Pet Channel

She spent all winter making a beautiful counted cross stitch picture for me! It is a cat – who looks a lot like my beloved Percival and Abercrombie – nestled in the middle of books. And the books all have really funny cat-related names, like “Caterbury Tales” and “How to Catnap".

Cat update: He managed to pull the splint off while we were asleep on Thursday night, making our late night emergency vet visit completely unnecessary. R took him to our vet yesterday, who set the leg, took new x-rays, and kept him overnight. Now he's got a new splint, an e-collar (lampshade thingy to keep him from eating it) and tranquilizers. We borrowed a big dog kennel from a friend and will keep him in it (doped up) when we're not home. He's already figured out how to walk and climb things with it on, so he should do OK. Poor little thing.

I went through3 1/2 years of allergy shots, never getting past the 1/2 way point because I was so dang sensitive. What a waste of time. I’m allergic to dust, grass, Alder trees, Timothy weed, cats, dogs…oops, did I say cats….um yeah, mold…I think their’s a few more but I can’t remember them.

Me, I personally like squirrels. They are cute and fun to watch. Sure, they steal bird seed from our bird feeders, but they provide lots of entertainment. We have a Squngee in our backyard that makes the squirrels jump and bounce, to our amusement. How could these cute little critters be viewed as threats?

Oh dear, I haven’t made notes on the books I’ve read. Well, I’m guessing around 10-12. I haven’t read as much as I normally do. My favorite… hm… I’ll say “Kontaktkontraktet” by Eva Bodfäldt, because it’s such an excellent book on dog training.

And let me tell you, that’s just absolute folly. Where do you think dogs came from? Did heaven send the pink poodle to my mom on her 16th birthday? No, my grandparents did. And where did they get the poodle? From a pet store. And how did the poodle get to the pet store? By breeding it.

Jill and I caught an early train into Seoul, the usual Saturday morning hangover eerily missing and our bodies feeling far too fresh, and went for a wander round Dongdaemun. The whole area is apparently slpit up into sections, so if you want shoes then you’ll find all the shoes stalls together selling exactly the same footwear as the next stallholder. At one point there are lots and lots of pet shops together, each selling a stupid array of animals. Some of mit isn’t very nice, I’ve never been keen on seeing cats stuffed into cages for example, but you do get to see some stuff that you generally wouldn’t see elsewhere.

I put a few bird feeders in my back yard this year and I've been having fun watching to see who comes. It's a great break from the hectic world. One of the things that's been really interesting to me is to learn more about bird behavior. Until fairly recently, I've considered birds to be, well, kinda stupid. You know, birdbrains.

A friend of mine emailed me the following photo series of the most patient mastiff! I don’t think these two know the meaning of “fighting like cats and dogs!”

As he's said before, he thinks a healthy dose of "paternalism" is in order. Naturally the problem here is the dogs and how their managed, not the owner. The solution to them seems obvious: regulate the dogs. It's like regulating guns or insurance companies or hamburgers or other potentially harmful things.

I know it's a crazy idea, but if a dog owner willfully lets his/her viscious dog run wild or be loose enough to harm a neighbor, there are laws in place to punish them for their crime. "Manslaughter" comes to mind for more extreme cases.

I'm sure most people who know me personally—and let's be honest, you're the only people who actually read this thing—have learned by now that we had to put our 12-year-old Boxer, Macy, to sleep this morning. When I say "we," I mean "my family." She was the third—and arguably the sweetest—dog my family ever owned. Anyway, I would be remiss if I didn't mention it here, regardless of how many of you I vented to today. I just wanted a permanent reminder of what a fantastic companion she was.

…of the family…10 new ‘homeless’ tropical fish from work are now exploring their new home…our own fish are a bit bemused but they all seem calm enough. The Man says we’re turning into a refuge…one of our cats was an unwanted kitten from work too. I just wish more people at work kept rats *grin*.

On my last trip, the train was packed, this being June. There wasn’t a spare seat to be had and, to my dismay, as I neared my seat I got a look at my companion. She was a nice enough girl but she had a huge bag at her feet and an even larger golden retrever. I was supposed to take an aisle seat and she tried to squeeze her dog and her huge bag over in the one seat area. The bag and the dog both were well onto my side. For a brief moment I hoped to get another seat, and had even sat there, but someone came to claim it and I trudged back to my original place. She gave me the window seat which was much better and the dog sat in the aisle blocking access to anyone trying to get to the bathroom or dining car. Except for a few dirty looks, no one said anything, just tried to squeeze by or take a giant step over him. I love dogs but I wondered at this. The lady who checked our tickets didn’t say a word, so I guess it is standard although I thought all animals had to be in some sort of holder.

My parents have a cat that’s been hanging around their house and sometime in the last two weeks it had 6 kittens under their front porch. They are feral cats and very skittish. I was able to catch a glimpse of one the entire time I was there.

Cat Vomit Sign: these would be handy. Our cats are always horking everywhere. If it’s not hair, it’s masticated bits of cat chow.

s and today on a whim I decided to check out the cats which they had at the local Petsmart. I looked at all the various cats and read their stories…and then I saw McCoy. I asked it I could go back and pet him to see how friendly he was and I almost started sobbing because he reminded me of my Mario. I needed a moment to think over adopting him but after my husband and I ate lunch, back we headed to Petsmart.

7. Topless saleswomen are legal in Liverpool, England - but only in tropical fish stores. (But of course!)

But I did. I did see DR. CHANG, CAT OPTOMETRIST! I loved him but hated his receptionist, who treated me like the lowest common denominator just 'cuz my cat wasn't wearing a Prada Arompatherapy Semi-Precious Gemstone-Encrusted collar, but fuck her. See, Keith, this is why I hate West L.A. I don't belong there. I'm not allowed. There's no parking, and you get treated like crap just 'cuz you don't have pet insurance and you have to valet it just to go to the 711.

The neighbors’ two cats had kittens recently, about a month apart. The kittens for the first mother have all either been given away or disappeared. The kittens for the second mother seem, at least for tonight, to have moved onto my porch.

An elderly Olney woman was attacked by a neighbor's dog while gardening at her residence on Monday evening. According to Olney Police Chief Rick Chaplin, Frances Bones, 81, 1805 Gregory Drive, was gardening when a boxer or bulldog attacked her.

Twelve hours ago, I embarked on a very pleasant four-ball, in perfect weather. It was so nice that I didn't mind losing. So I came home for a little light gardening, watered the plants, washed the car (i.e. removed the protective dirt), put the sprinkler on the lawn, and fixed up the bird feeders. The house sparrow used to be an endangered species round here, but they have found my seed dispenser and they've brought all their mates round. Endangered no longer: there are lots of them, though they seem to have driven out the dunnocks.

This picture is just wonderful. Ferrets have such cute faces. I've heard they make great pets, and I knew a woman in college who had a ferret.

But we have cats. I don't think they mix.

When we showed up, the store cats were closed in the bathroom, but the lady who was working let them out for Sarah to meet. I really like those cats as they are about five thousand times more affectionate and friendly than Indy is (which doesn’t mean I love Indy less, it just means that I like other kitties too). Last time I was there, the younger cat put her paw on my tummy and when I gave her the okay, she climbed up onto my shoulder and then cuddled into my arms. This time, she did the paw thing, and then she climbed onto and stayed perched on my shoulder and back. It was random, but it was nice to have a soft, purring catlet pressed against my face.

I would like to know which wild beast has been in our yard recently. We have a number of bird feeders and suet blocks …all of which attract birds and our friendly neighborhood squirrels and chipmunks. I’ve given up trying to keep the squirrels out of the bird feeders they are too persistent for me.

Earl, Earl, Earl! The lamb was center stage today, beating out the chickens, chicks, dogs, cats, even the computer and telephone with friends. DD was a girl with a mission. Generally not one to get up early unless prompted, she was up and dressed, ready to deal with Earl and his needs.

1. susan b. anthony (we’d call her “susie bee”). women’s suffragist, abolitionist, overall a groovy lady, i guess. (except for the prohibitionist part of her “ists”).
2. amelia earhart. the real amelia went by “millie”. this is getting dangerously close to a traditional dog name. i still like “amelia” though.
3. lois lane. i think this goes without explanation. i think “lois” is a great name for a dog, plus HELLO, superman reference.
4. dor venabili. too obscure and nerdy and probably won’t fly. but i LOVE dors.

any suggestions? ladies? fellas? help me out here.

Sasha, Lyra, Sergei and I welcome you to the new home of Music and Cats, and to Carnival of the Cats #64, the Just Barely Out of the Boxes edition.

Just got back from the shelter (a luxurious brand new complex financed by the Kroc and Copley families) and got two about 8-week-old kittens, they are both all-black and brothers :O) photos will come soon. I think I will name them Augustinus and Thomas Aquinas - in cat names Augie and Tommy :) Now excuse me while I die watching how cute they are !

My brothers like snakes. We have two snakes, actually. my older younger brother kyle has had pet snakes since he was about nick's age (my other brother, the 6 year old who is a genius). Well, i think right now we have like two lizards and one snake. or maybe its two snakes. actually, yes, i think it's two snakes now because a friend of my brother's gave us another one. yay. don't get me wrong, i'm not afraid of snakes by any means. i enjoy wrapping it around my neck and letting its cool skin crawl against my neck. it feels really cool. even though they are constrictors, they don't constrict humans. they aren't stupid animals, they know htey can't take a human being. especially this one.

I noticed that AFI's television programming, which began with such gravitas, with shows like "The AFI Awards," and the defensible "100 Greatest Movies," now is issuing forth great gaseous poots like, "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines." Greatest to whom? Doesn't that totally eliminate some of the greatest films made, i.e., silent films? What's next, "The 100 Greatest Movie Dogs," with London bookies making odds between Rin-Tin-Tin and that dog that kept mauling James Belushi in the K-9 series? ...

A couple of days ago, I was sitting in here, in my office at home, and the cats were both under the desk by my feet. Normally, I will shoo them away if they start messing with the cords that are under there. But they were being quiet, so I wasn’t paying them much attention. One of them must have gotten tangled up in the mouse cord, because they both ran out of the room and the computer was pulled over onto it’s side. I had to go searching for the mouse, and found it under the bed. Both of the cats were in the bedroom, big-eyed, looking...

From that day forward I was a Republican, and I never owned another dog ever again, because dogs are like Democrates and cats are like Republicans.

There must have been something fishy about the way she walked. Customs officials said Monday they stopped a woman as she arrived Friday in Melbourne on a flight from Singapore, and found 51 live tropical fish allegedly hidden in a specially designed apron under her skirt.

Today I was coming home and I when I got off the J I saw three animals tied up outside the Indian restaurant by my house. You would assume its just three dogs right? I mean there are tons of dogs in my neighbor and two of the animals did turn out to be goats. But the third one was a goat o_O Weird.

"We have to be realistic," Newsom said. "You've got dogs that literally can kill. We've seen it demonstrated. If we can't change people's behavior and make them think what's in their best interest, then that's when government comes along and becomes a bit paternalistic."

The boy was home alone at the time of the attack. Asked if she was ever worried about the dogs, Faibish responded: "Never. They're not vicious."

LIVING in an area populated by dogs is probably a nightmare for most cats, but Gidget loves every minute of it.

Boldly-striped tabby cats are the best bed companions when one is fighting a gallstone attack.

Fifi regaled us with entertaining obvious lies about her friend who has every kind of animal. "She has a frog. Actually 5 frogs. Actually she has 9 frogs and a snake and a lizard and a puppy, no, 11 puppies, and a cat." "I wish I had an otter for a pet." "Oh, she has an otter too." Then, equally hilarious foul boasting about her pony and her other pony and how she is getting a new pony, and her ranch, and her riding lessons, and how the ranch is next to the beach, and how she has a huge playroom full of toys. (Oh, how her mom would kill her to hear it! But I'll never tell.) Also - she can stand up on her horse while it trots AND canters. *SNORT* Backwards.

I live with my husband, my daughter (14 months old) and 4 cats.

I like Cats, obviously and birds in general. I am pretty obsessed with watching birds in our yard. I keep several feeders full for them year round and love watching the birds at the feeder. Some favorites are Tufted Titmouse, Finches, Cardinals and Red Headed Woodpeckers.

Goldens are the third most intelligent of all dog breeds, second to border collie and poodle.

Truth be told, I'm all for beauty, and I don't think that's shallow at all. We love art, we love beautiful music, we love pretty cats... well, I love pretty cats. I love ugly cats too. I love all cats, the way some people coo over any and all babies. But I digress.

I mentioned Mojo, my shop manager/feline last night… Here's a pic of her enjoying a bonfire over Memorial Day Weekend. When it comes to the Hot Rod Styled BBQ Pit, all I can say is: Cats dig it! She seems to like the fact that by raising the bowl off the ground, she can bask in the heat without getting singed.

I have two regular customers at the neglected bird feeders, a scrub jay and a Steller's jay. Phh. Well, if you love birds you must love each and every one. They sure attack those seeds.

What do they sell? Bird feeders! But not just any bird feeder! This bird feeder sends squirrels flying (and I mean flying!)

A growing number of traditionalist pet owners are refusing to have their dogs and cats spayed and neutered, saying that surgical sterilization encourages pets to be sexually active before they are emotionally ready.

In Chinese, specific dog names contain 犬, so even if you aren’t familiar with a specific dog type, you still know it is a dog. English doesn’t work this way. You need to memorize the common dog types, otherwise when someone says to you, “Do you like German Shepherds?” you will have no idea what they are talking about.

The house is one of those old-style Chinese houses that's U-shaped with a central courtyard. My father's oldest brother lives there now along with his family and either I never really paid attention before or it just dawned on me this time around but they actually raise and sell tropical fish for a living. Unfortunately, none of the breeds that I'm interested in. ;-)