Cat Calendar for a Cause!

Hey, Friends! Check out this awesome calendar that helps shelter kitties!!

 

 

9Lives is offering The 2013 Morris & Friends 12-month calendar, filled with adorable Facebook fan-submitted photos of their cats taken throughout the year. The calendar is currently available for sale on LuLu.com for $20. All proceeds from the calendar will go to benefit the Hinsdale Humane Society.

 

Morris the Cat is passionate about helping shelter cats, as he spent his early life in a shelter before being adopted and ultimately landing the role as the face of the 9Lives^® brand, promoting responsible pet ownership and pet adoptions through animal shelters.

Giveaway Winner!

Concats to Meowmeowmans!! They were the winner of our 500th post giveaway! They have chosen Option #1 - Very colorful 8x10 "Ferris Cat Meow" Warhol inspired print.

Thanks to everyone who entered and wished us a Happy 500th Post! You are all wonderful and we are so very honored to call you all our special friends!

Help Celebrate Our 500th Post - With a Giveaway!

I can't believe this is our 500th post! In actuality, we should be much further along, but I've been seriously slacking! Oh well, here we are - #500!

We've had such a wonderful time meeting and visiting with our blogging family - YOU! You've shared the good, the bad, and the downright sad with us. We wanted to show our appreciation with a giveaway!

Up for grabs is your choice of the following prints:

Option #1 - Very colorful 8x10 "Ferris Cat Meow" Warhol inspired print. This print features 8 colorful pop art cats on a white background with the word "Meow" on the bottom of the print.

Printed on Kodak photo paper. This print is not framed or matted.

Option #2 - You've got to be kitten me right meow! The print features "Poppy" a former foster kitten of mine who was saved from our local shelter and sent up north to a rescue.

Printed on acid free heavy card stock. Paper size is 8"x10". Image size is 5"x7" and will fit perfectly in an 8x10 frame (not included) no mat needed.

 

Option #3- Rescue! Adopt! Foster! Digital print created to raise awareness of the pet overpopulation problem. The print features "Poppy" a former foster kitten of mine who was saved from our local shelter and sent up north to a rescue.

Printed on acid free heavy card stock. Paper size is 8"x10". Image size is 7.5"x5.5" and will fit perfectly in an 8x10 frame (not included) no mat needed.

 

Here are the rules:
Just leave a comment telling us which print you'd like if you are the chosen winner! Be sure we have a way to contact you by email either by your blogger account or leave us your email address in the comments section or email us your email address. This giveaway is open to everyone, everywhere!

*You have until Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 11:00am est to enter. We will chose a winner using random.org. We will post the winner of the giveaway later that day. We will contact the winner via email.

 

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!!!

Meet Princess Phoebe Rose!

This is my new adopted sister, Princess Phoebe Rose! My mom moved into her own apartment in February of this year after my parents decided to split :( Anyway, the apartment is nice, but it was missing one very important thing.... a cat!

A couple of weeks ago, my friend (Phoebe's foster mom) asked me to take some promotional photos of her fosters to display at the PetSmart Adoption Center and adopt-a-thons. Phoebe was one of the fosters. This is one of her photos.

Phoebe was surrendered at the shelter last year with her kittens. (Grrr!) She nursed her litter and then a litter of motherless kittens. The shelter manager begged my friend to save Phoebe (whose name at the time was Mama Geneva) and bring her into her adoption program. Unfortunately, our shelter has a high kill rate. My friend came to the rescue and has fostered Phoebe since February. Phoebe was adopted out for a six week period, but it didn't work out. She and the two small dogs at her new home didn't get along. Back to my friend she went...... My mom and I went to PetSmart and visited Phoebe on Tuesday night and my mom fell in love with her. And the rest, as they say, is history!

She is doing great at my moms and acts like she has lived there all her life. Not once has she hid or even acted scared. She owns the place and even has her very own Christmas stocking.

The End

 

Don't you just love a happy ending? I sure do!!

P.S. Be sure to check back in with us on Tuesday for a surprise!

“Paw It Forward” to Give Jobs to Individuals with Special Needs

“Paw It Forward” to Give Jobs to Individuals with Special Needs

The Barkers Dozen seeks crowdsourced funding to hire three special needs individuals.

Aug. 9, 2012 — CHICOPEE, Mass. — The Barkers Dozen, an organic and eco-friendly dog treat company based here, launched “Paw It Forward”, a 30-day campaign to raise $10,000 in crowdsourced funding, in efforts to give a steady paycheck and vital career skills to three special needs individuals.

If the goal is reached, the pet treat company will use the investment to hire three individuals through its partner, Aditus, Inc., an organization that provides community-based employment and other services to Intellectually Disabled Individuals.

Social responsibility and giving back to its community is central to The Barkers Dozen’s mission. It has partnered with Aditus to bake and package its treats since 2011, and currently, all treats made by The Barkers Dozen are handmade by Aditus participants.

“Seeing the joy on one employee’s face when he got to open his first bank account, or another’s excitement when she bought her favorite recliner to watch television, are experiences that I can’t even begin to explain,” said President/CEO and Founder of The Barkers Dozen, Shawn Sherry. “Now it’s up to everyone to help me make this happen for more individuals in our community who want to be out there working, if they could only be given a chance!”

With the new employees’ help, the company will also be able to create three new flavors of organic dog treats. After the Paw It Forward campaign closes, The Barkers Dozen will collaborate with Paw It Forward investors to determine the three future varieties.

In addition, those who make a pledge to support the Paw It Forward project will receive a gift based on their level of support – from 50% off any order, to a year of free organic dog treats from The Barkers Dozen.

The Barkers Dozen is managing the Paw It Forward project through Indiegogo.com, a social crowdsourcing website. The campaign runs through Sept. 9, 2012, and is accessible here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/201673?a=1021062.

Available in select pet boutiques, upscale retailers and grocery stores — as well as online through The Barkers Dozen Virtual Bakery and Online Store — the current lineup of organic pet treats includes: Barkers Family Chicken Treats, Barkers Carrot Treats, Barkers Dozen Barkscotti, Peanut Butter Cups, Peanut Butter Treats, Cookie Cakes and The Big Dipper. Also available are a variety of Sampler and Seasonal Gift Boxes, and custom-made cookie jars and gift baskets.

###

About The Barkers Dozen:

With the goal of providing Homemade Organic Pet Treats that everyone could afford, The Barkers Dozen was founded in 2009. In the midst of the 2008 pet food scare, company founders Shawn Sherry and Anthony Newman saw an opportunity to start an organic dog treat business where customers could feel safe and secure about what they fed to that loyal member of their family.

The Barkers Dozen treats use the highest-quality, human-grade organic ingredients and are made in a variety of shapes and sizes to satisfy any furry friend. The gourmet dog treats are made on demand and in small batches to ensure the freshest product possible for customers, without artificial preservatives. Feeling a responsibility to the world in which we all live, its packaging is renewable or recyclable.

In 2011, Sherry assumed sole ownership of The Barkers Dozen, following a year of historic growth. Later that year, continuing its belief in social responsibility, The Barkers Dozen began utilizing staff from the Aditus group, a non-profit which helps those with special needs to be able to enter the work force. In addition, The Barkers Dozen donates a portion of its profits from every sale to two animal shelters in its local market.

Press contact:
Mehgan Recker
732-853-7056
mrecker@thebarkersdozen.com
www.thebarkersdozen.com

Saylor's Gotcha Day!

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY, SAYLOR PANTS!!!

Banfield Pet Hospital is Staging an InFURvention!

BANFIELD^® PET HOSPITAL IS STAGING AN INFURVENTION^TM;

NATIONWIDE CONTEST KICKS OFF JULY 18

In Partnership with Animal Planet’s Victoria Stilwell, Banfield is Looking

for Cats and their Owners in Need of Professional Help

Portland, OR—July 18, 2012—Calling all cat owners: is a trip to the veterinarian a constant cat-fight? Do you sometimes find yourself avoiding routine visits to dodge a cat-tastrophe? Is “stressful” a term you use to describe the process of getting your cat out of the house and into the veterinarian’s office? If so, Banfield Pet Hospital and Animal Planet’s Victoria Stilwell want to hear from you.

Banfield Pet Hospital, the world’s largest veterinary practice, and Victoria Stilwell are staging an “inFURvention” to help combat pet owners’ difficulties of getting their cat into a carrier while raising awareness of the importance of regular veterinary visits for cats. Banfield and Stilwell are asking cat owners nationwide to upload videos of their real-life struggles and attempts to get their cat into a carrier for a chance to win a year’s worth of free preventive veterinary care and a special at-home visit and training consultation from Animal Planet’s famed pet trainer, Victoria Stilwell.

Of the 86 million felines living as pets in the U.S., an astonishing one-third of pet owners will skip a trip to the veterinarian to avoid the hassle* – yet missing a veterinarian visit could actually cause more harm to the pet. Cats rarely exhibit signs of sickness or disease even when a problem exists; therefore, routine veterinarian visits are essential to protecting pets from life-threatening illnesses.

“There is no doubt that cats can be finicky when it comes to travel; however, there are easy tips and tricks pet owners can use to ensure a smooth road ahead,” said Stilwell. “Pet owners don’t have to be a professional in order to train their cats to get into the carrier. All it takes is some practice and simple changes in behavior and cat-fights will soon be a thing of the past!”

To assist cat owners with their struggles, Banfield is offering:

·         Banfield and Victoria Stilwell’s expert tips and tricks for traveling with cats
·         Feliway samples, a synthetic stress-reducing pheromone, available at all Banfield locations
·         Hide, Perch and Go carriers available for a limited time exclusively at Banfield locations in Kansas City, Boston and Phoenix

It’s time for an “inFURvention!”

Beginning Wednesday, July 18 through Friday August, 17, pet owners are invited to upload their “real” cat videos to www.inFURvention.com, with the tag “#inFURvention” to be considered in need of an “inFURvention” from Stilwell. One pet owner and “inFURvention” video will be chosen to win a year’s worth of free preventive veterinary care from Banfield and a special at-home visit with Victoria Stilwell who will give professional insight into the best tips and tricks to getting your cat out of the house and into the veterinarian’s office.

“One of the biggest barriers to cats receiving veterinary care is actually getting them to the hospital,” said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, chief medical officer for Banfield Pet Hospital. “Unfortunately, cats typically don’t show signs of illness until it is too late; therefore it is important for cats to receive twice-yearly veterinary visits in order to prevent, as well as diagnose and treat illnesses before it’s too late. Through ‘inFURvention,’ we hope to educate pet owners about the importance of routine veterinary visits, and let them know it doesn’t have to be a fight to get their cat to the vet.”

Tips and tricks to eliminating the cat-fight!

Basic training tips can ease cats’, as well as cat owners’ fears and hesitations when preparing for a trip to the veterinarian. Banfield’s medical team and Stilwell both recommend scheduling appointments later in the day for a quieter, calmer experience for felines. It is also important to remember that cats are sensitive to smells, so creating a pleasant environment in the carrier is key to helping cats cope with the trip, as well as including familiar objects such as a comfortable blanket to make felines feel more at home.

For a full list of tips and tricks to overcoming cat resistance, visit Banfield Pet Hospital online at www.banfield.com. Cat owners are welcome to submit a video for the “InFURvention” program at www.inFURvention.com with the tag “#InFURvention” beginning July 18 through August 17 for a chance at an at home visit with Animal Planet’s Victoria Stilwell.

About Banfield^® Pet Hospital

Founded in Portland, Ore., in 1955, Banfield is the largest general veterinary practice in the world. In 2007, Banfield joined the Mars, Inc. family of businesses, and today we are more than 800 hospitals strong in neighborhoods across the United States. More than 2,600 veterinarians at Banfield are committed to giving pets the highest quality of veterinary care. Banfield hospitals offer a full range of comprehensive medical services, computerized medical records, preventive care plans for pets and extended operating hours. Banfield Pet Hospital helps extend the lives of millions of pets each year through Optimum Wellness Plans^®. For journalists seeking more information, please visit our press room at http://www.banfield.com or contact our Media Hotline at 888-355-0595.

~Thank You~

I've been trying to visit everyone and thank them for their condolences...... I have only been able to thank about half of you before I began having trouble commenting and connectivity issues.

The outpouring of love and support during this very sad time has been wonderful and very much appreciated. It helps to read comments from friends and hear from others who have gone through the same thing. Chevelle was such a special girl and it's so nice to know you all thought the same way about her. I wish I was able to thank each one of you individually, but I can't. This is for all of you kind souls out there!!

Some of you may remember my foster kittens, "Muffins" and "Pancakes."

Chevelle Has Left for the Rainbow Bridge

Anna Chevelle

May 01, 2000 - July 03, 2012

I've been dreading this post since we found out last week that Chevelle had cancer. She had been completely normal until June 22 when she suddenly stopped eating. We brought her to the vet on June 25th and after labs, x-rays and an ultrasound, she was diagnosed with masses in her liver and abdomen. Nothing could be done and we were sent home with anti-nausea and pain meds. We had been assit-feeding ever since, hoping she would regain her appetite at least to stay with us a little while longer....that, unfortunately, never happened. One of the hardest decisions of our lives..... We had to let her go to be at peace and pain free. She left us this morning. She is now reuniting with Cal and that gives me comfort.

Since the diagnosis, we'd spend as much time outside as possible. When she was outside; walking through the grass, rolling around on the concrete, she was the happiest.

 I'll love you forever, I'll miss you for always.

As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

Dixie Dog Got Treats!!

Look what came in the mail just for our sweet Dixie Dog! It's a treat gift bag from The Barkers Dozen!

It includes super yummy treats like: Gluten Free Sweet Paw-Tato, Organic Chicken Dog Treats and Organic Carrot Dog Treats! I can't figure out which one she likes best because she eats all three so quickly! I'd say she loves all three just the same :)

Dixie Dog is a happy girl!

THANK YOU, THE BARKERS DOZEN!!

Happy Birthday, Saylor!!

Big Boy

We’ve had a stray male kitty hanging around the neighborhood since late last year.  He would come up to our house most every night to get a bite to eat. We could never get close enough the do the old collar trick. You know, when you put a collar (with your phone number on the tag) on the stray kitty to see if you get a phone call from his actual owners…  I could only get close enough to see this kitty was unneutered.

Here he is captured on our wildlife camera. The date and time are wrong....

He liked to pick fights with the other neighborhood kitties because….well, that’s what intact males do….. We almost immediately put out a box trap (with the door removed) and would feed him in it every night. When we felt like he was comfortable enough, we decided to set the trap. No luck! Anytime that trap was set, he knew it and he wouldn’t go near it. We tried jack mackerel, tuna, catnip for cats……nothing would entice him enough to enter. This was frustrating!  Finally, we decided to use the drop trap, the same trap that helped us capture Gretchen a few years ago. Worked like a charm on the first attempt! Yay! So we took him to the vet and had him neutered, vaccinated and ear-tipped.

Big Boy with his ear-tip!

We call him “Big Boy.”  Big Boy’s trips to our house at night aren’t quite as frequent since his neuter. Can’t say I blame him, I’d probably be pretty mad too. However, the great news is he is no longer picking fights with the neighborhood outdoor cats and he is no longer able to spread his seed :) Yay for TNR!

Dixie Dog and Her Seeing-eye Cat, Maya!

I just can’t believe my Maya is 12 years old. It’s hard to believe that 12 years ago we were bottle feeding him and his sister, Chevelle, after they had been abandoned by their feral mother at a dilapidated horse barn. He hasn’t always been the healthiest of kitties and I often wonder if it’s because he didn’t get his mother’s milk long enough? His weight has never been much over 10lbs and up until a few years ago, he had pretty bad asthma. Since Maya is getting older, his appetite isn’t what it used to be. Lately, he pretty much turns his nose up at dry kibble, so I’ve switched him to canned cat food. He seems to prefer this much better and it’s not as much of a challenge to get him to eat his meals.

One of Maya’s great attributes is his love of our Dixie Dog. Dixie is maybe 13 or 14 years old (rescued, so the age is unknown) and she has gone completely blind. Maya is almost always at her side when she walks around the living room. We joke that he’s her seeing-eye cat and he’s guiding her through the maze of furniture.

Maya also likes to stand behind Dixie and let her whap him with her tail. I never have understood why he does this, but he sure does seem to enjoy it. He also really enjoys nibbling on her ears and jowls. Dixie never seems to mind; in fact I know she loves the attention.

Happy Birthday, Maya and Chevelle

Happy Birthday,

Maya and Chevelle!

12 years old today! Yay!!

Happy Birthday, Maizy and Ferris!

Look who is six years old today!!

Happy Birthday, Marg!

Marg, we all love you so! We hope this is your best birthday yet!

XOXO

The Creek Cats

We Love You, Judi!

Judi, we just want you to know how much we love and care about you! We are praying so hard!

XOXO,

The Creek Cats and Mom

Farrah the Foster Kitten Update

Do y'all remember Farrah the foster kitten? Well, she's all grown up and skateboarding now! LOL

I recived this email update from her mom:
Thought you might enjoy this. (she is on a leash - just can't see it). She is so much fun!! Her tail is very fluffy! She is the best cat we have ever had the joy of loving. She is so much fun to watch and has a fantastic personality. Loves to be outside and doesn't even mind her leash. If you ever foster another like her, please let me know!

AWWW!!!!!!

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY, RAMBLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!