Its That Time of Year Again!

Yes, they're back.  The flies, the ants, the rats, the kittens.  I rescued a beautiful and sweet girl that looks pregnant from Parsells on Saturday morning.  She is a beauty too.  I have named her Esmeralda.  I will be bringing her to vet today to determine if she is in fact pregnant.  I will make an appointment for a spay if she is, or isn't.  She is also missing a lot of fur.

Esmeralda - the SWEETEST girl!!  Needs a home!

I had to explain to the family that is currently fostering her about spaying a pregnant cat.  I told them that for each kitten born, there are twenty being euthanized, or dying a horrible death on the street.  Actually both.  There are two young girls under the age of seven in this family, and I didn't want to say she was for sure pregnant, as they wouldn't understand if she came back to them not pregnant - so we said we aren't sure if she is or not.  I don't feel good making a decision like this, and I did put it out there in case a group was adamant about taking her and letting her have her babies, but it didn't happen fast enough, and now I am determined to help decrease the population of unwanted and homeless cats.

And now for a nice story from our girl, Carol O.!

GRETA

"I’ll confess – there are times when, for any number of reasons I find it hard to read Janine’s blog.  When I met her several years ago I was very content with one cat and one dog.  Today, I have four cats.  Yes, that is one reason I find it hard to read Janine’s blog.  How in the world can you say ‘no’ to those precious kitties?  Like Lay’s potato chips, you can’t have just one

ALICE

Sam, my sweet boy who I had when I met Janine left us at the ripe old age of 19.  It’s always hard to let go, but he had a good long life and it was his choice to go.  He would be happy we have opened our home to his cousins.

SAM

Today, we have Abby, Greta, Alice and Murphy.  Each came to us through the caring hands of Janine Wagner.  If they could talk they would tell you that life on the streets is no life at all; they lived in constant fear and never knew when (or if) their next meal would come.  They would let you know that all they ever wanted was for someone to love them.

MURPHY

Since I can talk (boy can I talk), I will say ‘Thank You’ to Janine Wagner on their behalf.  And, ‘Thank You,’ to the many people who help and support her.  Abby, Greta, Alice and Murphy have brought more joy into our home than words can possibly describe.

ABBY

To show our gratitude, my husband and I make a monthly donation of food or contribute to Rochester Community Animal Services in Janine’s name.  Please join us with your support of Janine and her efforts to rescue Rochester’s stray cats, one at a time."

Thank you Carol!

Have a great Monday everyone!

FACTS:

"Many females, or queens, are in heat almost constantly if not fixed.  The female keeps this up well through her eight year; some queens have produced litters at the ripe age of 25.

The queen announces her condition in a caterwaul that carries unbelievable distances, and all tomcats within earshot respond happily and swiftly.

The cats gestation period (pregnancy) is about sixty two days."

TGIF!! Kristin's Story

It was a very cold morning out there for the homeless cats of Rochester.  With the 20 degrees at 4 am. and the winds whipping, it felt like zero.  Thank GOD for the shelters I have for the kitties on my route.  They were in use I am SURE, at most of my locations.  There are a few that I wonder if the kitties scramble before I can even see them when they hear the car door close as I get out to fill their bowls and check on them.  I finally was able to see, and pet, two of the four kitties missing from Parsells where the people came and took all my shelters.  This is where Parsley was just rescued from.  Then we had the storm the very next day.  And then I hadn't seen the kitties since.  But finally, big fluffy boy, and pretty grey tabby came up on the porch next to the old spot because they were starving.  They were happy to see me, I could tell!  :)  We had about an inch to two inches of snow since late afternoon until early hours this morning.  Spring is just three weeks away!  I remain hopeful, always~!

To finish off the week, here is a tale told by my friend Kristin.  Thank you to those of you who have shared a story or two with me.  I really do appreciate being able to sort of take a break occasionally from this blog, and let you have your say.  WHATEVER you want to say!  :)  Just send your story to janinethebean10@yahoo.com. 

Henry N. Honey Ham Miller McBride (phew!)
(Kristin's newest kitty)

(as told by Kristin)

When I was 25 I moved to Fredericksburg Virginia, not knowing a soul there, for a job teaching art in Spotsylvania County.  One summer day while sitting on my front porch on Littlepage Street my neighbors came down the sidewalk, each with a tiny kitten in their arms.   They had found them on the bank of the Rappahannock River with no mother in sight.  They wanted to keep them but they had a dog who would have hurt them and wanted to know if I knew anyone who could keep them until they were able to find them homes.

I had absolutely no business adopting any kittens as I was barely scraping by, so of course I volunteered to take them.  They were crawling with fleas.  So I road my bike to the vet office a few streets over, explained the situation and that I needed some flea shampoo.  The assistant asked if I planned to keep them.  I said no, that I could never afford the shots, neutering, etc.  He asked me what I did for a living and I told him I was an art teacher.  "Really?" he said.  "we've been looking for an artist to paint a mural on our building but they all want way too much for it.  Maybe we could barter -  you paint the mural in exchange for all the kittens' vet care - shots, check-ups, spaying, neutering".  I thought about it for about 1 second and said "it's a deal!!"  and I rode off with my flea shampoo to wash my new babies.

I spent the whole next summer painting 2 murals on the outside of the vet's building (and meeting some really nice and really weird people in the process).   And the vet's office, true to their word, gave my kittens - Peepers and Kooky - vet care until I moved away a few years later.  That was the best deal I ever made.  I had both Peepers and Kooky for over 16 years until they passed away, each at a ripe old age.  They lived in 3 states with me, multiple apartments and houses and were my sweet, funny, lovable little buddies through some of the hardest times in my life.

I will never forget that sunny, summer afternoon on my charming little porch when they were carried into my life or the strange series of events that aligned that allowed me to keep them.   Two tiny tiger kittens that were meant to be mine.  :)

Kristin's Porch Today.  (tee hee!)

Sweet.  Thanks Krissy!  :)  (I'd better add:  the pic above is only a joke!)

Have a great day everyone!

"Judge each day

not by the

harvest you reap

but by the seeds

you plant."

Thursday - Story by Alan O.

HERMIE - He is hoping for a home soon!

I am so loving the few posts here from friends wanting to share a story or two.  Thank you!  This one is from Alan O, an old friend.  Before I get to that though, I want to thank a girl named Cathy, a brave soul who showed up at my house at 3:45 am. this morning (yikes!  that is early!) as I was laying on the couch for five more minutes before I had to get up and start filling up the hot water jugs I take with me, and get myself out the door at 4 am.

Cathy actually works for the health system I do, and heard about me from a newspaper article, I think. She only recently started reading my blog and expressed an interest in going out to help me some morning, and today was the day.  She got to see a lot of kitties - all waiting for their one meal of the day.  It was very wet out there due to the huge volume of rain that fell on Rochester, and much of the east yesterday.

I told her that not much happens in the way of people or excitement in the winter - it was a pretty easy morning getting to all 19 locations that I drive to in the five mile drive I make every single day of my life.  Its always nice to have a tag along with me.  Thank you Cathy.

And now, another story from another reader! :)

"Ok. A story about cats.

This is not about a  rescued cat . But  a story about a cat who “rescues”.

My earliest memory (that I can remember) is of my parents farm house in Webster when Webster really was just a collection of rural roads and main street still had a board walk.

I lay on the back porch which was a concrete block which soaks up the heat of sun in the afternoon. Sweet. I must have been around 5 years young I think. And the queen barn cat is named Rosebud. And she is mine. Or maybe I am hers?

She allows me to drape her across my neck. And yes I pull her tail frequently. After all—I am only 5.

And I remember her purrs to this day and the head butts and how she would rub against me and purr. I did love her.

And most days—way out in the country—it’s just me and her. She was my best friend and constant companion. She rescued me from boredom. She taught me all about mousing.

I did not know these things—I mean I am only 5. And Lord—When she had babies……. What didn’t I learn. And she would bring me (just me) her babies one at a time for me to see. She was proud of them and rightfully so.

I miss that cat even after all these years. It never stops amazing me how much our cats or pups love us and we them. Makes me yearn for that warm concrete porch  and Rosebud around my neck."

Thanks again Alan, and Rosebud.  :)

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

Wednesday Post - Some Advice From Carrie

(written by Carrie P.)
I share my home with three furry four-legged creatures—two rescued cats and one rescued dog.

Here are some suggestions on minimizing pet expenses. 

1. Adopt. You’ll save the life of a furry friend. You’ll save money over buying a pure breed pet. AND mixed breed pets have less health issues over their lives than do pure breed pets.

2. Feed your pet quality food. Check out http://pettraxinc.com/choosing-quality-pet-food/ for some information on choosing good food.

Other ways to save on pet food and treats:

• Use coupons. Check out the same sources you'd use for grocery coupons.
• Use loyalty cards or frequent buyer programs. Large chains often offer discount cards. Many pet stores also buy-X-bags-of-Y-food-get-one-bag-of-Y-food-free programs.
• Consider Amazon’s or Chewy’s Subscribe & Save. You'll get 15% off and free shipping.
• Buy in bulk. Buy the largest size you'll actually use. If you're buying canned food, buy by case.
• Compare prices at various stores. You'd be surprised. Pet food isn't necessarily cheaper at the pet store than it is at the grocery store.
• Make your own.

3. Maintain your pet’s good health.

This means GETTING YOUR DOG OR CAT SPAYED OR NEUTERED. (Yes, I’m shouting.)

There are a number of low-cost options in the Rochester area, but most are income-qualified. One that has not income limitations is the Friends of Animals voucher program. I used this to get my dog neutered more than 15 years ago. You can read more about it here: https://www.friendsofanimals.org/spay_neuter_certificate_information

It also means yearly vet visits—and getting and keeping up on all routine shots. This is one of those areas where an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure (heartworm, rabies.)

If your pet needs to take medications regularly, find out if it’s available at your local pharmacy. If it is, shop around for the best price. You can try http://www.GoodRX.com to easily compare prices. And don’t forget to check Costco! You do NOT have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy services!

While I recommend finding a vet you like, if your pet is young and healthy, you can save money by visiting a vaccination clinic. If you have a veterinary college in your area, you may be able to save by seeing a veterinary student or visiting a clinic. Remember that our dogs and cats age at a faster rate than we do. So regular care is terribly important. Skipping a dog or cat’s annual vet visit is like you not having a physical for 10 years. Rochester Community Animal Clinic could be a good option for you. And most of the pets stores in our area have at least monthly vaccination clinics.

Also, take your pet to the vet when he or she shows signs of illness. Unless you know what you’re dealing with, don’t “wait it out.”

If you find your pet needing unexpected care, there are a number of sources that might be able to help. Each has different requirements to qualify for financial aid. These may be disease-specific or income-based:

·         http://www.thepetfund.com/

·         https://redrover.org/node/1491

·         http://bigheartsfund.org/the-big-hearts-funds-policies-for-pet-owners/

·         http://www.frankiesfriends.org/#welcome

·         http://www.graciesmission.org/home.html

·         http://www.onyxandbreezy.org/

·         http://themosbyfoundation.org/

·         http://www.petassistanceinc.org/

·         http://www.paws4acure.org/

·         http://www.shakespeareanimalfund.org/

·         http://rosesfund.com/contact.htm

·         http://www.browndogfoundation.org/

You can also consider CareCredit. I rarely use my credit cards, but they provide six months interest free to pay the expenses.

4. Grooming. Regular brushing and bathing is important for all doggies and kitties. To keep expenses low, consider a pet with low grooming needs. If it’s too late, or you just MUST have a standard poodle, then consider learning to groom the pet yourself. A happy medium may be a visit to the “dog wash” where you bathe, brush and dry your pet then leave the mess behind.

5. Toys. Toys can be expensive. Check out holiday clearance at pet stores to save. Also, discount stores like Tuesday Morning, Big Lots and Ollie’s can be great places to score good quality pet toys at discount. Don’t forget to check out Target, TJ Maxx and Marshall’s. You can also make your own. Here’s a tutorial on how to make a fleece tug toy: http://makingithomeblog.com/tutorial-fleece-tug-toy-dogs/.

6. Dishes. Cute little ceramic pet bowls can cost $5 or more. I buy small bowls at the thrift store for about a quarter each and use those. The dog and cats don’t seem to care what the food’s served in.

7. Keep pets close by. Pets who leave your yard unattended are more likely to come into contact with other animals that are carrying illness and/or hazards.

Thanks for this useful information Carrie!  C'mon others!  Write me something!  :)  Anything!

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."

Vroom Vroom!

Well, so far, Carrie seems to be the only one that wants to help me out and share a story or two.  Thank you so much Carrie.  Would love someone to write a post for the day!  Any one?

So I had to buy a new car because my old one was literally falling apart.  So I picked it up yesterday, and this was after I had to drop off the cat mobile Jeep for $600+ in repairs.  I am praying I get another 100,000 miles out of the Jeep, I can't afford another.  Jeep still in shop, so had to take the very new vehicle into the hood this morning. Still didn't know how to use all the bells and whistles in it, so was a bit nervous about it.  But figured it out.  All the kitties fed, but its also quite cold out.  19 degrees.  We are in for another storm, but they can't predict if it will be snow or rain.  I would prefer snow any day over rain. 

Parsley is adjusting nicely.  I've left the gate to the room he is in open so he can explore.  So far, no sign of aggression from him towards the other cats, and none from them, just curious.  He loves to lay with you and get petted and scratched.  Just a really nice cat.  Its shocking to realize how many 'really nice cats' are out there on the streets still.

This morning, at 3rd and Central, little white and black kitty came running to me.  I have not seen that cat in a few weeks now, since I rescued Cuddles.  This is another one I know would make a wonderful pet.  Its so hard to leave them.

Again, I leave you with some interesting facts about our four legged friends.

Touch]

Whiskers on the face of a tuxedo kitten.

A cat has about twenty-four movable vibrissae ("whiskers"), in four sets on each upper lip on either side of its nose (some cats may have more). There are also a few on each cheek, tufts over the eyes, bristles on the chin, the cat's inner "wrists", and at the back of the legs. The Sphynx (a nearly hairless breed) may have full length, short, or no whiskers at all.

The structure of the brain region (barrel cortex) which receives information from the vibrissae is similar to that found in the visual cortex which permits the cat to create a three-dimensional map of its surroundings. This doesn't mean that sensing with vibrissae is a type of vision. It is still a touch sensation and environmental information is built up incrementally (in small steps).

Vibrissae aid sensation and navigation. The upper two rows of whiskers are able to be moved independently from the lower two rows for greater precision during measurement. A cat's whiskers are more than twice as thick as ordinary cat hairs, and their roots are three times deeper in a cat's tissue than other hairs. They have numerous nerve endings at their base, which give cats extraordinarily detailed information about nearby air movements and objects with which they make physical contact. They enable a cat to know that it is near obstacles without it needing to see them.

Whiskers also aid in hunting. High speed photography reveals that when a cat is unable to see its prey because it is too close to its mouth, its whiskers move so as to form a basket shape around its muzzle in order to precisely detect the prey's location. A cat whose whiskers have been damaged may bite the wrong part of its prey, indicating that they provide cats with detailed information about the shape and activity of its prey.

Whiskers also aid in hunting

"When you've reached the end of your rope,

tie a knot and hang on."

Carrie's Story: A Letter to My Dog

[March 13, 2014]
Dear Sebastian, 

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 15 years since I brought you home. At the time, you were about 100 pounds of cuteness packed into 1.5 pounds of actual dog–and you were all ears. I hadn’t planned to get a dog. My roommates had even told me I couldn’t get a dog. But while I was out shopping with friends, we stopped into the pet store “just to look.” I picked you up and didn’t put you down till we got home.

I have no doubt that you came from a puppy mill. I didn’t know about puppy mills then. Now, I think I know too much some days that it just might break my heart. Though I do regret where you came from, I have never regretted choosing you. (By the way, your sister Latte is my penance for supporting that “industry”.)

You were a little nuts when you were a puppy, but you always loved the company of humans. However, to this day, when I leave the house, your world shuts down. Other dogs you could always take or leave. Cats are fine as long as they understood that even though they were bigger than you, you were still the boss. The same holds true with our current feline residents. They kindly oblige.

You have made my life richer in so many ways. Walking a dog is a great way to meet neighbors. This is good since we’ve lived in 5 homes in 3 cities in 2 states. You have been a conversation starter in every neighborhood. And every day you make me smile. When you pull out your Pup-pet toy and try to make it squeak (even though you can’t hear it these days.) Or when you get all bite-y to let me know that you do NOT want to wear clothes. Or how you tell your sister off when she gets too close to your green bean (which you aren’t going to eat anyway.) Or how last year we discovered that you absolutely love roasted cauliflower–possibly more than any other food.

As time has passed, our habits have changed. You’re older now and don’t see and hear as well as you once did or have the energy that you used to. I miss how you used to snuggle on my lap or curl up in my armpit for the night. Now you prefer the comfort of one of your many dog beds. You no longer greet me at the door, since you can’t hear me coming. And no matter how hard I try not to startle you, you’re always a little shocked when I come to let you know I’m home.

As a dog, you are blissfully unaware of “the future.” I have been especially grateful for this in the last few years. In 2012, you were diagnosed with stomach cancer. You had lost 20% of your body weight and weren’t eating very much. So there were tests and more tests, visits to vets and appointments with specialists. I was told that the only choice was surgery and that it was not a good option. The doctor suggested that I take you home. Keep you comfortable, keep you happy. I thought I’d be lucky if you made it through the summer, that it would be a miracle if you were still with me at Christmas.

Well, I am thrilled to say that you are my little 6-and-a-half-pound miracle! It is now 2014 and I am planning a party to celebrate your 15th birthday in May. I envision a day of fun, filled with joy and laughter, surrounded by our friends. But I am also painfully aware that the day is coming when you will have to leave me. When that time comes, I hope that I will be strong enough to make the best decisions for you, even as my heart is breaking. And I hope that you will forgive me if I am not.

For the last 15 years you have been my most loyal friend, constant companion and sidekick. You are my baby. I have no doubt that someday there will be other dogs. But none of them will come close to filling the space you hold in my heart. I am grateful for each day we still have to play, explore and snuggle. Though, I admit, even forever wouldn’t be enough.

Love,
Mom

(Sebastian passed this past November)

Thank you Carrie for that.  Is everyone crying now, as I was when I read this?  uggh.  animals.  They sure do pull at our heartstrings.

Please everyone, send me your stories- dogs, cats, gerbils or rats!!  Happy or sad!   janinethebean10@yahoo.com

Below is some more interesting info on our pets!

Have a great day!

Smell

A domestic cat's sense of smell is about fourteen times as strong as human's.  Cats have twice as many receptors in the olfactory epithelium (i.e. smell-sensitive cells in their noses) as people do, meaning that cats have a more acute sense of smell than humans. Cats also have a scent organ in the roof of their mouths called the vomeronasal (or Jacobson's) organ. When a cat wrinkles its muzzle, lowers its chin, and lets its tongue hang a bit, it is opening the passage to the vomeronasal. This is called gaping, "sneering", "snake mouth", or "flehming". Gaping is the equivalent of the Flehmen response in other animals, such as dogs,horses and big cats.

MOJO

I need my mojo back.  Mojo - The word originally means a charm or a spell. But now its more commonly said meaning sex appeal or talent.

One of the questions Brother Wease, the radio guy, asked me when I did my stint last Friday, was what do you have to write about every day on your blog?  I told him ‘ stuff ‘.  ‘ cat stuff ‘.  I am terrible when it comes to tooting my own horn.  Not that I have talent – some posts are better than others, most to me, are boring.  I struggle many times to find something to write.  But I’ve done it since 2008.  That’s eight years of blogging.  I’ve gained a few new readers, and lost some.  I’ve had people over the years, just a handful thank God, who have asked me to take their names off the ‘list’.  To me that was mean because they could have helped in spreading the word about some of the cats I’ve listed that needed a human’s help.  Not mean, just maybe unkind, unknowing, not sure.  Then there are others that say they can’t read it because its too sad.  I’ve only written this to enlighten people out there to what is going on under their noses in their own city.  Our City. 

Today though, is another day, where I struggle to find something to write.  In the depth of winter, where the snow is still over two feet high everywhere you go, with piles way over my head, and bitter temps like this morning – 9 degrees, no one is out there but the cats, so the posts I write don’t have much excitement in them.  I can only tell you about the cats I see day in and day out, the ones that are waiting for me, the ones that run to me when I make that kissy sound.  The ones that are missing, that I haven’t seen since before the storm Tuesday. 

I would love for someone to use your talent and write something for me to post.  Share a story of your adoption – you could have adopted that cat from me, or from someone else – even your dog.  I love dogs as much as I love cats.  But it’s the homeless cats that you see out there.  The homeless dogs are mostly in shelters already.

So that’s the scoop today.  Again, I would love someone to share a story of how you came to share your love with a homeless animal.  Please write me at janinethebean10@yahoo.com and tell me. 

I will be out looking at new cars today – going to lease I think for the first time.  I need very low monthly payments.  I cannot sink any more money into my 10+ year old car.  And the Catmobile Jeep needs $1500 in repairs before inspection next month.  So life is not easy, but I continue to plow through it. 

Thanks for reading all these years.

Below is a little more stuff to read about our animals and their hearing that I found interesting!

Have a great day.

Hearing

Humans and cats have a similar range of hearing on the low end of the scale, but cats can hear much higher-pitched sounds, up to 64 kHz, which is 1.6 octaves above the range of a human, and even 1 octave above the range of a dog.  When listening for something, a cat's ears will swivel in that direction; a cat's ear flaps  can independently point backwards as well as forwards and sideways to pinpoint the source of the sound. Cats can judge within three inches (76 mm) the location of a sound being made one yard (91 cm) away this can be useful for locating their prey.

It is a common misconception that all white cats with blue eyes are deaf. This is not true, as there are many blue-eyed cats with perfect hearing. However, white cats with blue eyes do have slightly higher incidences of genetic deafness than white cats of other eye colors.  White cats having one blue and one other-colored eye are called "odd-eyed" and may be deaf on the same side as the blue eye.  This is the result of the yellow iris pigmentation rising to the surface of only one eye, as blue eyes are normal at birth before the adult pigmentation has had a chance to express itself in the eye(s).

Quickie

Just a quick note today.

Tuffy - a long time ago

IT was another workout for me this morning, but not quite the workout as I had yesterday.  I still had to plow through at least four locations where the shelters are in the back of fields, vacant lots and houses.  The path I cleared yesterday was not great.  I still came home with my legs and boots soaked.  Kitties were out, or in the shelters, waiting.  There is a sweet tabby that was skin and bone weeks ago that I mentioned that was crying yesterday morning at the spot on Parsells that the owner or whoever came and took all the shelters from.  I placed a new shelter on the other porch of this duplex, and it still has not been taken, and placed paper plates and bowl for water there.  The food was touched, but not the shelter.  Thank God.  But I am not sure if the cat is smart enough to use it.  The four other cats (Parsley I rescued) I have not seen since the shelters were taken.  The day of the storm I believe that was.  Disgusting human beings.

Nothing else was happening today.  I leave you with some very cool information on cat senses.  I love reading this stuff - the little things you learn!  :)

Cats, like dogs and many other animals, have a tapetum lucidum, which is a reflective layer behind the retina that sends light that passes through the retina back into the eye. While this improves the ability to see in darkness, it appears to reduce netvisual acuity, thus detracting when light is abundant. In very bright light, the slit-like pupil closes very narrowly over the eye, reducing the amount of light on the sensitive retina, and improving depth of field. Big cats have pupils that contract to a round point. The tapetum and other mechanisms give the cat a minimum light detection threshold up to seven times lower than that of humans. Variation in color of cats' eyes in flash photographs is largely due to the reflection of the flash by the tapetum.

A closeup of a cat's eye

Cats have a visual field of view of about 200°, compared to 180° in humans, but a binocular field (overlap in the images from each eye) narrower than that of humans. As with most predators, their eyes face forward, affording depth perception at the expense of field of view. Field of view is largely dependent upon the placement of the eyes, but may also be related to the eye's construction. Instead of the fovea, which gives humans sharp central vision, cats have a central band known as the visual streak. Cats can see some colors, and can tell the difference between red, blue and yellow lights, as well as between red and green lights. Cats are able to distinguish between blues and violets better than between colors near the red end of the spectrum.  A 2014 study found that, along with several other mammals, cats lenses transmit significant amounts of ultraviolet (UVA 315–400 nm) light, which suggests that they possess sensitivity to this part of the spectrum.

Cats have a second eyelid, the nictitating membrane, which is a thin cover that closes from the side and appears when the cat's eyelid opens. This membrane partially closes if the cat is sick, although in a sleepy state this membrane is often visible.

Cats often sleep during the day so they can "hunt" at night. Unlike humans, cats do not need to blink their eyes on a regular basis to keep their eyes lubricated (with tears). Unblinking eyes are probably an advantage when hunting. Cats will, however, "squint" their eyes, usually as a form of communication expressing affection and ease around another cat or human.

Have a great day!~

"Its better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring."  

Planet Fitness?

I think that is an Adele song.  I watched a little of the Grammy's the other night and there are so many new bands/singers out there.  I don't have a clue who half they are because I still live in the 70's and 80's music world.  Although I am expanding.  I just ordered a few CDs - Beck and Empire of the Sun.  Awesome music.  And even that stuff is probably dated already.  Above - that's my baby... Gregg Allman  :)

Let me tell you how it was out there this morning, after the storm yesterday dumped nearly 2 feet - yes, 2 feet - nearly 24 inches - of snow.  First off - yesterday. It wasn't too bad feeding the cats yesterday, the snow was just beginning after I finished my rounds at 6 am.  I got to work before 7:30, snow was coming down now about 4 inches an hour, give or take.  So after only a small handful of co-workers show up, the boss decided to shut the office down, so left around 10 am.  I got home only to find my street with snow two feet deep and could not get into my driveway because of the snow.  It was that deep already because of the cars that had tried to get through and got stuck.  Same with me, I got stuck twice in front of my driveway.  Finally, I gun it and get out of that spot, only to turn the corner off the mess I was in only to get stuck again.  Finally, after trying to get out again, I parked the car nearly in the middle of the street, got my stuff and walked home to change.  Finally got that out after a plow did one side of the street and I parked there, in a no parking zone.  Today, my street is still a mess.  Even a big snowplow got stuck.  He did half of the street, and that was it.  I still can't get in my driveway.

This morning, I had to walk to 19 shelters.  With my shovel.  I left the house at 3:30 am. and got home at 6:30 am.  So what does that tell you?  It was hell.  My body aches so bad.  I had to walk through some mighty heavy and high snow.  It literally was past my knees.  I could see little tiny paths that these cats tried to make, and some had a hard stop - as if they could go no further and turned around.  The shelters were completely covered.  They looked like small hills covered in snow.  A lot of kitties spent the night in there, with no food or water.  A few people told me not to go this morning, but little did they know that these cats were waiting for me, hungry!  What am I going to do?  It wouldn't have been any better tomorrow.  I had to dig out these shelters.  I was a pathetic mess - grunting and groaning towards the end, making sounds I didn't know I could make.  Who needs a gym when you have a workout like I had this morning.  Cardio, abs, glutes - I did it all.  Two kitties cried and ran to me, one followed me.  Its very sad what they have to endure.

I hope this is the end of our winter weather.  Please tell me we won't have another storm like we had yesterday.  I can't take it.

Here are pics of Buddy/Winston.  I rescued Buddy as an older kitten, and adopted him out to a great girl Yesenia, who loves this cat to pieces.  She shared some pics with me yesterday.  First his baby picture:

And Today

He's a true Cuddler

Winston (BUDDY) and his mean sister Magic  :)

Have a good day.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.