Don't know if any of you have seen this or would be interested, but I'm the editor-in-chief of the new Anipal Times, an online newspaper for online pets. We're non-profit, even our advertisers pay for their ad space by donating to specific animal charties we choose each quarter. All volunteers. Check us out at www.Anipaltimes.com for real world and internet animal news, arts and entertainment, games, both serious and silly content and a staff of 40 animal lovers. Our second issue is up now, with our third coming out next Saturday. We publish the first and third Saturdays of the month. Hope you like it! Cokie the Cat =^..^=

My kittie sniffs at the new post and walks away. How can I make it more attractive to her? - complaints: (Email Removed)

LO All I've taken the occasion of Snowball the Ragdoll's 6-month birthday today to add a growing-up album, "Snowball's Progress" at: [link] His predecessors and companions are in the other album "Exocat's Cats". Hope you enjoy. Best Ex.

Today my Aunt dropped off her cat here for us to take care of for the next two weeks while she is on vacation! I'm very pleased to have Romeo here and hope he can adjust to his new surroundings soon. At this time he is choosing to spend most of his time in the basement, and visits with our 3 cats haven't been friendly, but at least there hasn't been any fights! I'm particularly anxious for him to get comfortable enough to appear on Kitty-Cam. I already updated the site announcing his stay with us. Take a look: [link]/ Kris

Whenever I lie down next to Greebo (1), if his face is towards me, he turns away and puts his butt towards me. He won't cuddle with me with his face near mine, he'll just squirm away or change position, and he'll sleep next to me, but only upside down, or, if his head is near mine, his back has to be towards me. He gets very uncomfortable being face to face with me for any length of time. So am I the alpha cat? Does he take my going face-to-face with him as a confrontation, and this is his way of deferring to me? I figure that's what it is, but just wondered what you all thought. He's a major cuddle bug, which is why it tends to drive me crazy when he squirms away in discomfort like he doesn't want me near him! Ann (1) Well, both do this, really, but Greebo cuddles with me more, because he lords it over Crowley. If Crowley comes on the bed and sees Greebo there (or sees me petting him, anyway), he'll generally bug off fairly quickly, and sometimes Greebo will as well, especially if I try and pet them both at the same time; he's very greedy with me. And if Greebo jumps up when I'm petting Crowley, Crowley won't stay very long, at least not without some serious coaxing; if I really encourage him, he might stay a bit longer, and then Greebo tends to wander off, or just curl up at the end of the bed a little bit away. But if he does get intimidated and leave - which he does more often than not - Greebo will often try to take over and get me to pet him instead (which is hard not to do, since he's there looking cuddly, but I hate to reward him for being pushy)! Someone told me littermates often have a more distinct pecking order; does that tend to be true? The only others I had were pretty close, so I don't know how often this is the case. -- [link]

Hi: This cat belongs to a friend of mine. Her name is Karma. Check out the opposing thumb. Yeah! She is very smart. [link] Bob "Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." Benito Mussolini

This has been cross posted. Folks I know there should be no need to remind everyone about Safety for the holidays. But I feel I need to talk about it for all our new slaves and a friendly reminder in these hectic days. Look at these pages for a list of plants that can be harmful to cats [link] toxicity=toxic-to-cats they have others pages for our other furry friends [link]/ Some Holiday tips from the experts [link] & [link] for anything that I miss. Pay attention to your lights and any cord. Any break or frays. Even if you feel they can be fixed throw them in the garbage it is not worth the risk. Don't over load the electrical outlets or surge protectors. Use proper equipment for the job Watch about live trees and those decorations lights can cause fires if they get hot. Also make sure they are anchored down. How man of us have come home to see one of THEM in the tree and hung up or the tree laying on its side. They make sprays and scents that keep them away from the trees. Watch those open flames. Use covers designed to prevent tips and spills along with a stable surface. The fur balls are and can be curious hence the phrase can come to term curiosity killed the cat. :-(. If you leave a room put the flame out. Watch those space heaters. Keep stuff at least 5 feet away from it and make sure it is on a stable surface and no furball can make a roost on the top. EXTINGUISH ALL FLAMES if unattended that includes you smokers make sure those smokes are out completely. I have watched on the news in the last couple days here in Florida; since it has gotten "cold" for us. Quite a few fires caused by a candle, a space heater and a cigarette. Yesterday close to where I live a man got Third degree burns on 40% of his body running into a burning house to save his best friend and his family along with their dogs. They barely made it out due to his courage. By the time the fire department got there the house was gone. This fire was caused by a cigarette that they thought had been put out. This morning a space heater frayed caused another home to catch fire. The two family apartment went up everyone got out. A man running a small foster unit in the back unit was able to get all of his 12 cats out. The ASPCA is helping him find other fosters to take the cats till new homes can be found. Also this morning a candle in a Christmas wreath got knocked over and a family of 5 lost everything and got hurt trying to get out. But I have seen other families loose everything and their pets over something so easy to remember and taken care off. I can't imagine what is happening in the other places that have snow on the ground. If you all can think of anything else. Please add to it. Happy Holidays my friends. Stay safe From the aspca web pages Winter Weather Precautions Not So Cool For Cats During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars for warmth and protection. But a car's fan belt can kill or injure an animal when the motor starts. If you are aware that there are outdoor or feral cats in your neighborhood, please bang on the hood of the car and wait a few seconds before turning on the engine The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center urges pet owners to take steps to prevent accidental pet exposures to two potentially dangerous products used during the winter: Antifreeze products containing ethylene glycol are highly toxic, and can produce life-threatening kidney damage in pets, even in small amounts. Most cases of antifreeze poisoning occur around the pet's home and are usually due to improper storage or disposal, so it's important that you take the following precautions: - Always clean up antifreeze spills immediately. - Store antifreeze in clearly marked, sealed containers, in areas that are inaccessible to your pets. - Consider switching to antifreeze products that contain propylene glycol, which are relatively less toxic and provide an extra margin of safety for pets and wildlife. - Be alert for leaks and spills from neighborhood vehicles when taking your pet on walks during the winter months. Ice melts are available in both liquid and solid forms, and are used to melt ice and snow on slippery sidewalks, roads and driveways. Ice melts may contain ingredients that, if ingested by pets, can produce effects that include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, weakness, and low blood pressure; in severe cases, cardiac abnormalities, seizures, coma and even death can result. If you suspect that your pet may have ingested antifreeze or ice melts, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (800) 426-4435 immediately.

My family and I have a whole bunch of cats. We got tired of retrieving toys from underneath furniture and came up the toygoalie which is an expandable plastic rectangle that fits underneath couchs hutches etc. We would like you to Vote Yes or NO at www.toygoalie.com on whether or not this is a good idea to go forward with. PS. Watch the kitten video while you are on the site. And no we are NOT trying to sell you anything.

In searching around the web and looking at a cat memorial... the number of cats dying of renal failure is shocking. Years ago when I worked in an animal hospital in the city, this was a disease of old cats. Now I see people losing much younger animals to this disease. Anyone have any idea why it's becoming so common?

We can't even buy safe toys for our pets now. >:-( [link] day 120809

I've had a little female cat since she was a kitten. She was feral and abandoned under a bush by her mother so we took her in, bathed her to kill off the fleas and had her spayed... that was 4 years ago. She's not exactly 'friendly' most of the time, preferring to come and go as she pleases tho *is* friendly with my 12 year old daughter, allowing only her to carry her, and sleeping on her bed during the day. After a few years insisting on only eating 'Whiskas, we tried her on Purina dry food which she really took to and refuses to eat anything else we give her (tho is till partial to birds lizards, mice etc she catches herself). She has fresh water available of course but otherwise that's all we give her. Problem is that she has taken to regularly throwing up... often just after eating. This might not be as bad as it sounds since our dogs clean up after her... except of course unless she has something wrong with her. She doesn't throw up after every meal... maybe once a week or so... but it's still a concern and we're wondering what we should do about it - if anything. Other than this occasional problem... and forgetting she's 'house trained' now and then... she's pretty much a healthy animal, if skittish. Should we be worried?? Welshdog News and views... for people like youse!! Australian Opinion ([link]) Not as strange as it looks!

Have there been studies to determine how dogs and cats admire art? Any images available? Thank-you

Hi everyone-I just found out yesterday that I have to move this weekend, and have to be out by Sunday. Unfortunately, I'll be going back to my parent's for a few months, and they won't allow me to bring Hobbes. He's a really great cat- he gets along with all kids and other pets (he's lived with dogs, other cats, rabbits and parrots). If you or anyone you know would be able to give him a home, please let me know. He is a great companion, loves to snuggle, and adores sleeping in the sink! If I can't find him a home, I'm going to have to take him to a shelter, and we all know how over-populated those can be. I wish I could bring him with me, he really is my baby. Like I said though, unfortunately my parents will not let him live with them, and they even are threatening to put him down if I can't get him a home by this weekend. I really hope you guys can help me out. If you can pass along this message to any of your friends who might be interested, I would really appreciate it. Thank you so much, Andi

Help! My daughter is on holiday in Corfu and there is a stray kitten/cat at the house they are renovating. The guard dog belonging to her boyfriends father has bitten the cat on the leg. Her boyfriend was feeding them both outside in the dark and perhaps the dog thought the cat was going to eat its food and bit it? My daughter says that there are two puncture wounds on the leg, but the cat has licked them clean. It is crying a bit. I warned my daughter that the dog could have broken the cats bones or ruptured ligaments, tendons or muscles and probably will become infected if not treated properly. They will take it to a vet tomorrow morning. Is their any precautions or actions that can be taken to help the young cat? i.e. bathing the wound in salt water, bandaging the wound, applying Vaseline or antiseptic cream for humans? Any advice to help the poor thing and I can ring her ASAP. Thanks in advance - I will try a couple of other forums just in case. Regards, Ron.

We found a four week old calico kitten that needs a home. She is a cute, playful, and friendly little kitten. I am about to have my second baby, so I am not able to take of the kitten the way she deserves. If you know of anyone who is looking for a kitten please let me know. Thank you!