (posting a link to your own website-if you have one-is encouraged.) Or let me know by message on twitter or facebook.
• Posting purrs on facebook ( Acolytes of Confucius Cat or as friend to Alley Mason) and twitter (@ConfuciusCat) is encouraged, since it inspires purring in others, but not required. On twitter please use #purrs4peace in your tweets.

♥Stencils and Patterns for Creepin' Cat Halloween Pumpkin♥

Isn't this adorable? Found it on the Better Homes and Gardens site. Too cute. They use one of those Styrofoam pumpkins that you can pick up just about anyplace but I'm gonna use a real one. There's just something about a real punkin'☺ Mimi

What You Need:

• Sharp knife
• Foam pumpkin
• Wood-carving tools
• Scissors
• Tracing paper
• Pencil
• Awl
• Plastic animal eyes
• Black acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Black marker
• Black craft foam
• Ruler
• Straight pins
• Gold wire

Instructions:

1. Download the free pattern for this project (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat software).
Cat pattern
Download Adobe Acrobat

2. Cut off the top of the pumpkin and discard the lid. Invert the pumpkin so the cut opening rests on your work surface. Trim the opening if it doesn't sit flat.

3. Poke two holes in the top front of the pumpkin and insert the plastic animal eyes through the holes.

4. Enlarge and trace the patterns, right. Cut out the shapes. Using a marker, outline the cat's body on the pumpkin. Fill in the outline with black paint. Using the image as a guide, cut out pieces of the pumpkin to make the cat design stand out.

5. Cut two V-shape slits above the cat's eyes. Cut out black foam ears and a tail. Insert the base of the ears into the slits. Pin the cat's tail in place. Poke in 5-inch wire whiskers.