Tribute to Marcel, a Cat with the Biggest Heart, Soul, Spirit and Larger-Than-Life Personality

Marcel was one of those cats that was larger than life. He exuded personality and character. He was one of a kind. There will never be another Marcel. He was cool, calm, collected, brilliant, loving, charming and powerful. His stare penetrated right through you. He could size you up in an instant. He could “see” right through you to the depths of your soul. I’m just glad he couldn’t talk! He even growled and yowled at a couple of people who came to our house with negative energy. When he set his eyes on and stared at a fellow cat—only the strongest and most confident cat survived his stares, the rest spun around and ran for the hills yowling and screeching in fear the whole way–and this lasted for years. He intimidated his own species with his aloof coolness and inner power, but he melted the hearts of human beings. Everyone that met Marcel, fell madly, deeply, and truly in love with him. Marcel spoke the language of the love, he was heart-centered, and that was his gift. Marcel was simply irreplaceable. An icon cat. He was the cat’s meow. The bees knees. A total beauty. And he graced us with his irreplaceable spirit and life, and we were blessed to be in his presence, every day.

TRIBUTE TO MARCEL, A CAT WITH THE BIGGEST HEART, SOUL, SPIRIT AND LARGER-THAN-LIFE PERSONALITY
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Tips for Keeping Your Cat Safe On July 4th

Tips For Keeping Your Cat Safe On July 4th
Keep cats inside on July 4th!

The July 4th holiday may be a fun time for us humans, but it’s a stressful, terrifying time for cats. The sound of fireworks can frighten cats and send them running for cover or bolting out the door. Explosions – even miles away – can cause cats to panic. Every year, animal shelters around the country are suddenly flooded with scared, lost cats and dogs that could have been prevented with some simple precaution.

You can make the July 4th holiday less stressful for your cat by thinking ahead and following some simple tips to protect them and keep them as comfortable as possible.

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Safety and Protection Checklist for Cats

Cats are curious animals, and because of it, they can get themselves into trouble at times. This list of dos and don’ts will help you be a more responsible guardian of your cat, and help to keep your cat safe from harm; free from unnecessary injury and accidents; free from unnecessary disease and suffering; and keep your cat as healthy and happy as possible!

Some Don’ts

DON’T leave your cat unattended in your car. NEVER leave a cat inside a car on a warm or hot day, not even for one minute.

DON’T let your cat roam free in the neighborhood.

DON’T re-home or give your cat away. Always try to keep your cat even when life requires making unexpected changes or facing unexpected challenges. If you must re-home your cat, be sure to screen and interview the potential adopters in person for their experience and history with cats; learn everything about them and meet all family members that live in the home; check their work/landlord/school/personal references; and visit their home in advance to make sure the cat will have a safe and loving environment to live. Here is a list of tips for preparing to adopt a cat.

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How to Help Cats with Arthritis

Have you noticed your cat is walking more slowly these days? Or walking with a stiffer gait? Does your cat run less often, or not at all? Maybe she has stopped jumping up onto your bed at night to sleep with you and in the morning to greet you? Has she stopped jumping onto your lap like she always used to? Your cat may not only be aging and slowing down, but more likely your cat may have a progressive and painful case of degenerative joint disease (DJD) or osteoarthritis (OA)—an irreversible condition of the joints. Osteoarthritis is not only a serious health problem, it is painful, uncomfortable and debilitating for your cat, physically and emotionally, because it disables and restricts them from doing the physical activities they always enjoyed doing. They can also become depressed and disheartened by their immobility and inability to do what they love – running, jumping, playing and feeling comfortable.

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Going on Vacation? Never Leave Your Cat Home Alone

With the halcyon days of summer upon us, maybe you’re thinking it’s time to get away and take a vacation. If you have a cat, you might be asking yourself if you can leave your cat home alone while you’re away? There are many good reasons not to leave your cat home alone, here are some reasons why and how to find a good pet sitter or boarding facility.

Reasons Not to Leave Your Cat Home Alone

If you’re leaving home for more than a day, you really want to get a pet sitter or consider boarding your cat. There are many reasons why you shouldn’t leave your cat home alone for more than a day. It’s really a myth that cats can fend for themselves, they need care and attention. When cats are left alone for longer than a day, our absence causes them stress and anxiety. Cats may be independent, but they don’t do well left alone for multiple days, they get lonely and anxious without their human companions—especially with the increasing time we’re away from them. Cat’s worry like we do and can feel abandoned and increasingly nervous the longer we’re away. Also cats get bored quickly without enough stimulation, and can develop behavior issues if left alone too long. Having a pet sitter visit at least once or twice a day, or spend the night–or boarding your cat at a boarding kennel, will give your cat the attention, stimulation and care they need and is best for them.

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Important Reasons to Follow Cat Food Expiration or Best By Dates

How long does cat food last and when is it no longer good any more? There are several different opinions about how long pet food lasts beyond the “Best By” date that should always be printed on canned and dry pet food. In this article, I will try to provide information that is important to understanding the “Best By” dates, and why you want to pay attention to and follow the “Best By” date on your cat food packaging.

“Best By” Dates

Important Reasons to Follow Cat Food Expiration or Best By Dates
Cat Food Best-By Dates

 

First, always check the “Best By” date stamped on both canned and dry cat food when shopping at your local pet food store. It’s usually printed at the bottom of canned food with the month/year and printed on dry food bags on the side toward the bottom of the bag. Continue reading Important Reasons to Follow Cat Food Expiration or Best By Dates

Tribute to Alex, the cat with Nine Lives

The old English proverb about “A cat having nine lives,” goes on to say, “For three he plays, for three he strays, and for the last three he stays.” Though only a proverb, myth, or legend—and not to be taken seriously—it could not hold more true for our cat Alex, who survived against all odds, lived some of his life on borrowed time, and cheated death multiple times. Through all of his challenges and near-death experiences, Alex beat the odds and lived a surprisingly long life until August 2020, when he had a fatal stroke that left him paralyzed and took his life, his ninth and final life.

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A Tribute to Our Beautiful, Loving Cat Romeo

The day we put our strikingly handsome, gentle Romeo to sleep was the first day that our seasonal fall rains arrived and fell quietly on our parched California landscape. A gentle breeze blew, the air was noticeably cooler, and the wind chime next to the cottage played a melodic, lyrical melody. I sat quietly with my Romeo, our senses soaking it all in. It was also the first day Romeo could no longer walk without falling. His back legs had finally succumbed to his worsening neurological disease that had grown debilitating for him, and he no longer could walk without stumbling. Romeo was such a proud, dignified, and noble cat, and at about 20 years old now, his body was finally failing him. He lay still on my lap, enveloped inside a maroon-red soft fleece blanket, enjoying the stroke of my hand slowly massaging him from head to tail—over and over again for the last two hours of his life. Together, we listened to the noisy chirping of songbirds coming and going from the birdfeeder hanging in front of Romeo’s cottage window. The glass-paned door was wide open to Romeo’s cottage, so he could feel the cool breeze of fall slipping gently through the door, and enjoy the expressive musical songbirds, and hear the soothing rain. Romeo has lived in our backyard cottage for 15 years with a variety of fellow rescue cats that were very compatible with him—all very submissive to Romeo’s alpha male personality. Today, we just tried to be present with what was, to accept it, and enjoy these precious last moments.

A TRIBUTE TO OUR BEAUTIFUL, LOVING CAT ROMEO

Romeo loved soaking up the warmth of the sun on the pathway to his cottage

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Tribute to the Happiest Cat in the World

Alana, a.k.a. Bugly, was truly the happiest cat in the world. I could never imagine a happier cat, but she didn’t start out that way. In fact, her beginnings would go down in the annals of cat history as one of the most unfortunate and truly unlucky starts in life. But all of that changed, when 697 cats, including Alana, were seized from one of the worst cat hoarding cases in U.S. history. At the time, in summer of 2011, it was considered the biggest cat hoarding case and rescue in the country’s history, with nearly 700 domestic and feral cats rescued from severe and willful neglect. When the Humane Society of the U.S. came onto the sanctuary property, they witnessed sick, dying and dead cats everywhere at the now shuttered Haven Acres Cat Sanctuary in Florida. But for Alana and the other nearly 700 cats, that was their lucky day, and the beginning of whole new and better life. 

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List of Toxic Plants for Cats

There are many plants and flowers that are toxic and poisonous for cats to ingest. It’s important to keep these out of your home, or in an area that your cat cannot access. If you know that your cat has ingested a toxic plant, take them to an animal emergency hospital or to your vet immediately. Time is critical before irreversible damage is done to their liver, and the toxicity becomes fatal.

Comprehensive List of Toxic Plants for Cats

– Published by the ASPCA (ASPCA.org)

Adam-and-Eve (Arum, Lord-and-Ladies, Wake Robin, Starch Root, Bobbins, Cuckoo Plant) | Scientific Names: Arum maculatum | Family: Araceae

African Wonder Tree () | Scientific Names: Ricinus communis | Family:

Alocasia (Elephant’s Ear) | Scientific Names: Alocasia spp. | Family: Araceae

Aloe () | Scientific Names: Aloe vera | Family: Liliaceae

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Stories and tips about providing the best possible cat care—from 20 years experience rescuing, fostering, and caring for my many rescue cats.

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