Re-cycle, re-use, re-purpose, re-l♥ve

Help outside kitties stay warm and cozy this winter!

Winter is just around the corner. Do you know of an outside kitty that could use a little paw-up to keep warm when the cold winds blow? Do you have a feral kitty living in your yard? You feed him and love him but he just won't come inside - no matter how bad the weather gets? Do you know of a rescue that is supporting a feral colony?

I don't think I've ever come upon anything as useful and as clever as these winter homes for kitties. If you belong to a rescue group wouldn't it be fun to have a 'work bee' one evening and make a bunch of these for the homeless kitties you know? They'd also be a super fund-raiser for an animal charitable group.

For those of us that are not handy or don't know anyone that is handy with power tools this is a fast, easy and cheap way to help the homeless kitties make it through the winter.

Fast and functional, this is an innovative idea, costing around $30.00, less if you can find some pieces in yard sales and second-hand shops. Finding one plastic bin to fit inside another is the most challenging part of this project. One container should fit inside the other with room still left for polystyrene.

The inner box is an 18 gallon Rubbermaid 'Roughneck Tote' - Lowe's part number: 44894 - cost $5.00. The outer box is a 35 gallon Rubbermaid 'Latching Tote' that is a bit more difficult to find - Lowe's part number: 212261 - cost $15.00. In addition, 1 inch polystyrene sheets - cost of about $10.00 for a total of about $30.00 depending on your product sources.

If you have difficulty cutting the durable plastic, blew hot air from a hairdryer on the area where you wish to cut. The plastic will 'cut like butter'.

For additional warmth from the winter winds, consider surrounding the shelter with bails of straw. Homes insulated with 18 inch wide bails of straw can save up to 75% on heating & cooling costs. Just think what that could do for the cats!

Place shelters where they will be protected from wind and snow drifts -- particularly those without protective flaps over the door(s) -- otherwise snow could blow in and bury or trap the cats. If there are fixed objects, such as buildings in your feral cat shelter area, pay attention to the way the winds tend to circulate, and place the shelters where there is the least amount of blowing & drifting snow. This could be a lifesaver, particularly for those who endure extreme winter weather, where roads may be impassable for 1-2 days.

Depending on predators and other animals or hazards in your area, some cats may not use shelters unless there are two exits -- one for them to sneak out should another unwanted animal enter. Consider an emergency exit with a flap that opens from the inside only.

Happy building! I know that the outside kitties will be so thankful for their cozy homes.

Autumn in northern Michigan - food for the ♥ and soul

We interrupt our blog FUR a public service announcement

♥Ooo la-la, French kittens having the time of their lives♥

You have probably forgotten more of your high school French than you remember but you won't need a translator for you to smile and fall in l♥ve with these adorable kittens. What a clever commercial. (Be sure to turn off my music to the right on my sidebar to completely enjoy this sweet video.)

♥Let's all stand up and give a few head-butts to ML♥

For all she does and all she gives, we hope that this weekend ML will sip a little 'nip, listen to a few purrs, circle in her favorite blankie, enjoy a few head-butts and relax.

WE DID IT! We are imPAWtant and THEY know it!

We did it, fellow canines and felines and tweeters and crawlers. WE DID IT! NYC transit has recognized (something that we always knew) that we are imPAWtant to our famblies. Read the LAST LINE!

♥The sweet Miss Peach has completed her Circle of Life♥

We haven't been bloggin' much this summer and know that we have missed mucho news. Tonight momma went to visit some bloggys and found out that darling Miss Peach has completed her Circle of Life. No words can justly tell of our sadness when we heard of her passing. It's not good-bye, Miss Peach, it's, "...see you again."

The beautiful and gentle Miss Peach

Short, sweet and to the point. DO IT!

If you read nothing else today, READ THIS and DO SOMETHING!

Gracie a 16 year old feral cat being forced from the only home shes known needs your help, be a voice for the voiceless!
by SICAW (Staten Island Council For Animal Welfare Inc.) on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 12:48am

SHARE THIS STORY WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

This is an emergency.

A cat has been living – outdoors – on the campus of Snug Harbor Cultural Center, the jewel of the cultural community of Staten Island, for 16 years. She is herself the daughter of a cat who lived and died on the Snug Harbor campus.
Years ago, some of the tenants of the Harbor paid to have her spayed, vaccinated, etc., and they have been feeding her and paying for necessary veterinary care ever since. They named her “Gracie.”

Gracie is rarely seen during the day, and when approached tends to run away. Nobody has complained about her presence on the campus in 16 years. And we all know that a 16 year old feral cat does not have too many winters left in her; nor can she be domesticated at this point in her life.

Sadly, the management of Snug Harbor has decided, out of the goodness of their hearts, that Gracie must go, and this week they hosed down her hiding place and threw away her food and water bowls. The concerned tenants are terrified that they will trap Gracie and deliver this old, feral cat to CACC, where she will almost certainly be put down – or that they will drive Gracie away from the only home she has ever known. If they do, at her advanced age she will certainly be lost, bewildered, and unable to fend for herself, and will likely starve to death.

WE NEED LETTERS TO THE ADVANCE, COMPLAINING ABOUT SNUG HARBOR’S CRUELTY TO AN OLD, HARMLESS CAT. WE NEED YOU TO GET YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO WRITE, TOO. AND YOU MUST SEND A COPY TO THE CEO OF SNUG HARBOR, LYNN KELLY.

ALSO, CALL & EMAIL LYNN KELLY, at 718 425-3501, her email is lkelly@snug-harbor.org

LET HER KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE HARBOR’S CRUELTY ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE, AND ON TWITTER. THREATEN NEVER TO COME TO ANOTHER EVENT AT THE HARBOR, AND THREATEN TO WRITE LETTERS TO OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER, THE STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE.

CONTACT THE STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE

You can also contact NY1 News, the run a Staten Island specific report and let them know the cruelty happening at Snug Harbor!

CONTACT NY1 NEWS

Thank you to every one who gives a voice to Gracie! Together we can ensure that old Gracie gets to live out the rest of her life in peace and dignity.

Original Message from Lila Levey

Think about it, then DO IT!

It's National Animal Rights Awareness Week! Tell someone that you l♥ve them...

“It is written in our own hearts - more clearly than in any book - that we should take pity on animals in the same way as we do on humans." ~ Leo Tolstoy

This week take your dog for one more walk. Play with your cat one more time. Volunteer at your local animal shelter one more day. Tickle the tummy of your hamster or guinea pig one more minute. Sing to your bird one more song.

It takes such little time, and so little of our resources, to enrich and enhance the lives of those wonderful animals that grace our days and nights with their presence, affection and devotion. This week when you look at those furry and feathered family members of yours, tell them you l♥ve them one more time and then when you have done that - do it again and again and again. Because - after all - they'd do no less for you.

Wanna help animals in need? Nominate someone for the PETTIES!

WOWZA! We know of several dog and cat bloggys that we truly admire. They are easy to navigate, consistent in posting (not us☺), have great content and always have us leaving better educated about animal issues or with a smile on our face. You know one, too? Well, get busy and nominate them! You've only got until the end of this month!

It's the 2011 Petties Awards!

Ice the champagne, roll out whatever color carpet best hides fur — the Petties are upon us!

The Petties Awards are Dogtime's annual celebration recognizing excellence among animal-loving bloggers of all stripes. The Petties are the only awards nominated by, voted for, and presented to individuals in the pet blogging community.

How it works

Between now and June 29, 2011, ­we invite all readers and writers — that means you! — to nominate your favorite blogs. This year, we’ve added four new categories to the ballot for a total of eight awards:

• Best Dog Blog
• Best Cat Blog
• Best Cause-Related Blog
• Best Overall Pet Blog
• Best Designed Blog
• Best Individual Blog Post
• Best Social Integration Blog
• Funniest Blog or Blogger

You can nominate a single blog/blogger for as many categories as you like, and you can nominate as many different blog/bloggers as you like for a single category — or as many categories as you like. (You may not, however, nominate the same blog/blogger in one category more than once. In the highly unlikely event of a tie, DogTime will choose the finalist.)

At the close of the nomination round, the four bloggers with the most nominations in each category will become finalists. The voting round then begins on July 5, 2011. Don’t miss out — mark your calendars for these important dates:

June 29, 2011: Nominations close

July 5, 2011: Voting for finalists open

July 29, 2011: Voting for finalists closes

August 26, 2011: 2^nd Annual Petties Awards ceremony, held at the BlogPaws Conference in Tysons Corner, Virginia

Glitter, glam, and giving

Like the Academy Awards, last years winners are eligible to win again this year. (Missed the 2010 ceremony? Check out the wrap-up or relive the magic here.) And just like the Hollywood event, the Petties will feature shameless paparazzi, magnificent pageantry, and touching acceptance speeches.

There is however, one major difference between the Petties and the Oscars (aside from a consistently hilarious host, year after year). In addition to a mantel-worthy statuette, DogTime will honor winners with a $1000 donation to the shelter of their choice. It’s our way of saying thanks for being a voice for those who need it most.

If you could talk like your cat...

Biggy-fy so your human'bean eyes can read good