Cat Harticy

The Importance of Cat Grooming Tools

2011-12-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

There are many people that think about grooming their dogs, but when it comes to cats, they assume they take care of their own grooming. In fact, a cat might spend a third of its time grooming itself and if there are other cats in the household, they will groom each other. Unfortunately, this can also lead to hairball problems that can cause their health to deteriorate. For this reason, the importance of cat grooming tools might be overlooked by some cat owners.

There are all kinds of grooming tools to make your life easier. The most popular items might be a self-cleaning grooming brush, a shedding blade or shedding comb and there are fun, little innovations in grooming tools that can double as a lint brush for your clothes! The importance of cat grooming tools in your cats health will serve a double purpose of collecting stray hairs on furniture, carpet and clothing in some cases, but a shedding cat with long hair will almost demand some kind of grooming to keep the stray hairs under control.

There are now some ingenious products that allow the cat to clean itself, while scratching its own back and sides. These types of products will generally be part of a scratching post or station and a wire bottle brush-style "cave" is part of the features the cat can walk through or rub against. As most cat owners know, cat scratching posts or cat scratching pads might work on some cats and others will avoid them, so there is still a need to realize the importance of cat grooming tools as part of a healthy and happy cat. You should not leave your cats grooming solely up to the cat, in other words.

There are licker brushes and more intense versions of shedding devices that are specifically for reaching the undercoat, where many mats can occur. If matting starts to happen, it is likely caused by undercoat hair that needed to be brushed, combed and removed. Once this happens, you are going to need cat grooming shears to remove the mat or you might need the help of a professional groomer to remove the more intense mats that are too close to the skin.

There are a number of benefits to a regular brushing and grooming of your cat, especially if it has long hair. You can reduce shedding up to 90%, eliminate hairball problems, improve the circulation and oil distribution in your cats skin and keep your floors, furniture and clothing much cleaner and hair-free, when you realize the importance of cat grooming tools. They can help you grab and remove loose and undercoat hair that can become a matted mess on your cat, preventing a trip to the cat groomers.

You will find many of the new grooming products that have become improved at grabbing hair and dry flaky skin. If there are allergy sufferers in the household, the importance of cat grooming tools is even more pronounced because cat hair and pieces of flaky skin are responsible, even for those that might only have minor cat allergies. Keeping your cat well-groomed is easy to do if you start a regular routine of brushing, combing and de-matting and realize the importance of grooming tools to assist you and your cat.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4646133

Cat Grooming Cat Hair Cut Video

2011-12-22T05:03:00.000-08:00

Cat Grooming Video

Click EDIT above to add content to this empty capsule.

This cat has been groomed only once before this video was taken. I have never groomed this cat before today, she had gone to another groomer for her first grooming.

This cat is NOT sedated. While working with cats you have a small window of opportunity, the haircut needs to be finished as quickly as possible. The cat is not tied to anything she is just laying on the table and allowing the haircut.

Ocicat

2011-12-20T20:24:00.000-08:00

Ocicat evolved from two popular breeds are the Abyssinian and Siamese. In 1964, Virginia Daly, a cat breeder from Berkeley, Mich., raising Abyssinian cats with Siamese and produced kittens. Furthermore, two strains were crossed with the American Shorthair and Ocicat cats produce.

Ocicat Cats interest because it is similar to Ocelot cat the endangered, but the Ocicat cat has a tail that is longer than any other cat. (source history Ocicat)

Appearance

Ocicat is a domestic cat but the race that resembles a wild cat has no blood though Ocicat has a temperament like a wild and domestic cats. Ocicat is a large cat with a big bone and muscle athletic appearance. Ocicat bodied dense, hard and rather long-bodied with a full body.

Ocicat has short hair, smooth, and satin, in a typical pattern seen with the markings on the head, spine, legs and tail. Ocicat coat color comes in many colors, including chocolate, chocolate, cinnamon, silver, and blue. Ocicat males weigh about 9-14 pounds, while for female Ocicat approximately 6-9 pounds.

Behavior

Ocicat including a smart cat, so easy in practice. Energetic behavior of the cat she likes to jump into the cabinet and other high places to check out their neighborhood, walking on the rope, and respond to voice commands owners. Ocicat is kind of amazing because Ocicat cats can adapt well to new pets and for children. Ocicats will adapt to family life that will get him. Do not leave cats ocicat home alone in a long time, because maybe he will run away from your home.

picture of Ocicat

Behavior of cats ocicat video

Outdoor Cats - Make it Safe With an Outdoor Cat House

2011-12-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Cats love to go outside and dig in the soil or just walk on the grass. I'm sure you know how good bare feet on grass feels. And nothing can replace the sensation of breathing fresh air or feeling a breeze on the face. Cats have a much more developed sense of smell than we do, so the fresh air brings all sorts of aromas to your cat.

But how can you keep your cat safe. You don't want it to escape into the busy road, or get into fights with neighbourhood cats, or dogs, or risk catching a dose of fleas or worse. If you have enough room, you can create your own cat run or kitty condo outside. This way your cat will have the best of both worlds.

An outdoor cat house can be built in an area of the garden or up against the house. It can be like a large aviary or a small shed or pen. There are some commercially constructed cat houses that are sold in kit form. These are easy to assemble and saves you having to build something yourself. If you have a small backyard, you can turn it all into an outdoor cat house by putting up some strong poles to around 9 foot or 3m high, and attaching some netting between them. By keeping the netting loose, your cat won't be able to climb up it and there won't be any need for a roof.

A good outdoor cat house should have different surfaces for your cat to walk on. These can include soil, grass, some rocks to climb and perhaps some pebbles to dig around in. You can plant some cat safe plants in there to give your cat some greenery to eat. If you have the room, I suggest having some logs and branches so your cat can jump, climb and curl up somewhere high to see what's going on around it. The branches will also be ideal for your cat to dig his claws in and have a good stretch.

Have some areas that are open to the sun and some that are shaded. Having some toys and other playthings in there will keep your cat happy for hours. Depending on your budget, you can create tunnels and hidey holes and ledges for your cat to sleep on.

You can soften the appearance of your outdoor cat house by growing some climbing plants over it. Be careful in what you choose and make sure they are not poisonous to your cat.

You will need to install a cat flap so your cat can access its outdoor enclosure. The best ones are those that are gravity operated - they automatically close behind the cat as it enters or exits. I suggest having a clear plastic flap so your cat and see what is outside before it ventures out. Make sure the cat flap has a catch so you can lock it at night.

If you don't want to have the outdoor cat enclosure right against your back door, you might like to invest in a removable 'tunnel' that attaches to the cat flap and the enclosure. This way you can remove it when you need to use the door for normal purposes.

By building or purchasing an outdoor cat enclosure for your cat, you will be giving it some of the freedom of the outdoors while keeping it safe from harm.

Kathy Robinson has been writing articles on cat problems and the care of cats on her website http://www.CatProblemsResolved.com for a number of years. Why not download your free copy of The Joy of Owning and Caring for a Cat when you sign up for her free Cat Care Newsletter at http://www.catproblemsresolved.com/660
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4804109

Winter Break!!

2011-12-16T08:07:00.000-08:00

By Radosław Drożdżewski from Wikimedia Commons

2011-12-15T23:37:00.000-08:00

Scorpion is a class of animals antrhopoda. scorpion has venom like a snake, but the scorpion venom is not deadly to humans as snake venom. But there is a kind of scorpion that have toxins that are harmful to humans, although most of us have encountered scorpions are generally harmless. Scorpion toxins will provide pain and swelling in the body that are exposed diarea sting.
Scorpion venom is only dangerous to the fellow animals arthropods. The scorpion uses its poison to paralyze their prey.
scorpion is the most deadly type of androctonus australis, one of which is deathstalker a scorpion that has the most deadly poisons are neurotoxins. If this type of scorpion stung the victim will experience fever and coma, convulsions and paralysis and then died.
But in general for a healthy adult human, scorpion venom is not going to result in death just the poison would be very painful.
Other dangerous species of scorpion that is, androctonus crassicauda, spesiaes has the most toxic poison that can cause death.
Parabuthus transvaalicus, this is a species of scorpion that can give off poison as that of the cobra
and Centruroides vittatus, this scorpion is the most rarely causes death in humans. This makes it a very bad reputation, so every time people see him going to kill him. Scorpion venom is actually injected in the state of humanity because they threatened it, they do not attack humans, even he would evade much of human existence.

Appearance
scorpion has a hard skin (chitin substances), jointed body, making exotic appearance. Scorpions have eight legs, injecting poison into his gun was in the back with a long tail for his size. The color of the body and the size of the scorpion has many variations.
one of their unique appearance, they grow in the dark will light if the light rays with ultraviollet

image source Palestine yellow - death stalker scorpion

image source Emperor Scorpion one of death stalker

image source Magagula Ndumiso Mahlosane - death stalker scorpion

Dr. Plotnick's Top 13 (Educational) Feline Blog Posts of 2011

2011-12-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

We've gathered together Dr. Plotnick's CAT MAN DO top EDUCATIONAL blog posts of 2011

13) The Cat Age to Human Age Comparison (Part Three) - A New Chart Helps Pet Parents Calculate Their Cats' Age in Relation to Human Years

12) What We Tell Our Clients When their Cat is Diagnosed with Ringworm - Despite the name, ringworm is not a “worm”. It is a fungal infection (dermatophytosis) of the hair and skin. It is also one of the few feline infectious diseases that can be transmitted from cats to humans. Cats that test positive for ringworm need some kind of treatment. Treatment plans may vary somewhat for each individual cat, but they all involve three basic steps – topical therapy (bathing) with some type of shampoo, oral medication, and environmental decontamination.

11) Tropic of Cancer (a.k.a. lymphosarcoma. a.k.a. lymphoma) - I see a lot of cancer in my cat practice. A major reason is that cats are living longer than ever before. Now that they’re living to 17, 18, (and even longer), they’re living long enough to develop cancers that we never saw when they died at 12 or 13. Another reason is that major medical advances have given us the technology to detect cancers that previously went undiagnosed. An increased awareness of cancer, coupled with more sophisticated technology, has allowed veterinarians to become pretty adept at making the dreaded diagnosis. The diagnosis of cancer in a beloved cat can be devastating. However, it is important to realize that, as in human cancers, many types of cancer in cats can be treated, managed, and sometimes even cured.

10) Heart Murmurs: What’s the Scoop? - Everyone has heard of heart murmurs, but not everyone knows exactly what they are, and what their significance may be. I’m hoping this blog post can help.

9) Hot-Weather Tips for our Cat & Dog Companions - When summer arrives, it is very important that we take the proper precautions when dealing with our pets. Here are a few important tips and facts that should help protect our furry friends.

8) Language Barriers - I run an all-feline veterinary hospital, and we have a fairly large Japanese client base. This is not by accident. One of my technicians, Hiromi, is Japanese, and she made it clear to me when I hired her 8 years ago that she would like to actively help me cultivate a Japanese clientele. In speaking with her cat-owning Japanese friends and acquaintances, Hiromi has heard countless tales of frustration, as they described the difficulty in explaining exactly what it is about their cat that had them worried, as well as their inability to fully understand what the doctor had told them.

7) First Aid and Your Kitten: What to Do in an Emergency - Most kittens endure kittenhood relatively unscathed. A few, however, deplete several of their nine lives in the course of growing up. Knowing the principles of first aid can be invaluable in seeing that your kitten survives that turbulent first year of life.

6) First Aid and Your Cat: What to Do in an Emergency - If you came home from work and found your cat having convulsions, paralyzed, or bleeding, would you know what to do? April is "Pet First-Aid Awareness Month". The American Animal Hospital Association, (AAHA) states that 1-out-of-4 pets would survive an accident or illness if pet owners were familiar with and capable of providing first aid when necessary. Owners that are aware of proper life saving techniques and how they apply to our pets are better equipped to handle emergencies as they arise.

5) Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Cat - Cat overpopulation is a very serious problem in the United States. There are simply too many cats and not enough people to care for them. Responsibility is the key to cat ownership, and a major part of that responsibility is guaranteeing that your cat doesn’t reproduce. Neutering and spaying are two of the most commonly performed elective procedures. Not only do they help curtail cat overpopulation, they also bring many health and behavior benefits to both you and your cat.

4) Top 5 Healthy Cat Treats - Cats require a nutritionally complete and balanced diet to live an active, healthy life. Life is meant to be enjoyed, however, and every now and then it’s OK to toss your cat a tasty treat.

3) Early Spaying and Neutering in Cats. Get ‘em while they’re young - Every year in the U.S., animal shelters and humane organizations euthanize millions of homeless and unwanted dogs and cats. Spaying and neutering has to remain the cornerstone of any program designed to reduce overpopulation of dogs and cats. In my practice, clients will often bring me a kitten for examination and vaccination. Our protocol is typical for most veterinary practices: we vaccinate around 8 or 9 weeks of age, and again at 11 or 12 weeks of age, and once more at 15 or 16 weeks of age. Then, at 24 weeks of age, we neuter or spay. This protocol of spaying and neutering around 6 months of age has been the professional standard for years. This posed a problem for shelters, however.

2) How Pet Owners Can Best Help Veterinarian Make their Diagnoses - Veterinarians are faced with a variety of diagnostic challenges on a daily basis. The ability for a veterinarian to obtain a detailed and complete history is our most important diagnostic tool. When accurately interpreted, this information lays the groundwork for a logical diagnostic and therapeutic plan, and may prevent unnecessary diagnostic testing and needless discomfort to the patient and cost to the owner.

AWARD WINNING:

1) Anatomy of the Feline Mouth - As a cats-only practitioner, I don’t mind when people say that I’m looking down in the mouth, because the feline mouth is fascinating. Cats use their mouths for a lot of things – eating, drinking, grooming, and communication. Although cats breathe mainly through their nose, the mouth provides an additional passageway for air to enter the lungs.

Make sure to check out the Top Fun Feline Blog Posts of 2011

Make sure to check out our Top 20 Favorite Cat Videos of 2011

Cat House Training Solutions For You

2011-12-13T06:35:00.000-08:00

Dogs, cats, and other pets can enrich our lives, by sharing companionship, love and entertainment with those who love them. Cats are favored by many people who are looking to adopt a pet because they are less demanding of time and space, making it easier to include them in a hectic lifestyle.

This does not let cat owners out of their responsibility for proper training and maintenance of their cat. Despite the independent nature of cats, several house rules need to be defined to ensure that all of those living in the house will be healthy and well.

It's especially important to train your cat where to relieve himself. It is a health hazard for both humans and cats to live in a house covered with urine and/or feces. It's also messy and unsanitary. Cats may urinate to mark their territory indoors or to let you know when you're in their bad graces. However, the owner needs to stop this behavior as urine and feces can cause both the humans and cats living in the house to become ill.

For most people, the reasons for cat house training are obvious. No one prefers to spend time in a space smelling of cat urine. The smell can be strong to the point of overwhelming. Although treatments exist to remove the odor from carpeting and bedding, it is better to avoid dealing with the problem.

Most cats can be easily house trained. As a owner, you must identify and maintain the area where your cat will relieve themselves. Cat house training may seem difficult, but because cats prefer a clean environment without feces or urine where they sleep or eat it is not as hard as you might think.

Any cat owner, with a little patience can achieve successful training. After you purchase a litter box, you need to fill it with clumping kitty litter or special crystal granules designed for that purpose. After each meal and whenever he or she seems ready to eliminate, you need to lift and place the cat in the litter box.

It is a cats instinct to naturally cover up their bodily excretions by digging in dirt or litter. Cat house training is utilized by making your cat feel praised, and reinforcing the positive aspects when they use the indoor litter box correctly.

We love our pets they enrich our lives. Cats are favored by people looking to adopt a pet. They are less demanding for our hectic lifestyles. It is dangerous to our health to live in a house that has cat pee everywhere. Therefore making it extremely important to house train your pet. Cat house training is a must if care for the appearance and smell of your home. Cats will litter box train easily. Then you won't have the smell of cat urine on your furniture, or flooring that is nearly impossible to get out. Remember to praise your cat for using the litter box.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/949563

CAT-W SCORES ARE IN!

2011-12-12T17:42:00.000-08:00

I will be happy to hand out scores and advice tomorrow (Tuesday)

at 2:30 sharp in E-141.

If you cannot make it tomorrow, I will see you on Thursday

at 2:15 in B-219.

I cannot give you score by e-mail! You must see me in person.

Pangolin

2011-12-11T04:45:00.000-08:00

Pangolins is a unique animal and is now classified as endangered animals, they are included in the class of mammals. He was classified as nocturnal animals as pangolins active at night and hide during the day in the nest, usually lodged by making holes in the ground or other animals occupy the former hole.

Length of body shape and skin scaly pangolins, pangolins newborn skin is not hard but after two days the skin will begin to harden. Pangolins has a snout with a small mouth and long tongue and has no teeth.
What is unique from animals pangolins is, he will ball his body if they feel threatened to form a round like a ball that hard. Pangolins also have anal scent glands that emit out, foul-smelling liquid. it is intended to protect themselves from predators.

Its main food is ants and other small insects. Pangolins will use his long tongue and lymph glandulous to catch its prey, so prey will glue on the tongue, it is most effective in the hunt for food inside a small hole, such as ants and termites in the house. Pangolins hunt their prey by using the sense of smell
This Pangolins can be found in southeast Asia and Africa, tropical rain forest area.

from all sources

For more details see the pictures below pangolins;

photo by Nigel J. Dennis

Pangolins was body furl

source image pangolins
source image by AWF

Wood and Plastic Compete For Best Outside Cat Houses

2011-12-09T06:59:00.000-08:00

Outside cat houses are to the outdoor feline as the iconic dog house is to man's best friend. Much like the dog house, outside cat houses provide shelter. In summer, this means a cool, shady spot to nap, while in winter it keeps cats out of the cold and the wind. A cat's own body heat provides warmth, while the house itself traps that heat. But when it comes to which material to buy, is plastic or wood better? There is no right answer; it's up to personal preference. Here are a few point by point comparisons that will hopefully help to make up your mind.

Which one is easier to clean and repair?

Both wooden and plastic outside cat houses require some basic level of maintenance so that they stay looking nice and don't start to fall apart. Luckily, neither material requires a huge amount of upkeep. The great thing about plastics being a synthetic material is that it will never rot, though it might actually warp and crack like wood when exposed to extreme temperatures and quick temperature changes. To clean plastic, all you need is to wipe down the waterproof surface with soap and water, using a rag or even a hose. One of the few concerns with plastic is fading, especially with bright colors. Keeping your cat house in the shade will help maintain its color, as well as the temperature from heating up too much on the inside. Also remember that darker colors absorb more sunlight, and therefore more heat.

In general, any wood for outdoor use should be oiled up to a few times each year to prevent the wood from fading, rotting, cracking and splitting. To clean these outside cat houses, wooden surfaces can be cleaned using mild detergents or special wood cleaners.

Which one is lighter?

As far as assembly and transportation, plastic outside cat houses are lighter than wood, unless they're extra reinforced or are especially ornate in design. This makes them easier to move around when needed. This begs the question, however, of how often you really need to be moving these cat houses around. Plus, it logically follows that something that is more lightweight is not necessarily as strong against the elements.

Is one better for the environment?

Interestingly enough, although one is natural and one synthetic, both plastic and wooden outside cat houses have their benefits when it comes to being eco-friendly. Wood is a renewable, sustainable resource. At the same time, many companies have been making efforts to minimize the levels of deforestation by replanting an equal number of trees to the number of harvested ones. At the same time, however, there is illegal logging going on in various parts of the world, especially in areas like South American rainforests, where highly prized wood is becoming endangered.

As plastic is a cheap, manmade material, it's easy to come by and its supply will never run out. Plus, plastics are easy a material to recycle, so many of today's poly resin furniture and other pieces are already made from recycled material. The biggest problem with plastics and other such synthetic compounds is where they go when they're not recycled, i.e. landfills. Unlike wood, which is a natural substance that decomposes relatively quickly, plastic furniture that has been thrown away will sit in landfills for centuries before it begins to break down.

That's all well and good, but which one costs less?

No matter what people might tell you, price is one of the biggest factors that influence any purchase. Speaking in black and white terms, the price tag on plastic outside cat houses is cheaper than that of wooden houses. Wooden cat houses are simply more expensive of a material that also requires more manpower, in addition to whatever shipping costs are included to transport the lumber from the forests to the workshop. In general, the creation of plastics has provided mankind with a cheaper and sustainable alternative to many building and manufacturing materials.

But which one will last in the end?

The problem with a cheaper price is that you pay for what you get. And in the case of plastic outside cat houses, they're simply not as durable and long-lasting as wood, so the chances are good that you'll be buying a new cat house every few years. So then you have to ask yourself whether you'd prefer to save some money now by buying plastic, but then have to spent money again later, or whether you're willing to pay more upfront for a cat house that will last so long you probably will never have to buy another in your cat's lifetime.

Tonya Kerniva is an experienced research and free lance writing professional. She writes actively about Outside Cat Houses and Cat Houses.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2609505

Dr. Plotnick's Top 8 (Fun) Feline Blog Posts of 2011

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

We've gathered together Dr. Plotnick's CAT MAN DO top FUN blog posts of 2011

Number 8) Cats in History
Here's a collection of photographs of cats throughout the 1800s and 1900s.

Number 7) 10 Best Talking Cat Videos
This talking pets concept is nothing new (think Mr. Ed), however, the raw camera footage, the innocent pet facial expressions, and each the animals exhibiting their own personalities all make a great palate for the 10 best talking cat videos

Number 6) 10 Epic Drama Cat Videos
Sometimes accompanied with a contemporary cinematic orchestra, and sometimes without, here's the best epic cat drama videos.

Number 5) The New York City Bodega Cat
The Internets Celebrities have created a mini documentary on New York City's beloved Bodega Cats

Number 4) 20 Close-Up Photos of Cat Tongues
As the title suggests, here's 20 close-up cat tongues.

Number 3) Must Re-home - Urgent!
We must get rid of our children IMMEDIATELY because we just know how time consuming our new little kitten is going to be and it just wouldn't be fair to the children. Since our little kitten will be arriving on Monday we MUST place the children up for adoption this weekend!

Number 2) Dr. Plotnick's Visit to Katten Kabinet in Amsterdam
For the regular culture-vultures, no trip to Amsterdam is complete without a visit to the van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank House, and the Rijksmuseum. For those hooked on cat-culture ( like yours truly), you cannot visit Amsterdam without popping into Katten Kabinet, the only art museum in the world devoted solely to artwork depicting cats.

Number 1) Dr. Plotnick's Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey
Dr. Plotnick took a trip to Istanbul trekking through stray kitties looking for stray kitties. There were SO MANY cats in town! The 11-post travelog and photoblog begins here.

Make sure to check out the Top 13 (Educational) Feline Blog Posts of 2011

Make sure to check out our Top 20 Favorite Cat Videos of 2011

Protect Your Cat From Heat Stroke Today

2011-12-06T02:03:00.000-08:00

Pet owners know that cats are susceptible to several cat health problems and heat stroke is one common condition that cat lovers often have to deal with. In the warmer months, cats often get heat strokes due to their furry coats. This is especially prevalent in outdoor cats or if your cat has the freedom and luxury to roam outside the shelter of your home. Whatever the case, once your cat is affected with heat stroke, here are a few things that you can do to ensure that it gets well soon.

In order to treat your cat properly, you have to first recognize the symptoms of heat stroke in your cat. Some general symptoms include:

• Excessive panting and heavy breathing

• Under this medical condition, a cat's gum can turn bright red

• Increase in body temperature

• A cat may also suffer from diarrhea and vomiting due to heat stroke

• Your pet may also become lethargic, unresponsive and depressed once it gets affected

If you notice that your kitty has some or all of these symptoms and you suspect that she has heat stroke, here are some of the things that you can do to give her a bit of relief before you take her to the vet.

• Wrap a wet towel around her body to reduce the heat to some extent. A cold compressor will also help.

• You should also offer a bowl of fresh and cold water to your cat. Slow licking of ice can also help reduce the heat.

You have to take your cat to a vet for proper medical attention. However, once your pet is free from this common cat health problem, make sure that you take enough preventive measures to protect it from ever happening again. Here are certain preventive measures that you can employ:

• If your cat has a long furry coat, go ahead and trim it during the summer.

• For both outdoor and indoor cats, keeping the body hydrated at all times is essential. You can do this by making sure that they have easy access to a bowl of fresh water all the time.

• Occasionally, giving them a cold wrap also works wonders.

Remember that prevention is better than cure and if you have an active outdoor cat with a furry coat, you might want to take note of these tips especially during the summer. The alternative might be an expensive trip to the vet!

Visit our website today if you are facing cat health problems such as cat diabetes and ticks on cats. Do not forget to sign up for your 7-part mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5873826

Owl

2011-12-04T21:11:00.000-08:00

Owls are the night birds, owls will hunt their prey at night and usually owls would sleep in the afternoon. Animals who become prey such as mice, frogs and the insects, animals classified as carnivores owls.
There are hundreds of species of owls found in the world and spread in various countries.

The owl has a unique appearance because it has a pair of eyes which were located in front unlike other birds which lies beside her. The uniqueness of the owl can rotate its head through the canopy.
Owls have sharp nails like bird-eating meat in general and also a large and wide wings that exceed the size of the owl's own body and short tail.
Owls have very sharp eyesight to hunt prey in the dark with a long distance but in close proximity owl can not see clearly because their prey owls have farsightedness.
Besides having a keen eyesight owl also has a hearing which is also sharp, this hearing is very useful for hunting prey in total darkness. Owls also have other features that have very fine hair that can make this bird fly without a sound.
There are feathers that form a circle on the face buurung ghosts that make it look attractive. If seen this owl looks very funny but owls including a ferocious predator.

Owls have many characteristics not pass up this movement and led to its existence is often unknown. Owls usually nest in trees in the woods on the limb or make holes in tree trunks. But this time the owl made ââa lot of pets and any owl population has declined.

Owl photo by Brooke Pennington's

All image from Flickr

Final Project: Swiss Chard Gratin. Part I: The Recipe

2011-12-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: Check the great recipes on our network on my Twitter Feed! =>

"Gratin," as defined in Wikipedia:

a widespread culinary technique in food preparation in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg and/or butter. Gratin originated in French cuisine and is usually prepared in a shallow dish of some kind. A gratin is baked or cooked under an overhead grill or broiler to form a golden crust on top and is traditionally served in its baking dish (citation).

I have made this delicious dish a couple of times before. It reminds me of the kind of food I ate as a child, because part of my family comes from France.

The original recipe is from the November 2005 edition of Saveur magazine, page 74. I have modified the recipe a bit less butter, but if you are cooking French, butter is hard to avoid.

You will need:

1 BIG bunch of Swiss chard
2 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 stick butter (I used 3/4)
1/4 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup grated cheese such as Parmigiano or Gruyere
red pepper flakes
grated nutmeg
salt pepper

Since I planned to make this into a meal, I decided to accompany the gratin with a tomato salad, hearty bread, and red wine.

Part II: The Shopping

2011-12-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

Here I am on 14th Street, shopping for the ingredients, which were all readily available at

1. Trader Joe's

2. the Farmer's Market

Here are the main ingredients

And here is how much the ingredients cost (keep in mind that the bread, butter, cheese, and milk I will use for several other meals):

Organic Swiss Chard $ 3.00
1lb. Organic Whole Wheat Bread $ 4.00
1/4 lb Organic Cheese $ 6.00
1 qt. Organic Milk $2.50
1 lb. Organic Salted Butter $4.79
1 lb. Organic Tomatoes $3.49
Red wine 4.99

The flour and spices I already had at home. The whole meal, then, comes under $30.00 and it serves 6 people, so it comes to $5.00 a plate (with wine included).

Part III: The Cooking

2011-12-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

As I explained in Part I, I have cooked this kind of meal before. It is actually simple.

Turn the oven to 400 F.
Wash the Swiss Chard two or three time to get rid of any sand.
(Nobody likes gritty greens!)

Trim the green leaves from the white stems.

(Stems and leaves have different consistencies and so

need different cooking times).

Then cut the white part into 1/2 inch pieces and the leaves into strips.

The Saute:

You can either

a) saute the white stems first, then the green leaves, or

b) blanch the white stems and saute the green leaves.

Either way, use olive oil and 2-3 garlic cloves.

Add red pepper flakes and salt and pepper as preferred.

The Bechamel Sauce: Where would the French be without it?
Melt 3/4 stick of butter and slowly stir 1/4 cup flour over a low flame.
After stirring for 3 minutes or so, slowly add 2 cups cold milk.
Stir like crazy until the whole turns into a thick sauce.
Add LOTS of nutmeg as well as salt and pepper.

Rub your baking dish with some butter.
Fill the dish with the greens.

Ladle the bechamel sauce on top, covering the greens well.

Top with the grated cheese.

The whole goes into the oven for 25 minutes,
or until it is bubbling and golden brown.

The whole meal: gratin+ tomato salad + whole wheat bread + glass of red wine.

I started the meal at 7:30 pm and we are eating at is 9:00pm. Not bad!

So, what did I learn?

Well, first of all, that interacting with food makes the whole eating much more satisfying: you feel that you have earned the meal.
Also, that it is extremely rewarding to see others enjoying what you have prepared.
That fatty foods should be accompanied with a glass of red wine rather than a Diet Coke (yuk!).
That food companies want us to believe that they can take away the "hassle" of preparing food for ourselves and our loved ones, but what they are really taking away is the pleasure of doing something psychologically and physically fulfilling that would enrich the lives of others as well and substituting it with shallow food experiences.

Cat Supplies - Tips to Buy Them at Inexpensive Rates!

2011-12-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

If you are a cat owner and want to buy some essential supplies for your cat, than I will suggest you to search these products from online stores. Internet is the best way to buy products at affordable rates and different surveys also shows that instead of local stores, online stores are quite affordable. The best technique to find a suitable and trustworthy site of such supplies is to visit stores as many as you can. By adopting this technique you can easily compare prices of such supplies offered by different sites. Below in this article, there are few vital techniques that can be very helpful for you to buy good quality supplies at affordable rates.

Usually, those suppliers who provide inexpensive cat supplies have good connections and business relations with larger manufacturers of these products. So, if you find such dealers than try to avail all kind of benefits from them, it is a good idea to buy all kind of supplies from them. On the other hand if you want to made such supplies for cats at home, than there are many ways that can be helpful for you. By making different cat toys and other essential supplies at home is also a good way of saving money.

If you are interested to make cat toys and other supplies at home by utilizing household products than below given techniques are very helpful and you do not have to spend enough money to make them.

To entertain your beloved kitty it is a good idea to take a plastic bottle and fill it with some rice. While playing with this bottle the sound produced by rice will be very entertaining for your cat and it will attack and grab bottle considering it prey. You can also entertain your cat by rolling an aluminum foil over the ball. While playing with the ball the light reflected by the foil will provide more excitement and sharpness to your cat and it is quite beneficial for you and your beloved cat.

So, by reading this article, I am sure that you can buy and make god cat supplies without any difficulty.

The Author is an expert in article writing and has done a lot of research online and offline. Come visit his latest websites on Cat Pet Supplies and Reader Sunglasses
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3436810

Firefly

2011-12-04T03:34:00.000-08:00

Small animals that fly and pulled out a flickering light that we often encounter in certain areas at night is a beetle called firefly.

How does a firefly have a lamp and produce electrical energy?
Light is produced in special organs called photophores located in the lower abdomen. They consist of several layers of small reflector cells and a layer of light-producing cells. Light-producing cells contain nerves, air tubes, and two types of chemicals, luciferin and luciferase enzyme. When luciferin is activated by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and luciferase, combine with oxygen in the air tube; this reaction produces energy in the form of light, heatless greenish-yellow-orange-red.

source firefly

From these research that fireflies do not have lights and electricity in his body, they have the light generated from the chemical luciferin and luciferase enzyme.

The fireflies are still widely available in rural areas or areas that are still there are many plants and trees. Their light functioned fatherly attract their mates.

Firefly

Photo by James Jordan

picture firefly by bruce marlin

Angora Rabbits

2011-12-04T02:54:00.000-08:00

One type of rabbit that has a long coat and dense, like angora cat. Angora rabbits have a characteristic hair that grows in the ear tip and forefoot, along with the long hair found on her body. Rabbits have a funny appearance, soft fur makes it look like a doll. So the rabbit includes pet toys.
Angora rabbit fur color varies widely and is also a combination and mixture of other colors. Very rapid growth of fur that is 2.5 cm per month
Weight of adult angora rabbits around 2kg - 4.5 kg

Care and Grooming
Long angora rabbit hair care needs, but we must often comb it we also need to cut it to make it look more tidier.

There are many types of angora rabbits, namely English anggora, Satin anggora, Chinese anggora, anggora Swiss, Finnish anggora, French anggora, German anggora, Giant anggora

Pictures Of Angora Rabbits

pictures angora rabbit from pluspets

Schedule of Last Classes

2011-12-01T08:17:00.000-08:00

Th 12/01: Final Projects Begin. Assignment HERE. (I will be doing a project also).
T 12/06: Work on Final Projects.
Th 12/08: Work on Final Projects.
Sunday 12/11: Final Projects and Blogs 14-18 due.
T 12/13: Reading Day (no classes).
Th 12/15: Meeting for Scores and Advising in B-219 at 2:15

Cats Are The 1%!! Get Your Cats Spayed or Neutered.

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Know the facts. 99% of cats live a more lavish lifestyle than 99% of the top 1% of humans. OCCUPY CATS!Get Your Cats Spayed or Neutered.

SEE: Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Cat

Steps for the CAT and Good Luck!

2011-11-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

1. Read

2. Annotate:

Main Ideas
Quotes
Words to look up

3. Identify ONE Significant Idea

4. Summarize the reading

5. PLAN, then write your Response:

Your Claim
Your Reason 1
Evidence (personal, from class, from the reading)
Your Reason 2
Evidence (personal, from class, from the reading)

Your Reason 3
Evidence (personal, from class, from the reading), etc.

Your Conclusion

CAT-W Retest !

2011-11-28T11:25:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, 11/29 at 2:15 sharp.

E-141.

Bring pens, a pencil, photo ID, and a dictionary.

Cat Writer's Association Awards 2011

2011-11-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

The Cat Writer's Association(CWA) is an organization of professionals writing, publishing and broadcastingabout cats. Members include writers, editors, publishers, artists, publicrelations specialists, broadcasters and others.

Every year the CWA sponsors acontest in which they give out awards for the best written articles in avariety of categories. The winners are announced at their annualconference. This year, I submitted a few articles for consideration, andI’m pleased to announce I won three (!) awards this year!

I won TWO Muse Medallions:

1) Newsletter Article – Any Other Topic

Judge’s comment: “This is an entertaining and informative article that takes the reader on a unique journey into Holland’s famous floating cat shelter and examines its veterinary care practices. The writer succinctly narrates a personal account of the ways another culture manages its homeless cat population.”

The Muse Medallion goes to: Dr. Arnold Plotnick for "Cats in Amsterdam" published in Cat Fancy.

2) Online Article – Health and General Care

Judge’s comment: “There were many excellent articles in this category. With their fluid, easy-to-read style, the winner’s entries, in particular, provided enjoyment while dispensing useful and important information.”

The Muse Medallion goes to: Dr. Arnold Plotnick for "Why We Vaccinate (Even Indoor Cats)" published in Cat Man Do.

And last but not least, the big one) The PURINA ONE® HEALTH AWARD sponsored by Purina is for the outstanding single article reporting on feline health issues.

Judge’s comments: “The winning article has good information. It is readable, accurate and applicable. This article can help everyone at all levels of ownership and experience understand the importance of oral health in cats.”

The winner is Arnold Plotnick for “Anatomy of the Feline Mouth.”

Also, see:
2011 Certificate of Excellence Winners (PDF)

Essential Cat Supplies For Every Cat Owner

2011-11-27T22:31:00.000-08:00

Your cat will need essential cat supplies such as food and water bowls, a cat bed, and traveling pet carriers when you need to leave the house with your feline friend.

The Right Cat Bowls

Cats are finicky creatures and when it comes to eating or drinking water, the bowls that you supply her food and drink in must be acceptable to the animal for her to use them. In other words, cats will stay away from her food bowl if it does not appeal to her.

And for safety reasons, be sure that they are made from non-scratch material. There have been many cases of cats getting sick from bacterial infections because of tiny cuts and scratches along their teeth and gums due to chewing through their own food and water bowls.

The best material for such cat food and drink supplies should be made from stainless steel. If you must go with plastic then be sure it is a high impact material, like crock style dishware. Fortunately for all of you cat lovers out there who like to purchase cat products to have a bit of zest of them, such dishware often comes in many different styles and colors. With patterns to fit the décor of your house, so both you and your cat will be happy campers!

Cat Beds

One of the best beds that you can give to your cat is one that is actually perched on top of a high area, known as a cat tree. Cats for some reason love to nestle themselves high up in the air, above everyone and everything inside the house. That is why investing into a cat bed that can be built into a high-rise perch is the perfect spot for your cat to snooze the afternoons away.

You can also invest into cat perches that are designed to be placed on windowsills. When was the last time you took a walk around your neighborhood? I bet you saw a lot of cats hanging out on their windowsills looking watching the world go by. Cats love passing the time this way and can easily fall asleep on one of these window cat perch beds.

Portable Cat Carriers

Last but certainly not least, part of your cat inventory supplies should include some type of carrier unit whenever you have to leave the house and travel with your pet. Every cat or kitten should have its own carrier. This allows for safe travel without the worry of your pet being injured or escaping and injuring you in the process.

Not into traveling? So what if you do not travel much? Just making quick trips to the veterinarian can be enough to cause a disaster to strike should your cat bolt from the car or scratch you nervously upon arriving at the vet's office. This way, by having a cat carrier you are equipped with options in case there are times of such pending disaster.

Shop For More Cat Supplies [http://www.petsuppliespoint.com/luxury-cat-beds-furniture.html] by visiting [http://www.petsuppliespoint.com/] which is a website designed to bring together your pet needs with dozens of Pet Supplies [http://www.petsuppliespoint.com/car-barrier-for-dog.html] manufacturers that can fill your product requests.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1128162

Best Cat Bowls From Cat Supplies Store

2011-11-24T04:43:00.000-08:00

When you bring a cat as a pet in your home, you need to have his water, food and other accessories for your cat from cat supplies store including water bowl, cat bed. You also need to buy traveling pet carrier whenever you have to go for traveling. So while buying these above things, you should keep many things in mind. When you go to shop for cat bowls, you should be aware of the fact that usually cats are creatures which are finicky and when you buy bowl or water pot for them, it should be the one which is acceptable for your pet in their usages.

It should be attractive to them, as you should know that if it will not appeal to your pet, they would not eat or drink in them. And for the safety pre-cautionary measures, you should choose the bowl, which is made up of non-scratch material. There are many examples in which cats become ill and gets infectious due to the scratch and small cuts on their teeth and gums when they chew bowls of water and food. You should keep it in mind that the best material for cat bowls and pots are stainless steal. But plastic is acceptable if it is made up of high quality and impact material like crock style dishware.

You can buy these accessories from any cat supplies store and it is easily available in your market too. It is impertinent to note here that these bowls come in huge variety and it becomes difficult for you to choose the best one, as you will find different style and designs in it. So it is suggested to buy one from any cat supplies store which matches your home and your living too because it will make your cat relax once she becomes acquainted with it.

The Author is an expert in article writing and has done a lot of research online and offline. Come visit his latest websites on Cat Pet Supplies and Reader Sunglasses.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3198386

CAT Practice # 4; Class Reflection: Final Project (11/22)

2011-11-22T07:21:00.000-08:00

Photo by Judge Randhawa in DesiComments.com

A. Taming that CAT!

B. Writing Blog 18: Reflection on Blogging. Instructions HERE.
Blogs 14-18 should be completed by the day of the CAT-W Test, Tuesday, November 29.

C. Reviewing Final Projects HERE.
Final Projects are due Sunday, December 11.

Shelter Sketches: Meet Vincent, Marellus, and Mia

2011-11-20T08:30:00.000-08:00

This is amazing! Meet Chelsea Conlin, a freelance illustrator who also uses her artform to save animals. She is in charge of Shelter Sketches on http://iloverescueanimals.org.( ILRA )

Each week, Chelsea snags a photo posted from an animal shelter or rescue group of animals that need homes, and transforms the picture into a work of art.

This week Chelsea picked the three kitties rescued, and up for adoption at Manhattan Cat Specialists! Yay! We posted this picture with some information about how to adopt these kitties:

Before Chelsea:

And Chelsea transformed that picture into this:

After Chelsea:

Chelsea is truly outstanding! And her blog post is terrific as well. This is such an incredible method for her to do exactly what she loves and save lives. She gets to do illustrations of animals each week. She gets to help rescue animals with a brilliant way of spreading the word. She gets to watch her artform travel worldwide while people are sharing their desire to help animals in need.

10 Basic Cat Care Tips

2011-11-20T02:57:00.000-08:00

A cat is among the few animals that are well-loved and taken care of as household pets by many people. You can notice a lot of households have pet cats at home. One important reason is that cats are great companions especially for the elderly. Cats are generally sweet and sociable animals. They do not require a lot of attention but still need proper care.

For first-time owners, here are some basic cat care tips that you should know in order to have a wonderful relationship with your feline pet.

1.) Provide your feline a private place to stay.

You can give your cat a cardboard box and place it in a high but reachable place. Cats not very territorial but would love to have a private place or area to stay or rest.

2.) Give them the right nutritional needs and keep them hydrated.

Make sure that your cat's water bowl is full and that your cat is well-fed. Adult cats should have 3-4 meals per day while kittens or cats aged more than 4 weeks should have about 10 small meals per day.

3.) Ask your veterinarian or cat breeder on what brand is the suggested pet food.

Cats have different breeds so most of the time they also vary in the cat food that should be given. You consult your veterinarian or the breeder on what brand of cat food you should buy for your pet. Ask them while your cat It still young. If you plan to give your feline a new cat food, you mix it with the old brand so your pet will eat it.

4.) Bring your feline to veterinarian's clinic.

As soon as you purchase your cat, bring it to the veterinarian's clinic so that the animal doctor can check your cat's health and provide suggestions for proper cat care. You should also bring your cat to the vet when it's sick so it can be provided with the right treatment.

5.) Decide whether your pet will stay indoors only or allowed outdoors.

If you plan to have your cat stay indoors only then you should choose a calm breed of cat. A calm cat won't mind being kept indoors while other breeds would want to go outside and mingle with other cats and with people.

6.) Do a research about the breed you have chosen.

Cats have different breeds and characteristics thus you should do a research of the breed you have chosen so you can surely give your pet the best cat care.

7.) Observe what your pet loves to eat.

Some cats don't like eating dry foods and if this is the case, then you can give moist canned foods or ask the vet for suggested cat food.

8.) Cats hate water so bathe them only once a month.

As you can notice they hate the water but since they need to be clean and well-groomed then it is suggested that you bathe them once a month. Gently pat them and talk softly before bathing them so they will feel more comfortable.

9.) Trim cat's nails.

Check from time to time the nails of your feline and trim the transparent part of their nails if needed so you can make sure your cat won't cause harm to any of the family member.

10.) Play with your pet

Cats love to play and it is best to set time to play for your cat for about 10 minutes for 4-5 times per day. You can also buy cat toys such as balls for them to play.

Cats deserve to be cared well and be provided with their needs so make sure to give them what they deserve. Keep them healthy at all times.
If you want to find the best resources on cat care, you can check out this very helpful website http://www.catcaresite.org/ and find out.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5904658

Pulp Kittens - available for adoption now at Manhattan Cat Specialists

2011-11-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

We have three new rescue kittens available for adoption at Manhattan Cat Specialists; Vincent, Marcellus, and Mia are approximately 8-10 weeks old.. These kittens were scheduled to be euthanized. Instead, they're relaxing with us at the hospital, shaking off small colds, and almost ready to be adopted into loving homes.

All specific info (testings for FIV and FeLV, vaccination record, ect) will be updated here in about a week. In the meantime, if you are in the New York City metro area and would like to adopt a cat, please visit our adoption info page, and then give us a call. If you have friends or family that may be interested in some adorableness in their lives, please share this post. These kitties deserve loving homes.

Manhattan Cat Specialists

230 West 76th Street | New York, NY 10023 | 212-721-2287

Sweatshops from the film The Corporation

2011-11-17T12:24:00.000-08:00

2011-11-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

Blog 17: Watching and Responding to The Story Of Stuff

Watch The Story of Stuff on its website HERE or on YouTube HERE, taking notes as you watch.
Write Blog 17: The Story of Stuff, a 250+ word response to ONE of the topics below.

1. Exploitation
In The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard argues that

According to those exploiting the planet's resources to make stuff, the people living in the countries with the resources do not have value because they don’t own the resources even if they’ve been living there for generations, they don’t own the means of production, and they’re not buying a lot of stuff.

Who/What is responsible for this reality? Who/What benefits from it? Who/What suffers because of it? Is this reality necessary? Is it right? Provide evidence from your own experience or from what you have read and discussed in class.

2. Planned Obsolescence/Perceived Obsolescence
Define "planned obsolescence" and "perceived obsolescence" in your own words. Who/What is responsible for these marketing strategies? Who/What benefits from them? Who/What suffers because of them? Are these strategies necessary? Are they right? Provide evidence from your own experience or from what you have read and discussed in class.

3. Expendable Workers
In The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard argues that

The erosion of local environments and economies ensures a constant supply of people with no other option. Globally 200,000 people a day are moving from environments that have sustained them for generations, into cities, many to live in slums, looking for work, no matter how toxic that work may be.

Who/What is responsible for this reality? Who/What benefits from it? Who/What suffers because of it? Is this reality necessary? Is it right? Provide evidence of this reality from your own experience or from what you have read and discussed in class.

4. The Purpose of the American Economy
According to Annie Leonard, President Eisenhower’s Council of Economic Advisors Chairman said that “The American economy’s ultimate purpose is to produce more consumer goods.” Do you agree with this statement? Why? Why not? If not, what do you think should be the ultimate purpose of the American economy? Why?

If you are writing on this last subject, you may want to watch the related video, The Story of Broke HERE.

Cat Food Tips - Food For Finicky Cats

2011-11-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

Cats have a complete different digestive system then dogs. Cats require different nutrients. For healthy cats, they require more protein in their diet. Unlike dogs, cats are carnivores. It pains me to say it but cats cannot be vegetarians. Matter of fact carbs and too much of them can be harmful to your cats health.

Cats are susceptible to the same diseases as dog, like kidney stones or crystals; diabetes is becoming more frequent in cats then ever. That could be because of all the by products and fillers they tend to put in commercial cat food. Cats need less corn meal, rice, and veggies in their food. They need protein like beef and poultry. Some fish is okay but not a steady diet of fish. In addition, innards such as kidneys and liver and giblets should be limited for cats.

A well balanced diet filled with the right vitamins and nutrients will give your cat a long and healthy life. Also always, make sure your cat has access to clean fresh water. Cats should not have food that include by-products, such as meat and or bone meal, animal digest and added sugars. If you see a food with 45% or more carbs and preservatives, you should stay away from them.

Cats need protein. Cats need meat not meat by products.. Cats should get their basic nutritional need from meat, poultry, taurine that is an essential amino acid. Vitamins, minerals enzymes and fatty acids as well. If you notice your cat drinking more water then usual, increase the protein in their diet and limit the carbs to below 50%. Check your cat food to make sure it contains more protein then carbs, and not filled fillers like corn meal and soy.

Cats do get sick of the same food, so it is recommended you change their food from time to time. That is how they get the nickname finicky eaters.

Here is a recipe for your finicky eater
1-cup chicken boiled
¼-cup fresh broccoli steamed
¼ cup shredded carrots steamed
Chicken broth low sodium
Mix chicken and veggies in food processor until well mixed add enough chicken broth to hold it together. You can omit veggies and add a little brown rice. Just keep your carbs less then 50%.
For a change, use this recipe with beef simmered or even a piece of fish simmered until flaky.

Yes, our cats can be finicky but they do deserve the best we can give them. There are hundreds of recipes available for dogs and cats along with natural home remedies. Learn how you can give your cat and dog the best food and health care from products right in your own kitchen.

Stop paying for expensive drugs for your pets. Get a free e book with many natural home remedies for treating your pets. Learn about 100's of home remdies then you can use for your cats and dogs. No more harmful side effects. For your free ebook go to http://www.allthingspets.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4311476

Working with Sleep Dealer (11/15)

2011-11-15T08:38:00.000-08:00


Sleep Dealer movie poster from Imp Awards

A. Watching Sleep Dealer.
B. Summary for Sleep Dealer. Go HERE
C. Blog 16: Responding to an issue in Sleep Dealer. Go HERE.

What You Need to Know About Cat Food

2011-11-14T04:06:00.000-08:00

Cat Food Info #1 Cats Need Protein in their Cat Food

The cat food you feed to your cat should always be rich in protein. This generally should come from meat, poultry or fish. Many cat food brands advertise chicken, beef, and tuna flavored cat food because they know that cats need protein and cat owners are looking for quality cat food. However, you need to make sure the cat food you buy has a sufficient amount of cat food regardless of what flavor it is.

Cat Food Info #2 Cat Food with Taurine

Also check the cat food you typically buy for an amino acid called taurine. This particular amino acid is very important in the overall health of your cat, and your cat will eat as much food as it has to in order to supplement this particular amino acid. So, if you are buying cheap cat food that does not have the proper nutrients your cat will eat a lot. If you buy a nutrient rich cat food then your cat will eat little and save you more money while still getting proper nutrition.

Cat Food Info #3 Canned Cat Food or Dry Cat Food?

Many people do not know whether they should buy canned or dry cat food, or whether it even matters. Because of this, many people simply buy the cat food that is most affordable or convenient for them. This is actually a mistake. Cats should be fed a mixture of cat food. The dry cat food should be given for free feeding, especially if you are away on vacation or out for the day. Canned cat food should be supplemented at other times as well because it has water in the food and significantly more protein than the carbohydrate rich dry cat food. Not to mention the same food over and over might bore your cat and cause him to stop eating that cat food altogether.

Cat Food Info #4 Avoid Cat Food Fillers

Cats need to eat a cat food that is rich in protein, so make sure the amount of fillers is kept to a minimum. Carbohydrates are not essential for a cat's existence, so don't buy cat food that is full of them. Instead, read labels and buy cat food that is not filled with fillers and other by products.

Jay Moncliff is the founder of [http://www.catfoodcenter.info] a blog focusing on the Cat Food [http://www.catfoodcenter.info], resources and articles. This site provides detailed information on Cat Food. For more info visit his site: Cat Food [http://www.catfoodcenter.info]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Moncliff

Pet Care Tips - Basic Advice on Keeping Your Pet Healthy and Happy

2011-11-11T23:27:00.000-08:00

Follow these pet care tips to ensure that your dog or cat is kept happy and healthy. These basic tips are intended as a resource for those of you who are new to pet ownership or are thinking of getting your first cat or dog. Experienced pet owners will know most of these details already!

Food and drink

* Make sure that your pet has access to clean, fresh water. Change this every day.
* Feed cats twice a day with a premium quality cat food. Give them one meal of dry food and one meal of tinned food. Do not feed them dog food or milk.
* Feed dogs once or twice daily, but use premium quality dog food. Make sure they have a mix of dry biscuits and moist tinned food.
* Feed puppies and kittens on small amounts of soft food 3 to 5 times a day until their teeth are strong enough for dried food.

Treatments

* Give your pet a daily natural supplement to help boost his/her immune system. This can help to stave off many common minor illnesses.
* Give your pet an anti-parasite supplement periodically. The dangers of worms are not to be underestimated.
* Use a natural health solution to keep fleas, ticks and mosquitoes off your dog.

Training

* It is critical to train your dog. Obedient dogs won't soil your house, bite, jump up on guests, chew your shoes and ruin the couch. They are more hygienic and less likely to be involved in fights and accidents. Once trained, you can give your dog much greater freedom as you know that he/she can be trusted.
* Cats should be toilet trained as soon as possible and taught that a scratching post is the only allowed place for them to sharpen their claws.

Exercise and play

* Dogs need to be exercised every day without fail. Ideally twice a day. Letting him run round the back yard on his own doesn't count. Enjoy the time that you spend walking with your pet and it's good exercise for you too!
* Cats kept indoors at any time need a litter tray and this needs to be changed daily. Cats will exercise themselves sufficiently if you let them outside each day. Better still, fit a cat flap and allow them to choose when they go out. But keep them inside from dusk till dawn. This makes them less likely to be run over and they pose less danger to other small animals.
* Keep an eye on your pet's weight and attitude to food. If he's getting overweight, then you need to cut down on the food a little and get him some more exercise. If he's off his food entirely, then there may be an underlying health problem that needs attention.
* Make sure that your pet has a few toys to play with. Dogs love rubber bones or balls to chew and squeaky toys too. Cats love scratching towers, toy mice and string.
* Take time to get to know your pet. When you really get to know your pet's character and physical appearance, you will find that you can quickly spot any injuries and illnesses that are developing.

Grooming

* Grooming is important for all dogs and cats. Long haired cats need to be groomed more often than short haired breeds, but you should groom shorter haired ones too. Dogs and cats both like to be stroked. It is a good bonding exercise that also lets you examine your pet's hair and skin for any problems.
* Dogs need to be bathed periodically and use a special dog shampoo for this purpose as many human shampoos or shower gels will irritate. Once every two months is about right. Their skin can become irritated with bathing too often. Cats clean themselves so don't try to bathe your cat!

Reproductive

* Spay/neuter your animal. Neutered animals are better behaved and don't contribute to the countless thousands of homeless cats and dogs. Dogs and cats that have not been neutered will be at the beck and call of their hormones. They will roam far and wide looking for a mate and are more likely to get into road accidents and fights.

Let us help you to help your pet with general health products and pet health advice?

Or why not sign up to our mailing list at herbapet and we'll show you how you can naturally treat common pet conditions at home?
Original article at Pet Care Tips.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Winter

Cat Litterbox Problems Solved

2011-11-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

CatChannel solves all your cat litterbox problems.

Cat Litterbox Resources Get answers to your cat litterbox questions with a quick check of litterbox resources from CatChannel.com and CAT FANCY. Find articles that discuss cats’ inappropriate elimination, cat constipation, loose bowels in cats, cats who use the litterbox to sleep and other cat litterbox conditions. Looking for something not on our cat litterbox resources list? Contact a CAT FANCY and CatChannel.com expert to ask your about your cat’s litterbox condition. All this and more can be found in our cat litterbox resources section.

	Spaying/Neutering What will happen when you fix your cat? Find out from an expert.		Constipation Sources Learn why your cat might have a stoppage of stools.
	Cat Spraying When your cat uses scent marking to mark territory, try some simple steps to help redirect your cat's behavior.		Locate the LItterbox Check this quick tip to see how good litterbox location will help your cat have healthy habits.
	Inappropriate Elimination Going outside the litterbox is a common cat problem. See how to help correct this behavior and get your cat to use his litterbox again.		My Cat Is Sleeping in the LItterbox — Why? Your cat might be trying to tell you something if he's using his litterbox for a bed.
	Soft Stools Your cat's loose bowels can signal a problem. Get expert advice on your next step.		Keep It Inside the Box CatChannel.com's veterinary expert explains how to teach cats to use their litterboxes.
	Defecating Outside the Litterbox Your cat could avoid the litterbox for everything. Get tips on how to correct bad litterbox behavior from cat behaviorists.		Why Cats Stop Using the Litterbox Do some detective work to discover why your cat went from using the litterbox to using the floor around it.

Find more cat litterbox information >>

Welcome to The Labor Unit! (11/10)

2011-11-10T05:30:00.000-08:00

A. Leftover from last week:

You will have one hour to type and revise Practice CAT #3. Your revision will be Blog 14.

From Ergonomic Success in Meatpacking by Dan MacLeod

B. Labor Conditions

Remember the slaughterhouse workers getting injured for the sake of profit in The Meatrix II 1/2?

The evil Con-Agra Agent replies to Moopheus' concern for the workers by saying "meat packing is the most dangerous job in the nation--but just like you, my friend, our workers are expendable."

Today we will learn a bit about these "expendable" workers, one third of whom will likely suffer from injuries such as "torn muscles and pinched nerves,...broken bones, deep cuts and amputated fingers and limbs" (Sustainable Table).

So, for Blog 15: The New Industrial Migrants please

read the two excerpts from Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation on pages 30-31 of your class packet.
summarize each reading separately (Part I and Part II).
write a response of at least 250 words to what you have read/summarized.

If you want more details on the conditions surrounding work at slaughterhouses, click HERE.

Kangaroo

2011-11-09T22:47:00.000-08:00

Kangaroos are the animals that come from Australia's most iconic, and be trandmark Australia that runs by leaping. There are more than 60 different species of kangaroo and their close relatives, with all the kangaroo family-owned Super Macropodoidea (or macropods, 'big-foot' that means). Super family is divided into families Macropodidae and Potoroidae.

Macropodidae (macropod) which includes a family of kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos, pademelons, tree-kangaroos and forest wallabies. Species in the macropod family vary greatly in size and weight. Potoroinae (potoroid) including the family of kangaroos potoroo, bettong and rat-kangaroo, which lives only in Australia.
Types of Kangaroos live in all regions in Australia, from cold climate regions and desert plains, to tropical rain forests and beaches.

Appearance

red kangaroo is the largest marsupial animals are still alive. kangaroo males have a height greater than 2 meters (6-7 feet) with a weight of 90 red-breed kg.kanguru if there is rain and grow new plants.
Eastern Grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) is less well known than the red kangaroo (outside Australia), eastern gray kangaroo can be found in the fertile eastern part of Australia is Australia.
Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) has a smaller size, to kangaroo males weight about 54 kg. It is found in the southern part of Western Australia, South Australia near the coast, and the Darling River basin.

Gray kangaroos hop along on their hind legs are strong and do it with high speed. A gray kangaroo can reach speeds of more than 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour and travel for long distances at 15 miles (24 kilometers) per hour. Their gates hopping allows them to cover 25 feet (8 meters) in a single leap and jump 6 feet (1.8 meters) high.

When the baby kangaroo is born, at birth was smaller than a cherry. Baby kangaroo then immediately climbed into the pockets of its parent and does not show up for two months. Until they reach the age of about 10 or 11 months.
Kangaroos have powerful hind legs, large feet adapted for leaping, long tail for balance muscle function. Like most marsupials, female kangaroos have a pouch called a marsupium for the development of post-birth baby kangaroo. Greater muscular male kangaroo. They often rely on the tail with a sturdy and strong hind legs. Male kangaroo scrappy and can bite and scratch in combat with the enemy.

Life and habitats

Kangaroos are herbivores, eating various plants and in some cases eat the mushrooms. Most kangaroo animals active at night but some are active in the morning and afternoon. Various species of kangaroo living in different habitats. Potoroids live above ground in trees. Larger species of kangaroo tend to shelter under trees or in caves and rock cracks.
Most kangaroos have no set breeding cycle and are able to breed throughout the year. Because they are such prolific breeders, a kangaroo population can increase fourfold in five years if it has continuous access to plentiful food and water.
Kangaroos have stomach chambers similar to cows and sheep. They chew the cud. Different species of kangaroos have different diets. Eastern Grey kangaroos eat a variety of grasses whereas some other species (eg Red Kangaroo) include a large number of shrubs in the diet. Smaller species of kangaroos also consume hypogeal fungi. Kangaroos usually spend the day resting in the shade, night and morning moving and eating kangaroos. kangaroo has a special gear. Since both sides of the lower jaw are not joined together, the lower incisors are farther apart, giving the kangaroo a wider bite.

Picture the symbol animals of Australia "kangaroo"

Kitten Care and Training - How to Prevent Future Bad Cat Behavior

2011-11-09T04:48:00.000-08:00

You have a cuddly new kitten and you want to learn more about kitten care and training. Let us look at a few cases:

1. You own mother cat and the kittens belong to her

This can be the best situation or the worst situation. If mother cat is well trained and well behaved, her kittens will follow her lead and you will have no trouble. If not...

Still, all is not lost. As long as you successfully train mother cat, her kittens will fall in line. You just have to be patient, that's all. And keep a bottle of aspirin handy to deal with the inevitable headaches.

2. You have a nursing mother cat and an orphaned kitten

This is very similar to point #1. Except that you first need to get your cat to accept the kitten. Just rub the orphan with mother cat's own kittens to get their scent on the orphan. Then place the orphan with the other kittens and supervise to make sure everything goes well.

Another way to get mother cat's scent on the orphan is to put a little drop of soft, unsalted butter (not margarine) on the orphan. Rub a little dollop on its head and sides, so that mother cat will give it a good lick.

While there is no guarantee, many cat breeders have found that mother cats do accept orphaned kittens.

3. You only have the kitten

In this case, you will have to hand-raise the kitten. The first thing is to get her to a vet for a thorough check-up. Ask him for specific advice on raising your particular kitten. If you cannot afford a trip to the vet, check with your local animal shelter or SPCA for advice.

In general, you will need to feed your kitten KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement) before slowly weaning it to solid food. Do not use cow's milk, as many kittens are lactose-intolerant.

You will want to train your kitten in these 3 areas to prevent future problem behavior:

    * Litter training to use the litter box
    * Socialization so they do not bite and scratch you during playtime
    * Do not scratch your furniture

Kitten litter training is almost the same as litter training an adult cat. However, here are a few things to beware of:

    * Get a shallow litter box - avoid automatic cat litter boxes.
    * Do not use clumping cat litter or crystal cat litter.
    * Sand is usually the safest litter. Some brands of clay or biodegradable litter may also be suitable. Check the label.

Cat biting/scratching often occur because kittens are not properly socialized. A kitten in a litter quickly learns not to bite or scratch too hard during playtime. Over-aggressive kittens quickly find themselves without playmates. When you play with your kitten, you should be careful to do the same - if she bites or scratches too much or too hard, you should immediately stop playing and ignore her.

Training your kitten to use the scratching post is also very important. Before she forms the habit of going after your furniture, you should get her used to the scratching post. This kind of scratching is a part of her nature and necessary exercise for her claws and spine. It is also a way of marking her territory. Like her litter box, her scratching post should not be moved around your house.

If you properly care for and bond with your kitten, you will have an excellent companion for a good many years. Train her right, and she will never give you any trouble.

Do you want to learn more about cat training? Visit http://cattraining.kelvinmart.com/ to learn more about kitten litter training.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katherin_Towers

Kitten Care Guide - Complete Care Tips For Your Kitten

2011-11-08T05:39:00.000-08:00

Kitten care may be intimidating to the first time cat owner. There are a lot of things to know about kitten care. From bottle feeding to socializing your kitten, you'll have to learn these things in order to raise your kitten properly.

Kitten care should be fun. You will look at your kitten and see a totally helpless creature for the first few days. You need to take care of your kitten and eventually; they will grow into strong, intelligent, and loving cats.

Kittens will grow very quickly. For the first six weeks, they will grow their fastest in their entire lifespan. This stage is crucial. There are some things that you should not do during this stage of a kitten's life.

You should not feed your kitten dog food. This might make end up with cats vomiting or cat sickness. You should not feed it table scraps either. Avoid giving your kitten liver, canned tuna or any type of canned fish for human beings. You should feed your kitten specialty food and nurse them with their proper milk. Kitten care in feeding is important.

Socializing your kitten is part of kitten care. You can talk to your kitten, cuddle with your kitten, and play with it. When you handle it properly, they will associate positive experiences with you and thus, become properly socialized.

Part of kitten care involves what you should allow and what you should prohibit when your kitten is playing. You should now allow your kitten to play with your fingers and associate it with some play toy. This may develop into a bad habit and may eventually cause scratching and biting not only to you but to other people in the household as well.

Part of care involves what kind of toys to buy them. In some cases, you don't even have to buy them because you can find them lying around the house or you can make them. One toy that you may want your cat to play with is a plastic straw. These are excellent for teething during the early stages of cat's life. Aside from straws, you can also get old shoulder pads. They will enjoy playing with this too.

Kitten care also involves what your cat should not play with. Avoid giving your cat curling ribbons or loose string elastics. They may get a cat hairball. You don't want your cat going to the vet because of their toys.

Discover how more than 1,045 cat owners have been using these tried and tested cat care and training tips from this sought-after Cat Pet Training [http://www.allcatsecrets.com] book to have a Happy, Healthy and Obedient Cat within weeks.

Get more cat care and cat training tips at: All Cat Secrets [http://www.allcatsecrets.com] for Free.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelvin_Westly

Hepatic Lipidosis in Cats

2011-11-07T15:05:00.000-08:00

Hepatic Lipidosis in Cats

by Arnold Plotnick MS, DVM, ACVIM, ABVP

Section: Overview

Hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) is a syndrome characterized by an accumulation of excessive amounts of lipid (fat) within the cells of the liver, abnormal bile flow within the liver, and impaired liver function. Severe impairment of liver function may affect the liver's ability to detoxify the blood. As toxins accumulate, they can affect the mental status of the cat, leading to mental dullness, severe depression, and seizures. Hepatic lipidosis can occur as a primary event, or it can occur secondary to other disease processes, such as diabetes. It is the most common liver disease encountered in cats.

Adult cats of either sex can be affected. Any breed of cat is susceptible. Middle aged to older cats are most likely to be affected.

Hepatic lipidosis can be a serious disease. Even with aggressive therapy, a significant number of cats die from the condition.

The cause of hepatic lipidosis remains unknown. Obesity is thought to be a predisposing factor, as most (but not all) affected cats are obese at the time of disease onset. A period of anorexia (decreased appetite), occurring as a result of a stressful event (such as the addition of a new pet or family member, or a sudden change to a less palatable diet) can trigger the onset of hepatic lipidosis.

What To Watch For

Anorexia
Loss of muscle mass
Vomiting
Drooling
Jaundice (yellow tint to the whites of the eyes and possibly the skin inside the ears)
Severe depression
Possible seizures

Diagnostic Tests

The diagnostic tests needed to confirm the presence of hepatic lipidosis and exclude other liver disorders include:

Complete medical history and physical exam. This includes examination of the gums, whites of the eyes, and other part of the body for jaundice (yellow discoloration).

Blood tests and urine analysis to confirm that the liver is affected

Bile acid test to assess how well the liver is functioning

Abdominal x-rays to evaluate the liver

Abdominal ultrasound. This is a painless procedure in which a probe is held against the abdomen and is used to detect valuable information about the health of the liver.

Fine-needle aspirate of the liver. This technique allows for a small sample of liver cells to be obtained and evaluated.

Liver biopsy. Obtaining a biopsy specimen (a small piece of the liver) is the definitive test for making a diagnosis of hepatic lipidosis.

Treatment

Dietary therapy is the mainstay of treatment. Affected cats may need to be force fed, or fed through a tube in the nose, esophagus, or stomach. Hospitalization is usually required for the first few days. Treatment for hepatic lipidosis may also include some or all of the following:

Medication to control vomiting

Drugs that help control gastrointestinal bleeding for cats that develop stomach ulcers

Medications that help control the mental signs of hepatic lipidosis in severe cases

Blood transfusion if the impaired liver cannot normally regulate blood clotting

Appetite stimulants

Drugs to improve bile flow within the liver

Home Care and Prevention

Follow all feeding instructions very carefully, as dietary therapy is the most important aspect of therapy.

If a nasal, esophageal, or stomach feeding tube has been inserted, follow all instructions as to the care and maintenance of this tube, and report any problems to your veterinarian immediately.

Give all medications and dietary supplements as directed.

Although the actual cause of the disorder is unknown, obesity and anorexia have been noted to be associated with the onset of disease. Therefore avoid overfeeding your cat to prevent obesity and avoid stressful situations that may cause a cat to suddenly stop eating, such as the addition of a new pet or family member, or suddenly changing your cat's diet.

Section: Information In-depth

Hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) is a common disease of the feline liver in which abnormally large amounts of lipid (fat) accumulates within the cells of the liver. In other animals (humans, dogs, laboratory animals), lipid accumulation tends to be harmless, however, the cat's unique pathways of protein and fat metabolism cause lipid accumulation in the liver to have severe consequences. Any breed of cat may be affected, and both sexes seem to be affected equally. Middle aged to older cats are more susceptible than young cats.

Most, but not all, affected cats have a history of being obese, as well as a history of a sudden loss of appetite, often precipitated by a stressful event, such as a move to a new home, separation from an owner, a new pet or family member in the household, or a sudden switch to an unpalatable food. Anorexia, depression, and intermittent vomiting are the first signs usually noted by the cat owner. As liver function worsens, cats may develop jaundice (a yellow discoloration to the whites of the eyes, gums, and skin), severe loss of muscle mass, drooling, and signs of mental dysfunction (severe depression, sudden blindness, seizures). Cats often lose at least 25 percent of their body weight. The diagnostic tests recommended will help differentiate hepatic lipidosis from other liver diseases such as:

Cholangiohepatitis - an infection or inflammation of the liver and bile ducts

Feline infectious peritonitis - a deadly viral disease that can affect many organs, including the liver

Toxic liver disease - caused by ingestion of a drug or other harmful toxin

Liver cancer

Feline leukemia virus

Parasites - such as liver flukes (uncommon)

Section: Veterinary Care In-depth

Veterinary care should include diagnostic tests and subsequent treatment recommendations.

Diagnosis In-depth

There are a variety of diagnostic tests that may be run so that a diagnosis of hepatic lipidosis can be made. These tests may include:

Medical history review and complete physical exam. A history of obesity and sudden onset of anorexia after a stressful event is a classic finding in hepatic lipidosis. Physical exam usually reveals dehydration, severe weight loss, drooling and jaundice.

A complete blood count usually reveals mild anemia, and abnormally shaped red blood cells (known as poikilocytes), which are often an indicator of liver disease.

Blood tests that test organ function are especially important. Cats will usually have moderate to severe elevations of several liver parameters. A thyroid test is necessary to rule out a hyperactive thyroid as a cause of the liver enzyme elevations.

A bile acid test is a special blood test that may be necessary. It requires a blood sample after a 12 hour fast. The cat is then fed (force fed, if necessary), and another blood sample is taken two hours later. This simple test assesses the function of the liver.

Analysis of the urine may give information concerning the function of the liver.

X-rays of the abdomen allows assessment of the size and shape of the liver, and may help rule out a tumor as a cause of the liver problems.

Ultrasound of the abdomen allows limited assessment of the internal structure of the liver. It allows some assessment of the gall bladder and biliary system, and may rule out cancer as a cause of the liver disease. It may also help provide a method for obtaining a biopsy sample.

A fine-needle aspirate of the liver is a small sample of liver cells that are obtained by inserting a needle into the liver. This technique requires no or minimal sedation, and complications are extremely rare. Results must be interpreted cautiously, however, because concurrent liver diseases cannot be ruled out and may be missed.

A liver biopsy, in which a small sample of liver tissue is obtained, is the definitive test for diagnosing hepatic lipidosis. A biopsy specimen may be obtained surgically, or may be obtained using a special instrument that is inserted into the abdomen while being guided by the ultrasound probe. Surgical biopsies can be obtained by most veterinarians. Ultrasound-guided biopsies are often referral procedures.

Therapy In-depth

Therapy for hepatic lipidosis is aimed at reversing the accumulation of fat in the liver, and treating the signs of liver dysfunction. The primary treatment for reversing the fat accumulation is aggressive nutritional support.

Dietary therapy is the mainstay of treatment. High protein diets are usually recommended (except in cases where the cat is showing mental signs of liver disease). Because nearly all affected cats are completely anorectic, food is administered through a nasal, esophageal, or stomach tube. This requires hospitalization, and sedation or anesthesia.

Several dietary supplements such as carnitine or arginine may be beneficial in treating cats with hepatic lipidosis, and may be recommended or prescribed by your veterinarian.

Vomiting is a frequent finding in cats with hepatic lipidosis. Many cats require a medication to help control vomiting, such as metoclopramide, especially during the initial 1 or 2 weeks of tube feeding.

Some cats with liver disease develop ulcers and subsequent gastrointestinal bleeding. Drugs that control gastric acidity, such as Tagamet, Zantac or Pepcid, may be necessary to help control this. Carafate, a gastric protectant, may be used in conjunction with the antacids.

Antibiotics may be necessary in severe cases. They help kill off bacteria that produce harmful toxins that may lead to various mental manifestations of liver disease (drooling, depression, blindness, seizures).

Blood transfusions may be needed if the liver is so impaired that it cannot produce adequate clotting factors or cannot regulate the ability of the blood to clot properly.

Appetite stimulants (oxazepam, cyproheptadine) may be tried, but are seldom useful. They seem to work best in the recovery phase of the disease.

Ursodeoxycholic acid, a drug that improves bile flow within the liver, may be helpful in selected cases.

Section: Follow-Up

Optimal treatment for a cat with hepatic lipidosis requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Follow up can be critical, especially if your pet does not rapidly improve. With early detection and aggressive nutritional support, survival rates for hepatic lipidosis are 60 to 80 percent.

Administer all prescribed medications as directed. Alert your veterinarian if you are experiencing problems treating your pet.

Follow strict instructions concerning the care and management of any feeding tube that has been placed in your cat.

Follow strict feeding instructions in terms of the type of food, amount of food, and frequency of feeding, as dietary therapy is the most important aspect of therapy. As the cat improves, tube feeding should be decreased, and palatable food offered so as to encourage the cat to eat on his own. The tube is removed when the cat is voluntarily eating enough to meet his energy requirements.

Your cat should be re-examined every 3 to 7 days to have body weight, hydration status, and degree of jaundice evaluated.

A complete blood count, and a panel of blood tests evaluating the liver should be performed every one to two weeks during treatment.

Need a New Wingman? Adopt a Cat.

2011-11-07T09:20:00.000-08:00

Here's a great pro-cat adoption PSA by the Denver Dumb Friends League

Newborn Kitten Care - What To Expect

2011-11-07T09:04:00.000-08:00

Newborn kitten care is not complicated - all going well, the queen should be doing a fine job. However, it's best to be prepared and know what to expect.

The Early Days..

Initially, after the birth of the kittens, you will notice very rare activity from them. They sleep and they drink mothers' milk - that's it! The newborn kittens will not be frisky and jumping around - they'll be crawling just as far as their mothers' teats. You will notice a lot of mommy affection going on, the queen will be cleansing and nursing her kittens with great focus.

Both the mother and the kittens are weak during this period of time. The kittens are fragile with the eyes closed from birth and their ears folded down. It'll take some time before the kittens' eyes open - usually about 5-10 days and a few days after that before the kittens eyes open all the way. The eye coloring will be gray to begin with but the more personalized coloring will happen in about 3 months.

Kittens in Crisis

Cats are generally cracking mothers, rearing their young with a natural instinct. However, your work could come in if she chooses to reject one of the kittens. This does happen and although it is acknowledged that this should be the runt of the litter, this is not necessarily the case. Whatever the circumstance, you are now responsible for that forsaken kitten. It can also take place - not unusual - that all the kittens are left without sustenance if the cat has a health difficulty or is just merely not interested. This is when you are responsible for the entire litter with your newborn kitten care.

Feeding the kittens by hand can be achieved with a dropper or feeding bottle, which are the most effective methods and acceptable cats milk replication is out in the market at your vet, pet outlet or on the web. The common size of a kitten litter is more or less 5 so you might have your hands full.

Four weeks after birth, the kittens should start to show indications of baby teeth growth. It is at this instance you can start to feed them small portions of specific food for kittens. Make sure that you weigh the kittens on a regular basis to ensure that they are growing healthily.

The Fun Part

Newborn kitten care starts to be less intense after a short while. In the second month the real fun starts as the kittens begin to flex their instincts for play as they start to learn survival. Watching the kittens play will be an endless source of amusement for you although you will be troubled about the drapes and furniture as these become the kittens jungle gyms.

It is a rewarding experience having a litter of kittens around but sadly there will be a time that you have to say goodbye as you send them to first-class homes. This is by far the worst part of the procedure and it is challenging not to be attached to these playful balls of fur. If you have children, be mindful to remind them on every occasion you can that the kittens will have to depart one day. If not dealt with properly, this concluding procedure can become extremely upsetting.

Keep it simple and avoid over protective fretting. The kittens should be fine. If you are really concerned about them then call your vet for advice. Looking after a litter is not rocket science - your own maternal/paternal instincts will kick in and newborn kitten care will be a relative breeze.

Janice Honeyman is an animal lover with a passion for cats and dogs. Her site http://www.kitten-collars.com offers a fantastic resource for any information about kittens and cats. Go there now and take advantage of the information on offer, including all you need to know about kitten training and cat behavior.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Honeyman

Practicing Good Kitten Care

2011-11-06T16:44:00.000-08:00

Kitten care may be daunting for the first time kitty owner. There are a lot of associated factors to know about kitten care. Care can be merely about keeping an eye on the kittens but may also be more involved with bottle feeding (if the queen is not around) through to socializing your kitten. You will need to learn these things in order to raise your kitten effectively. Kitten care should be fun. You will notice that in the early days, your kitten is a totally helpless little thing to begin with.

With care, your kitten will grow into a strong, intelligent, and caring feline. Kittens will grow quickly and in those very first six weeks, they will develop the fastest during their entire lifespan. This particular phase is crucial. There are some things that you ought to not really do at this stage of the kitten's existence.

Diet is vital and certainly you should never feed the kitten just any food and especially, as some owners do, dog food! The food needs to be especially designed for a kitten with the essential nutrients and vitamins needed for good health and growth. The diet you give is an essential party of kitten care. Avoid giving your kitten any food off the plates or offering processed food that we humans eat - for example; tuna from a can.

If you want a social cat then try bonding with the kitten early on with lots of cuddles and love. Let the kitten experience the joy of human company early on and the chances are you will have a loving and sociable cat to enjoy. Obviously there are no guarantees with this as cats are cats and some plainly enjoy their own company but it is important to try and socialize the kitten as best you can.

When deciding on toys, make sure that you do not give your kitten stuff that it can easily choke on. Long bits of wool or string should be played with only under observation and never left alone with the kitten.

For teething purposes and fun for your kitty, consider getting a simple plastic straw that will be of endless amusement to the feline and a fantastic tool for the teething. There are some great kitten toys available from your pet store or online and these are made with thought to a kitten - avoiding the dangers of toxins in the materials or any parts that may shred and become a health issue.

Kitten care is not difficult and most of it really is about common sense. However, if you know you have kittens on the way from your now pregnant cat, best you get some more information and teach yourself some basic kitten care

To find out exactly how to be successful in kitten care, visit Janice's website http://kitten-collars.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Honeyman

Snow Leopard

2011-11-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

True Wild Life | Snow Leopard | The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia. Although sharing its name with the common leopard, the snow leopard is not believed to be closely related to the Leopard or the other members of the Pantherine group and is classified as the sole member of the genus Uncia uncia. The classification of this species has been subject to change and its exact taxonomic position will not be resolved until further studies are conducted.

Snow leopards live between 3,000 and 5,500 metres above sea level in the rocky mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. Their secretive nature means that their exact numbers are unknown, but it has been estimated that between 3,500 and 7,000 snow leopards exist in the wild and between 600 and 700 in zoos worldwide.

Snow leopards are carnivores and actively hunt their prey, though, like all cats, they are opportunistic feeders, eating whatever meat they can find, including carrion and domestic livestock. The Snow Leopard eats goats, sheep, rabbits and birds. It can catch prey over 3 times its own weight!

At one time, the Snow Leopard was nearly hunted into disappearance for its fur. Its rare, beautiful fur could sell for a very high price. Now, conservation actions, for the Snow Leopard's numbers are slowly becoming popular. Sadly, the hunters kill the leopard for its fur, and some leopards are killed by people to protect domestic goats.

Iberian Lynx

2011-11-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

True Wild Life | Iberian Lynx | The Iberian lynx also known as Spanish lynx is a critically endangered species native to the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe. It is one of the most endangered cat species in the world. The species used to be classified as a subspecies of the Eurasian Lynx, but is now considered a separate species. Both species occurred together in central Europe in the Pleistocene epoch, being separated by habitat choice. Iberian lynx resembles other species of lynx, with a short tail, tufted ears and a ruff of fur beneath the chin. Iberian lynx has leopard-like spots with a coat that is often light grey or various shades of light brownish-yellow. The coat is also noticeably shorter than in other lynxes, which are typically adapted to colder environments.

In spite of its strong resemblance to the Eurasian Lynx, the Iberian Lynx has a smaller body and the facial features of a house cat. Iberian lynx typically hunts smaller animals, usually no larger than hares. It also differs in habitat choice, with Iberian lynx inhabiting open scrub and Eurasian lynx inhabiting forests.

The Iberian Lynx must really like rabbit because it accounts for an amazing 80% of their diet. They also eat young deer and duck. At one time, rabbits disappeared due to an epidemic outbreak and the number of Iberian Lynx plummeted. This is because rabbits are its main food. Today, development continues to destroy forest environments and could trigger another decline in rabbits. If that happens, it will cause irreparable damage to the already scarce population of Iberian Lynx.

There are only a few forests in Spain and Portugal where the remaining Iberian Lynx live, making them one of the most critically endangered species of the Felidae family. Forest development is one of the main reasons they have become so rare. Their habitat has diminished and they live sporadically due to roads and towns being built in the forest. Further damage comes from poachers who continue to violate bans on their hunting.

Ryukyu Tip-Nosed Frog

2011-11-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

True Wild Life | Ryukyu Tip-Nosed Frog | The Ryukyu Tip-Nosed Frog is a species of frog in the Ranidae family. It is endemic to Japan. Ryukyu Tip-Nosed Frogs only live in the northern main island of Okinawa. Not like the other frogs, Ryukyu Tip-Nosed Frogs have nostrils at the tip of their faces. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss. Ryukyu Tip-Nosed Frogs enjoy eating small bugs or centipedes, and some shellfishes on the land.

Now, the forests that Ryukyu Tip-Nosed Frogs need for living became smaller because people cut down trees to build dams and roads. Many people come to see rare Ryukyu Tip-Nosed Frogs with their own eyes, but their visits hurt the environment. Exotic animals in Okinawa can adapt to the changes in nature. But they are not comfortable living with dams or roads, and being gazed by humans.

Cat Care - Cat Sitter Tips

2011-11-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

One of the big advantages of having a cat rather than a dog is that if you have to go away for any period of time you can leave your cat at home. This does not mean abandoning it completely but you can ask someone, a relative, friend or neighbour to look after your cat whilst you are away. The important thing when looking for a cat sitter you need to ensure it is someone who is reliable and that you can trust.

Ideally your cat sitter should be someone that both you and your cat know already. What you are looking for is someone who can turn up at your house at regular times to feed the cat and perhaps spend a little time fussing your pet. If a cat is left on its own for a long period of time it will get bored so if your sitter is prepared to spend some time petting and playing with it that is good. If you have more than one or two cats then you might consider trying to get someone who is prepared to "live in" whilst you are away.

No matter how well you brief your cat sitter it is a good idea to leave some written instructions. If you have more than one cat you should leave descriptions of the cats and their names and details of any special diets or medication. It is a good idea also to leave your contact phone number and that of your vets just in case there are any problems.

You need to make sure that the cat sitter knows where the cat food is kept and the amount and how often to feed the cat. It is also a good idea to leave a few treats that the sitter can give to the cat now and again. If your cat has any particular hiding places you should make the cat sitter aware of these because it is important that the sitter actually sees the cat when they visit to feed them.

Dependent upon how well you know your vet you may want to make arrangements with him that should your cat need treatment whilst you are away that you will settle the account on your return. Alternatively you may leave some money with the sitter for this eventuality.

In my experience a cat is happier when left in its own home during their owners absence. Catteries offer an excellent service and in some cases there is no alternative than this. However, wherever possible having a cat sitter is a much better option.

Dave has been writing articles for over 2 years. Come over and visit his latest web site at http://www.surveillancecamerasystemguide.com which helps people find the best surveillance camera systems and information that could help you with your security projects.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D_J_Bromley

Top 5 Healthy Cat Treats

2011-11-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Healthy Cat Treats

Don’t serve up tricks, just treats that your cat can eat for health this holiday and beyond.

By Arnold Plotnick, DVM Posted on Catchannel.com

The best treats serve two purposes: tasty reward and healthy supplement.

Cats require a nutritionally complete and balanced diet to live an active, healthy life. Life is meant to be enjoyed, however, and every now and then it’s OK to toss your cat a tasty treat.

Not all cat treats are the equivalent of kitty candy. Some “treats” are actually beneficial for cats and are almost on par with giving medication. Here’s my list of five “treats” that can make your cat happy and healthy.

1. Dental Treats - Dental problems are the most common disease that we see in cats. They can lead to bad breath, swollen and bleeding gums, loose teeth, oral pain and difficulty eating.

Periodontal disease is very common in cats. Untreated, it can lead to oral pain, abscess formation, osteomyelitis (bone infection) and tooth loss. Oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream through diseased oral tissues, affecting other organs as well, most notably the heart valves and kidneys. Treatment of periodontal disease requires professional cleaning under general anesthesia. The plaque and calculus are removed, and the root surfaces are cleaned.

Prevent advanced periodontal disease with early detection and treatment. Home care is essential after professional cleaning, and that includes brushing and — you guessed it — cat dental treats! Most cats aren’t too crazy about having their teeth brushed, but tartar-control treats seem to be popular with many cats. Cat owners who regularly give their cats treats should consider using crunchy tartar-control treats over the softer treats, especially for cats prone to dental disease.

2. Hairball Remedies - Hairballs are a constant problem for cats (and cat owners). The most important part of hairball prevention is to brush your cat regularly and to remove as much loose hair from the coat as possible. Get your cat used to being handled and brushed regularly while he is a kitten.

If cat hairballs become a problem despite diligent brushing, other deterrents include feeding specially formulated hairball diets, administering the brown gooey oral hairball remedies from pet stores and veterinary offices or handing out some crunchy hairball treats with the gooey hairball gel in the center. Many cats love the gel and/or the gel-filled treat, and it’s a great way to reward your cat and prevent hairballs at the same time.

3. Heartworm Preventatives - Heartworm disease has been a major concern for dog owners for the last few decades. For cat owners, however, heartworm disease barely registers a blip on our radar screen, with most cat owners wrongly assuming that cats aren’t susceptible to the disease. In fact, feline heartworm disease (FHD), although relatively uncommon, is a serious and potentially fatal disease in cats. Fortunately, the disease is entirely and easily preventable.

Some FDA-approved drugs are marketed for monthly use in cats. One very popular formulation (Heartgard for Cats) is a chewable treat! Because the consequences of cat heartworm disease are potentially dire and treatment options are limited, give monthly preventatives to cats living in endemic areas. Remember, even if your cat goes crazy over the taste, you can only give the treat once a month.

4. Lysine - Upper respiratory infections are very common in cats, most frequently caused by the feline herpes virus. Lysine is an amino acid that many believe speeds the resolution of herpes virus infections, and is recommended for cats with clinical signs of herpes virus.

Lysine tablets are quite large and are difficult to administer to cats. Crushing them and hiding them in the food is fine, if the cat will take it that way, but easier options exist these days. A variety of veterinary preparations of lysine now available include powders, pastes and … crunchy lysine treats! Each treat contains 50 mg of lysine, which means a typical cat can get five treats twice daily. Ten treats a day, prescribed by a veterinarian — Not bad! Bear in mind that herpes viruses stay in the body forever and during times of stress the virus may re-emerge from dormancy and cause recurrence of the upper respiratory symptoms. Keeping cats current on their vaccination status should help reduce the severity of the upper respiratory infections.

5. Glucosamine and Chondroitin - Arthritis is common in cats, especially elderly cats. The hips and elbows are the most commonly affected joints. The most obvious signs would be lameness and stiffness when walking or an inability to jump well, however, other more subtle signs may exist, such as urinating defecating outside the litterbox because arthritis makes it difficult to step into or crouch in the litterbox. Hair matting or an unkempt coat might appear because arthritis in the spine can make it difficult to properly to groom.

One way to help relieve the discomfort of arthritis is to give glucosamine and chondroitin, the same supplements humans use for arthritis. This supplement comes in several forms. A popular form is a capsule containing a chicken-flavored powder. Most cats enjoy the taste and regard it as a treat. It’s an easy way to administer glucosamine and chondroitin. Cats who fail to respond may require stronger medication, such as anti-inflammatory drugs.

So there is a tasty way to stay healthy. Take these five treats and enjoy them in good health!

Black Leopard Animal

2011-11-03T22:23:00.000-07:00

Black Leaopard wallpaper

Wild Animal Pictures

Black Leopard

Panther or Black Leopard Animal Wallpapers

Panther/Black Leopard

2011-11-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

Panther is one of the big cats when its existence is endangered. This is probably one of the most aggressive animals and most feared in the world. Panther is very rarely seen in the wild, this is because it is always hidden and the population that is very rare. The ability to hide in the shadows of woods and forests make it a highly effective predator. Black Panther has a feather really do not actually have black spots, because the black panther can be more appropriately called Black Leopard, because its existence is always in the shadows of the forest so dark panther spots disguised.

Leopards are from the East and South Asia and Africa, the leopard populations are now confined to sub-Saharan Africa, with fragmented populations across India, Pakistan, Indochina, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and into Tibet.
There are four types of big cats in the Panthera genus. Three others, including tigers, lions and panthers. Leopard / panther has a relatively short legs in terms of other members of the family of big cats, as well as a long body and large skull. Similar in appearance to the jaguar, it is smaller and has a slightly larger build.

Leopard has the ability to climb a very powerful, even capable of carrying the weight of their prey up the tree, and it is well known for its stealth capabilities - it is no wonder that these big cats have survived in the wild. Leaopard have an average life span of 12 years in the wild. But they can be up to 20 years in captivity. Leopard is able to adapt to both warm and cold climates, leopards are usually found in areas containing dense bushes with rocky environment, beside a forest stream. This is the adaptation of a leopard that has led to a temporary habitat for the survival of the species' destroyed by the expanding settlements. Nocturnal by nature, leopards resting in trees or thick bush during the day.

Endangered leopard status: According to the U.S. Endangered Species Act, African leopards are listed as "Threatened" in South Africa and "Rare" for the rest of the continent of Africa and in Asia. All leopards are listed as "Near Threatened" by the World Conservation Union, international trade is prohibited leopard.

Blog 13: Reflection for the Food Unit

2011-11-03T08:16:00.000-07:00

For this blog entry please look back over your work for the Food Unit. These include

Blogs 9-12
Your response to the "XXXL: Why Are We So Fat?" Google Group,
Your evaluations of two CATs for other students
Your reading of the student responses to "Hype"
Your response to CAT 3
any revisions you have made to previous blog entries.

In your first paragraph, discuss how the content of the food unit connects to previous texts ("The Allegory of the Cave," The Truman Show, The Matrix, "Red Pill or Blue Pill?" etc.) and to the main theme of this class, as expressed in the subtitle of my blog, Brave New World: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad."

Examples of ideas to explore for this section of the reflection: Why do you think the makers of The Meatrix films used The Matrix as the basis for their arguments? What possible connections could the food industry have to the ideas in The Matrix and, by association, the themes of this course? Or: How do the readings in "XXXL" reveal a system of control through food?

In your second paragraph, explain what tasks from the six-item list above you have done well and what needs improvement. What challenges are you facing? What do you think you need to know right now to move ahead? What can you say about your response to CAT-W #3?

Please write 400+ words reflecting on your experience and work in this third unit, giving specific evidence from your blog entries, work in Google Groups, and evaluation of two student responses to CAT #2. My feedback for the Food Unit will be a response to this reflection.

Cutest Kittens ever

2011-11-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

CAT Practice # 3

2011-11-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

From I Can Has Cheezburger?

A. Preparing for the Test

We will watch two short films from Supersize Me, where Morgan Spurlock experiences the consequences of a diet of McDonald's food for one month.

The first is a seven-minute version of the film HERE.
The second a Special Feature called "The Smoking Fry" HERE.

B. Practice Test #3

You will have one hour and thirty minutes to write a practice CAT by hand. You may use a paper dictionary only. Cell phones must be off. You cannot talk to each other, ask me any questions, or get up once the exam has begun. I will call time after 30 minutes, 1 hour, 1 hour and fifteen minutes, and when there are 5 minutes left to help you with the pacing.

If I were you, I would take the full hour and thirty minutes to complete the test!

C. Cross-Evaluating CAT Practice # 3
Please read a classmate's response, circling the scores that you judge s/he got in each category. Double circle the one category that s/he should work on most urgently.

HOMEWORK

Finish all work for the Food Unit. See "Evaluation of the Food Unit" on the top right for details.
Review student responses to "Hype," ranked from Score 6 to Score 1 HERE. For the "Hype" reading, see HERE.

The Evaluation of the Food Unit will be Tuesday, November 8 starting at 9:00am.

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 7

2011-11-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 7 (continued from Day 6)
Dr. Arnold Plotnick

(click pictures to enlarge)

Tuesday

It’s our last day in Istanbul. Sigh.

When I booked the flight, I had originally planned on takingthe 11:00 a.m. flight, bringing us back into NYC at 2:30 p.m. Instead, accidentally, I booked the 5:15 p.m. flight. Once I did this, it was too late to switchwithout paying a substantial penalty. SoI kept the 5:15 flight. This flight would arrive in NYC at 9:00 p.m,and by the time we got home it would be 10:30 or 11:00. Having to work the next day, it wouldn’t give much time at all forunwinding or unpacking. As it turns out,I’m glad I did it this way, because we didn’t have to catch the shuttle to theairport until 1:00, giving us a half day of sightseeing.

I woke up early and took one final look out the hotelwindow.

First thing I see is a kitty across the street. This should be a good omen for the rest ofthe day.

Our goal today was to see the Quincentennial Museum ofTurkish Jews. The museum is located notfar from the Galata Tower, so we took the same route that we took a few daysago, starting with our beloved Istiklal Street. This time, however, we were seeing IstiklalStreet early in the morning before the swarms arrive. It’s that nice time of the morning, when shopowners are just opening and laying out their fruits and fish and other waresfor the day.

As we strolled down the street, we took a little detour downan interesting side street, and at the end of the street was a gate, behindwhich was a courtyard for some old building. I don’t know what type of building it was, but I tell you, I hit thekitty cat jackpot! There were TONS ofcats in this courtyard. Take a look foryourself!

All shapes, all sizes, all colors. All looking pretty well-fed.

You can see I’m enjoying myself.

All of them were really sweet. I’m sure they werelooking for food, but I prefer to think that I just have this type of animal magnetism.

One last look at thekitty crew, and then we’ll move on:

We finally found the entrance to the Quincentennial Museumof Turkish Jews. In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel of Spain orderedtheir Sephardic Jewish population to accept the Christian faith, or leave and“dare not return”. The Ottoman sultanBeyazit Han was the only monarch of th time who extended an invitation to takein these refugees. Jewish people remaina vibrant part of Turkey’s cultural mosaic. This museum, founded 500 years (hence “quincentennial”) after theSpanish expulsion, commemorates those first Sephardic Jews who found a new homehere. The museum is housed in aninactive early 19^th-century synagogue, and displays items donated bythe local Jewish community.

After the museum, walked around in search of the Camondostaircase. This is a short, curvaceousdouble staircase leading up from Voyvoda Street, the historic banking hub. It was build by Avram Camondo, a leading merchant in the Jewishcommunity and head of the prosperous Camondo family. He was the first foreigner given the right tohave real estate in the Ottoman Empire. He built this much-used staircase in the 19^th –century as amark of his gratitude, and also to ease the uphill journey to the family’s homewhen their baby Moise was born in 1860. I checked my map, and found the staircase.

I climbed up and got a good picture from above, lookingdown.

We continued the Jewish history tour with a quick visit tothe Schneidertempel Art Gallery. Builtin 1894 as one of the city’s few Ashkenazi synagogues, this well-restoredbuilding holds temporary exhibitions relating to Jewish life and culture. The most striking feature is the simple Starof David stained-glass window, above the area which used to be the ark (theornamental closet that contained the Torah scrolls). “Nophotos allowed”, the sign said, but you know how I feel about that silly rule.

After the gallery, we strolled back slowly to the hotel,lingering over souvenir shops. There wasa nice looking hotel on the street we were walking, with a cat (wearing acollar) sitting on the step outside, observing the world go by.

We headed back to Istiklal Street, then to our hotelnearby. Here are the last cat photos Itook on the trip. First, this littlegray kitty watching the woman in the shop prepare for the lunchtime rush. I’m sure he thinks he’s gonna grab some lunchthere, too.

As we passed the high school, I spotted these cats in thefront courtyard. Someone had just tosseddown a huge handful of kibble.

Here’s another of the high school cats

We got back to the hotel, grabbed our bags, and headed overto Taksim Square where we caught our shuttle bus to the airport.

Istanbul. It’s thehistorical, cultural and financial center of Turkey, and it’s onne of theworld’s most dynamic cities. It’s thecrossroads of civilizations where Europe meets Asia and where East meets West. Greatfood, great shopping, great people, and as you know by now, a city teeming with friendly, sweet,well-cared for cats. I had the time ofmy life. I hope you’ve enjoyed readingabout my trip and seeing all the cats I met while I was there.

The Istanbul, Turkey Stray Cat Adventure:
Day 1 Day 2 pt1   Day 2 pt2   Day 3 pt1   Day 3 pt2   Day 4 pt1   Day 4 pt2   Day 5 pt1
Day 5 pt2   Day 6   Day 7

Other Dr. Plotnick adventures: Amsterdam   Vienna   Budapest   Bangkok (coming soon)

CAT Evaluation and Manufactured Demand

2011-11-01T05:37:00.000-07:00

From Skews Me

A. Evaluating Responses to CAT 2

You will have 40 minutes to evaluate two responses to the CAT 2

The list of students to evaluate is HERE.
The format for the evaluation is HERE.

B. Writing Blog 11: Manufactured Demand
You will have 1 hour and twenty minutes to watch and compose a multi-paragraph 250+ word blog entry on ONE myth about water consumption that you think was fully debunked (effectively argued against) by The Story of Bottled Water.

Watch the film HERE or on YouTube HERE or on Vimeo HERE
Read about the myths HERE. Choose ONE myth to write about.

Format for the blog entry:

Paragraph 1: Describe the myth and the most convincing argument(s) against it in your own words.
Paragraph 2: Explain what YOU may be able to do to help debunk this myth further.

A summary of the film from their website:

[It is] the story of "manufactured demand"---how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows from the tap. Over seven minutes, the film explores the bottled water industry’s attacks on tap water and its use of seductive, environmental-themed advertising to cover up the mountains of plastic waste it produces. The film concludes with a call to "take back the tap," not only by making a personal commitment to avoid bottled water, but by supporting investments in clean, available tap water for all.

Photo for the cover of In Defense of Food

From Dane 101.com

C. Writing Blog 12: “Happy Meals”

You will have 1 hour to read and write a blog responding to "Happy Meals."

Read “Happy Meals” on page 29 of the packet.
Annotate the reading indicating which ideas you think are “do-able,” “possible,” “very hard to do,” or “almost impossible” for you or your family.
Write a multi-paragraph 250+ word blog entry addressing each idea in turn (there are 8 ideas) explaining how each idea does or does not work for you and/or your family.

HOMEWORK: Finish Blogs 9 (parts I-II), 10, 11, 12.

NEXT CLASS: CAT Practice 3; Be on time!

The Evaluation of the Food Unit will be TUESDAY, November 8 at 9 am. (NO CLASS that day).

Crazy Cute and Funny Cats

2011-11-01T05:13:00.000-07:00

Cat Sitter Tips

2011-10-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

There will be times in your life when you have to leave home, and you can't always take your cat with you, no matter how well behaved he or she may be. If you must travel out of town, make sure that your cat's health will be in good hands while you are gone. You'll need a cat sitter. Make sure that you leave the sitter with as much information about your cats as possible so that you can rest assured that they are safe and healthy.

In the best-case scenario, your cat sitter will be someone you already know. Neighborhood teens make good cat sitters, as do relatives. You can also call a pet sitting company if you don't have anyone else in mind. Whoever takes care of your cats, make sure they are trustworthy and will show up at your house every single day at the correct times. If you have multiple cats or other pets, or if you will be gone for over a week, it may be a good idea to have someone you trust house sit and stay overnight in your home.

Before you leave, create an easy-to-read sheet of important information. Start by listing your cats-include their names, fur color, special diet and medications, likes and dislikes, and favorite hiding places. You should also include step-by-step detailed instructions for cat care and the numbers for you and for your vet. Also, notify your vet the name of the person who will be bringing your pet in for emergency care.

Make sure that everything needed to care for your cat is out in the open and easy to use. For example, don't forget to leave a can opener out for your cat sitter! If any of your cats fall ill or are injured, your cat sitter will need to call a vet and possibly even take your cat to the vet's office. Have the phone in an easy-to-locate place and leave cat carriers by the door. Also make sure that all cleaning supplies are easy for your cat sitter to find, including litter box materials.

If any of your cats need vet care, you will have to pay the vet bills, of course. Leave a $20 bill (or more if you'll be gone longer) for your cat sitter to specifically be used for the cats. Call your vet to alert him or her that you will be out of town. Give your vet your credit card number, the phone number where you can be reached, and the name of your cat sitter, with the assertion that he or she will act in your place until you return home.

Following these guidelines, you will be able to enjoy your vacation and know that your precious babies are being well taken care of.

Florence Lilly writes articles on a variety of subjects, including health and fitness, money advice, dating tips, animals and pets, medical advice, crafts and hobbies, real estate and travel. She also owns a website where you can find products and software you can really use. For more information, go to her website at: [http://www.lillybizweb.com]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Florence_Lilly

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 6

2011-10-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 6 (continued from Day 5 part 2)
Dr. Arnold Plotnick

(click pictures to enlarge)

Monday

Monday wasour last full day in Istanbul. Today, the plan is to take a cruise up theBosphorus. Anyone who’s read OrhanPamuk’s book, “Istanbul” knows the importancethe Bosphorus Straitplays in the lives of the people of Istanbul. The 19 mile-long Bosphorus serves as Istanbul’s main highway,hosting a never-ending stream of vessels, from little fishing boats tohumungous oil tankers to luxury cruise ships. It’s one of the busiest waterways in the world. It’s the only outlet to the Mediterranean forRussia, and the only routeto any sea for other countries on the Black Sea, like Romania, Bulgaria,Ukraine, and Georgia. The Bosphorus separates two continents –Europe and Asia. It connects the Black Sea in the north withthe Sea of Marmara and (eventually) the Mediterraneanin the south. The Turks view theBosphorus as much more than just a body of water. It’s a sacred inheritance. The locals are very content to just sit forhours on a bench that overlooks the Bosphorus and watch the boats go by. I crossed the Bosphorus when I headed over to Uskudar. A 13 minute ferry ride, however, is no way toexperience the strait. Today, we have a90 minute cruise up the 19-mile waterway, and I’m excited.

The publicferry, which leaves from the Old Town side of the Golden Horn,departs every day at 10:35 a.m. Toensure a good seat on the left (European side) of the boat, we got to the ferrydock early. Maybe a little tooearly. So, with a bit of time to kill,we crossed over to the Spice Market area and grabbed a pastry and sometea. The vendors outside the spicemarket were just setting up their stands. I noticed in a planter nearby, a cute young cat poking about. This cat had a red collar on, which I supposeindicated that she was being looked after by someone.

About a minute after I took this photo, a vendor from one of the stands nearby came over and gave the cat a small fish. A woman came over soon after and admired thekitty, so much so that she picked it up and had her husband take a photo of herwith his cell phone camera.

We headed back to the ferry dock, purchased our tickets, andthen lined up to board the ferry. Wemade a mad dash to the upper deck of the boat and secured ourselves a greatseat and watched the attractions as theyfloated by.

The water was deep blue, the sky was clear, the weather waswarm. It was perfect.

Our little section of the ferry contained eight seats. Mark and I sat across from each other on therailing. We met, sitting next to us, acouple from Canada,Bill and Jane. Next to Jane were acouple from Los Angeles, and across from themwere a Vietnamese couple from Houston, Texas. During the course of the trip, we all did alittle chatting, and ended up getting along very well. Jane was impressed with my Rick Steve’sguidebook, which described in detail the various buildings and sites along bothshores. She and I teamed up to identifythem all as we sailed past them, so we could point them out to Bill and Mark,who would then take the photos.

As the ferry pulled away, we saw Hagia Sophia, TopkapiPalace, the Blue Mosque, the Istanbul Modern Arts Museum, Dolmabahce Palace,Ciragan Palace, the Ortakoy Mosque, Kuleli, the Cape of Kandilli, and theEgyptian Consulate, to name a few. Describing all of the important mosques, forts and other structures would fillanother ten blog posts. Needless to say,there were many, and it was both entertaining and educational.

We arrived at our destination, Anadolu Kavagi, a smallfishing village on the Asian side. FromByzantine times to the present, this has been a strategic checkpoint forvessels going through the Bosphorus. Inthis little village, the ferry takes a break and docks for about three hours.

(Note the little kitty sitting by the dock. I hadn’t actually noticed this until Iinserted the photo into the blog.)

There are two main activities you can do in town: eat lunch,or hike up to Yoros Castle. For cruises that stop in town for just twohours, you can either do one or the other. For cruises that stop for three hours, you can probably do both. So that’s what we did. Bill and Jane asked if they could come alongwith us, and we were happy to have the company. We decided to hike to the castle first, and eat afterward. YorosCastle is a little run down and ithardly reflects the glory of its past, but it does afford fine views over theBosphorus and to the Black Sea. The hike to the castle is a strenuous 20minute climb. Before starting, westopped for refreshments, to take with us on the climb up. Outside the little grocery, I spotted a kittysleeping snugly in a planter.

As we climbed, we encountered a sign that signaled ashortcut up to the top. We took thispath, which very cleverly diverted you through a few restaurants. Although we had the castle as our ultimatedestination, it was tough to avoid giving into temptation and stopping forlunch, given the spectacular views at this height:

We finally reached Yoros Castle,at the top of the hill. You can’t gointo the castle, but it makes for a pretty nice photo

And the views arepretty amazing. Check out this lovelyview of the Black Sea

The walk down was certainly much easier. We arrived back near the ferry port, where there were a million restaurantscatering to cruise passengers, both international tourists and Istanbulresidents who come up here for a nice meal on weekends. Mark, Bill, Jane and I found a cute place ablock or two from the ferry dock and ordered a nice meal. My meal arrived, and I suddenly felt like Iwas being watched. I was.

We headed back to the dock, where people were lining up toget on the boat. The plan was to sit onthe left side of the boat again, so that this time, we’d have a nice view ofthe Asian side on the way back. Wesnagged a nice spot on the upper deck. We didn’t see the two other couples while we were in the fishingvillage, or on the ferry dock going back, but we decided to save seats for themfor the ride back. They had no idea wewere doing this, were pleasantly surprised to discover that we had arranged forthe eight of us to all ride back together. Steve, from Houston,is Vietnamese, and so is his wife, Kim. When Kim found out that Mark was also Vietnamese, she sidled up to himand started chatting, and before you knew it, they were yakking away likebrother and sister.

We arrived back in the Old Town,where we all exchanged e-mail addresses so that we could keep in touch andshare photos of the cruise with one another. (That’s Bill, Mark, Steve, and Kim on the ferry.)

With this being our last full night Istanbul, we wanted to spend it by doing somethingreally authentically Turkish. Weconsidered going to a hammam (Turkish bath), but we decided instead to spendthe evening doing what many locals do: smoke a water pipe, drink tea, and playbackgammon.

The water pipe,called a nargile (nahr-ghee-leh) (butalso known as a “hookah” or “super-enormous bong”) is a Turkish tradition. Evennon-smokers enjoy these things. Smokinga nargile is not about the smoke; it’s about the relaxing social ritual. The water pipes you see in Istanbul aren’t for smoking pot. Instead, they use low-nicotine tobaccoleaves, mixed with things like dried fruit or herbs. This fruit-infused tobacco contains zeronicotine and give you no buzz at all, but the rich taste and aroma makes it alot of fun. We had noted, on the daythat we went to the modern art museum (Istanbul Modern) that nearby was anentire row of nargile cafés, filled with young people watching football on TVwhile playing backgammon and smoking the water pipe. So we decided to head back to that area andsee if we could find a nice place to spend the evening. The cafés were a bit of a distance from thehotel, but we decided to walk, as it would take us through parts of Istanbul that we hadn’tseen.

The neighborhood we walked through was in the New District,which most people don’t explore much, because most of the touristy sites are inthe Old Town. There were lots of cool shops and restaurants with outdoor seating. Everyone seemed happy and relaxed. The streets were lit nicely by the streetlamps. It was a nice atmosphere. While walking, I did spot some cutecats. Like this one sitting on thisscooter:

And this one sitting on a cushion outside of a shop selling clothing and knick-knacks:

We finally got to the nargile cafés. The proprietors see you looking at the cafés,and they try to wave you into their particular establishment. We eventually found one at the end of the rowthat looked popular and fun. We orderedup the pipe, asked for apple tobacco (the most popular flavor, I’m told), sometea, and a backgammon set.

A brief wordabout tea. Tea is more common amongst Turks thancoffee. It is grown locally along the Black Sea coastline. The Turks drink it out of these little weird shaped glasses. Theglasses don’t hold much tea, but that doesn’t seem to matter to them. They take tiny sips and make the tea last along time; it’s more of a social ritual than anything else. So we added tea to our evening’sfestivities. And finally, backgammon.

Backgammon has been around for thousands of years. The gameis originally Persian, and Turks still refer to it by its Persian name,tavla. Everyone in Turkey seems toknow how to play. Some of the socialconventions are interesting. A man canchallenge anyone anywhere, but it’sconsidered inappropriate for a solo woman to challenge a man in a traditionalcoffee shop where most or all of the clientele are male. It’s okay for a woman to challenge men ifshe’s traveling with a group that includes men, or even on her own if she’s ina mixed-gender coffee shop in the modern part of the city, like where we were.

So here I am, with my tea, backgammon, and hubbly-bubbly.

You can see that I was not alone; the place was packed. I guess there was an important football gameon, because most of the crowd was glued to the set.

It wasn’t only human companionship that we had surroundingus that night. A cute black and whitekitty strolled by our table in thecorner. Before you knew it….

So, I’m in Istanbul,with my partner, drinking tea, playing backgammon, smoking a water pipe, with a friendly cat on my lap. Does life get any better than this?

It does:

Good night!

The Istanbul, Turkey Stray Cat Adventure:
Day 1 Day 2 pt1   Day 2 pt2   Day 3 pt1   Day 3 pt2   Day 4 pt1   Day 4 pt2   Day 5 pt1
Day 5 pt2   Day 6   Day 7

Other Dr. Plotnick adventures: Amsterdam   Vienna   Budapest   Bangkok (coming soon)

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 5, Part 2

2011-10-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 5, part 2 (continued from Day 5 part 1)

Dr. Arnold Plotnick
(click pictures to enlarge)

Our goal was the Cinili Mosque, also known as the Tiled Mosque, namedfor the amazing tilework inside. Westarted our climb, through the streetsof this very working class neighborhood. The incline was very steep, andwe were getting pretty tired. Off to ourright, high up on the hilltop, I spotted what I thought was the TiledMosque. It actually turned out to be theAtik Valide Mosque, Sinan’s last great work and the most important Ottomanmonument in Uskudar. Built in 1571 and dedicatedto Sultana Nur Banu, the mother of MuradIII and wife of Selim II, the mosque wasimpressive, and had a great courtyard that opened onto a prayer hall adornedwith delicate black, red and gold frescoes.

After leaving this mosque, we headed back to the main road, and then continued ourclimb until we reached our destination:the Cinili or Tiled Mosque. This tinymosque is adorned with Iznik tiles and an ornate chandelier. The mosque dates back to 1640. The tiles inside were really something.

This is a relatively quiet neighborhood mosque. I think Mark and I were the only touristspresent. A caretaker noticed me takingpictures with my camera, and he called me aside and showed me this tiny spiralstaircase that lead to an upstairs balcony. Up here, I had an even better view of the mosque and the stunning tiles.

I didn’t see many cats around the grounds of the Tiled Mosque, although I did see thiscute little kitten as we were leaving:

We headed back downhill after the Tiled Mosque. We considered stopping at the Karaca Ahmet Cemetery, one of the largestMuslim cemeteries in the Orient, but decided to head back, take the ferry backto the European side, and check out Istanbul Modern, a contemporary art museumthat opened in 2004. I love modern art, and this was a really great museum. It’s the only museum in Istanbuldedicated to the works of contemporary Turkish artists. The museum is located in a warehouse by thewater.

I lovetaking photos when I travel, as you can see. It really bugs me when a tourist site has a “no photos” policy. I can understand not allowing photos during areligious service, or no flash photography because they think the flash somehowdamages the artwork. But when a museumhas an across-the-board no photo policy for no apparent reason, well, it bringsout the rebel in me. Istanbul Modern hasa strict no-photo policy. So, my dearreaders, enjoy an illicit photo taken inside the museum.

Am I a badass or what?

The day’s agenda was coming to an end. As for our evening plans, I had somethingspecial on tap. About a month before ourflight, after a little online research, I went online and reserved two ticketsto see a whirling dervish ceremony.

For those of you who have heard the term “whirling dervish”,but never knew exactly what it means, here’s the scoop. In the 13^th century, a Muslimmystic named Rumi began to incorporate “whirling” meditation into histeaching. He believed that a dervish (amember of any of a number of Muslim ascetic orders), spinning in a circle,becomes part of the universal harmony. By whirling, the dervish becomes one with the creator and thecreated. I wanted to see this, but I wasinsistent on avoiding the touristy, fake “performances” that about in many of Istanbul’stheaters and restaurants. I wanted tosee an authentic religious ceremony, if possible. I ended up not seeing an actual ceremony,but I did see real dervishes, and I watched them spin to beautiful Sufi musicperformed live at the hall where the ceremony took place.

The music hall was located downhill from Topkapi Palacealong the edge of the Bosphorus. Walkingthere was enjoyable, as we trekked through streets that alternated betweentouristy and authentic. On all of these streets, cats were plentiful.

We got to the dervish hall a half hour early, but that wasgood, because the place was filling up fast, and it was open seating. Fortunately, we secured ourselves seats in the second row. The show started with a seven piece orchestraplaying traditional Sufi music. Then thedervishes entered the hall, and about a minute into the next song, they started whirling.

After the dervish ceremony, we trudged back up the hill, back to Topkapi Palace,and then back to the Sultanahmet tram station. Before we got to the station, we had to walk through Sultanahmet Park,and at this time of the evening, we were treated to an awesome sight: the BlueMosque, lit at night, beyond the colorful fountain in the park. Not too shabby.

With this view still in our minds, we headed back to the NewDistrict, found our favorite buffet restaurant on Istiklal Street, loaded upour trays, stuffed our faces, and then headed back to the hotel to call it anight.

"XXXL: Why Are We So Fat?" & CAT Revision

2011-10-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

From DevelopmentCrossing.com

A. Advanced Claims, Reasons, and Evidence

You will have approximately 1 hour to complete this exercise. Read the WHOLE document before beginning your work HERE.

B. Blog 10: Revision of CAT Practice #2

Once you get your CAT response back from me:

Read my feedback.
Determine ONE, or at most TWO areas of your writing that need the most work.
Plan on how you will revise your writing in the area(s) you have chosen. Your goal is to try to reach the next score level for each area your are revising. If you had a 2, figure out how to get a 3; if a 3, how to get a 4, and so on.
Begin Blog 10: Revision of CAT Practice 2. You may have to start your response all over or add/delete ideas as you see fit. The completed blog entry is due Tuesday, November 1 at the beginning of class. This blog entry must be 400+ words.

Feel free to ask questions at any point.

HOMEWORK

Finish Blogs 9-10.

Brainstorm

2011-10-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 5, Part 1

2011-10-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 5, part 1 (continued from Day 4, part 2)
Dr. Arnold Plotnick
(click pictures to enlarge)

Sunday

Today Ithought we’d try something a little different. Today we’re gonna pop on over to the Asian side of Istanbul. Ourdestination is Uskudar, a charming district easily accessed by ferry and teeming with historical mosques.Exploring Uskudar gives us a chance to experience the streets of a quiet, everyday neighborhood, withoutthe opulent architecture, modern styleand throngs of people that we see on theEuropean side.

We got up early, had a quick breakfast, then took the tram to the Eminonu stop. Grabbed the ferry toUskudar, for only $1.75 round trip! 13minutes after boarding we pulled up to the ferry dock at Uskudar.

The firstthing we saw from the pier is the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, built by Sinan in1548. The mosque was built for Sulayman I in memory of hisfavorite daughter. The mosque was beautiful, but I was moreimpressed with the stunning rococo Ahmed III fountain out front. It’s an architectural masterpiece, withcalligraphy, masonry and art, seemingly in the midst of a traffic island.

After this mosque, weheaded across the street to another mosque, the Yeni Valide mosque. This mosque was built for the mother of SultansMustafa II and Ahmet III, who was buried in the adjacent tomb. Again, the inside of the mosque is nice, butnothing spectacular. The grounds aroundthe mosque were pretty nice, though, and there were lots of cats milling about, as you can see:

These kitties were in the courtyard in the front of themosque. Back behind the mosque, it waskitty city. A few men were sittingaround, relaxing, while cats everywherewere either sunning, playing, or trying to charm some bait from a fisherman.

Notice the very bold black cat on the bench next to thefisherman in the blue shirt. The otherswait patiently, hoping he’ll toss ‘em something. The black kitty has no qualms askingdirectly.

Meanwhile, another group of cats meandered about near a manwho was sitting quietly on a bench in the courtyard, lost in his ownthoughts. Compared to the busy mosqueswe saw on the European side, it was nice to see a quiet peaceful mosque in thislow-key town.

In the courtyard ofthe mosque, I took a seat on a bench, and ended up meeting one of the sweetestand most adorable cats on the trip. Lookat this one’s face!

Is she the cutest thing ever? And look how sweet and docile she was:

I really hated leaving this mosque. This cat would have stayed on my lap forhours if I hadn’t gotten up to leave.

On the way out, I saw an interesting scene. There was a dead pigeon on the ground.

A few cats were milling around the murder scene. If I were alawyer, I’d have a little trouble defending this particular suspect:

We left this mosque and headed over to the Mimar Sinanmarket. This market was nothingexciting, but the building was charming, and was located in a quiet squarewhere locals gather on benches around a central fountain.

I stopped at the fountain to relax and do some peoplewatching. While sitting on the bench, I (of course) noticed a very cute kittenon the grass behind me, and she soon became a fixture on my lap.

After our little rest at this square, we prepared ourselvesfor the long uphill trudge that awaited us.

The Istanbul, Turkey Stray Cat Adventure:
Day 1 Day 2 pt1   Day 2 pt2   Day 3 pt1   Day 3 pt2   Day 4 pt1   Day 4 pt2   Day 5 pt1
Day 5 pt2   Day 6   Day 7

Other Dr. Plotnick adventures: Amsterdam   Vienna   Budapest   Bangkok (coming soon)

Welcome to the Food Unit (10/25)

2011-10-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

A. Thinking Critically

1. Thinking about Food Labeling
With a partner, examine the eggs crates, milk cartons, cereal boxes, etc. I have brought to class. One member of the pair type what you both consider KEY WORDS to describe the product HERE. I will make a Wordle out of your key words for our discussion later.

2. Thinking about the Causes and Consequences of Our Eating Habits
On your own, watch the two videos below: "Potato or Tomato?" from Jamie Oliver's television show Food Revolution and "Old McDonald's Farm," an advertisement by Compassion Over Killing, an animal rights organization.

Once each video is over, write down the answers to the questions below on a piece of paper.

What was the main idea of the video?
Were you surprised by the harsh reality the video revealed? Why? Why not?
Who/What do you consider responsible for this reality?
Who benefits from this reality? Who suffers?
Is this reality necessary? Could the situation be different? How?

B. Introducing the Food Unit and Class Discussion
Now check my introduction to the Food Unit HERE. On your piece of paper, write down any comments or questions that you may want to ask during the discussion.

C. Screening The Meatrix films and Writing Blog 9, Part I: Summarizing the Stories

Watch The Meatrix, The Meatrix: Revolting, and The Meatrix II 1/2 below. (Sometimes they are easier to watch on the original website: http://www.themeatrix.com ).

Write THREE 5-8 line paragraphs, the first summarizing the main points of The Meatrix, the second summarizing the main points of The Meatrix: Revolting, and the third summarizing the main points of The Meatrix II 1/2. If the dialogue is hard to understand, click on the Close Captioning symbol (CC) once the film begins to play.

1. The Meatrix

2. The Meatrix: Revolting

3. The Meatrix II 1/2

D. Blog 9, Part II: Responding to a Factory Farming Issue
Choose ONE issue connected to factory farming that interests you from The Meatrix website:

Additives
Animal Welfare
Antibiotics
Family Farms
Feed
Food Safety
Genetic Engineering
Organic
Pesticides
Waste
Water Pollution

Read about the issue and take notes. Then, write 250+ words arguing why this issue is significant. Your piece must have

a CLAIM,
at least TWO REASONS to support the claim, and
at least TWO QUOTATIONS from the webpage where you got your notes. Use this format: According to The Meatrix website, _______________.

Do not forget to use quotation marks when needed!

Snowshoe Cat

2011-10-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

Snowshoe was developed by breeder Dorothy Hinds Daugherty in Philadelphia in early 1960. Snowshoe is the result of cross breeding of the American Shorthair with a Siamese cat, and the result is a sturdy cat with white markings on the face, chest and legs. Another farmer, Vikki Olander, write a standard for a new cat and pressing for recognition, achieved in 1974.

Appearance
Snowshoe has bright blue eyes and his head is shaped like a wedge and topped with a medium-size ears are slightly rounded. Snowshoe cat is a cat of medium size with a body type between a strong and muscular, not slender or petite. The fourth leg Snowshoe cat looks like a cat who was wearing white snow boots besides Snowshoe cat's face looks like a mask. Snowshoe cats this age can reach about 12 years.

Coat Color
Snowshoe has a coat with white markings on the legs and the face begins to spread across the forehead and muzzle. Snowshoe short coat comes with a distinctive color-Siam seal, brown, purple, blue, red, cream, cinnamon and brown-and in two patterns, committed and bicolor.

Temperament
Snowshoe is a very active cat and one cat who is not afraid of water. Snowshoe has a shyness of strangers. Snowshoe has a loving personality and loved being around people. Snowshoe usually gets along well with other cats if socialized properly. Snowshoe is an intelligent and trained cats. Snowshoe Snowshoe cats can swim and is like being in high places.

Snowshoe Cat Pictures

Cat Harticy

The Importance of Cat Grooming Tools

Cat Grooming Cat Hair Cut Video

Ocicat

Outdoor Cats - Make it Safe With an Outdoor Cat House

Top 20 Internet Cat Videos of 2011

Make sure to check out the Top Fun Feline Blog Posts of 2011

Winter Break!!

Dr. Plotnick's Top 13 (Educational) Feline Blog Posts of 2011

We've gathered together Dr. Plotnick's CAT MAN DO top EDUCATIONAL blog posts of 2011

13) The Cat Age to Human Age Comparison (Part Three) - A New Chart Helps Pet Parents Calculate Their Cats' Age in Relation to Human Years

10) Heart Murmurs: What’s the Scoop? - Everyone has heard of heart murmurs, but not everyone knows exactly what they are, and what their significance may be. I’m hoping this blog post can help.

9) Hot-Weather Tips for our Cat & Dog Companions - When summer arrives, it is very important that we take the proper precautions when dealing with our pets. Here are a few important tips and facts that should help protect our furry friends.

4) Top 5 Healthy Cat Treats - Cats require a nutritionally complete and balanced diet to live an active, healthy life. Life is meant to be enjoyed, however, and every now and then it’s OK to toss your cat a tasty treat.

AWARD WINNING:

Make sure to check out the Top Fun Feline Blog Posts of 2011Make sure to check out our Top 20 Favorite Cat Videos of 2011

Cat House Training Solutions For You

CAT-W SCORES ARE IN!

Pangolin

Wood and Plastic Compete For Best Outside Cat Houses

Dr. Plotnick's Top 8 (Fun) Feline Blog Posts of 2011

Protect Your Cat From Heat Stroke Today

Owl

Final Project: Swiss Chard Gratin. Part I: The Recipe

Part II: The Shopping

Part III: The Cooking

Cat Supplies - Tips to Buy Them at Inexpensive Rates!

Firefly

Angora Rabbits

Schedule of Last Classes

Cats Are The 1%!! Get Your Cats Spayed or Neutered.

Steps for the CAT and Good Luck!

CAT-W Retest !

Cat Writer's Association Awards 2011

Essential Cat Supplies For Every Cat Owner

Best Cat Bowls From Cat Supplies Store

CAT Practice # 4; Class Reflection: Final Project (11/22)

Shelter Sketches: Meet Vincent, Marellus, and Mia

10 Basic Cat Care Tips

Pulp Kittens - available for adoption now at Manhattan Cat Specialists

Sweatshops from the film The Corporation

Cat Food Tips - Food For Finicky Cats

Working with Sleep Dealer (11/15)

What You Need to Know About Cat Food

Pet Care Tips - Basic Advice on Keeping Your Pet Healthy and Happy

Cat Litterbox Problems Solved

CatChannel solves all your cat litterbox problems.

Welcome to The Labor Unit! (11/10)

Kangaroo

Kitten Care and Training - How to Prevent Future Bad Cat Behavior

Kitten Care Guide - Complete Care Tips For Your Kitten

Hepatic Lipidosis in Cats

by Arnold Plotnick MS, DVM, ACVIM, ABVP

Need a New Wingman? Adopt a Cat.

Newborn Kitten Care - What To Expect

Practicing Good Kitten Care

Snow Leopard

Iberian Lynx

Ryukyu Tip-Nosed Frog

Cat Care - Cat Sitter Tips

Top 5 Healthy Cat Treats

Top 5 Healthy Cat Treats

Don’t serve up tricks, just treats that your cat can eat for health this holiday and beyond.

Black Leopard Animal

Panther/Black Leopard

Blog 13: Reflection for the Food Unit

Cutest Kittens ever

CAT Practice # 3

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 7

CAT Evaluation and Manufactured Demand

Crazy Cute and Funny Cats

Cat Sitter Tips

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 6

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 5, Part 2

"XXXL: Why Are We So Fat?" & CAT Revision

Brainstorm

My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey - Day 5, Part 1

Welcome to the Food Unit (10/25)

Snowshoe Cat

Make sure to check out the Top Fun Feline Blog Posts of 2011

Make sure to check out our Top 20 Favorite Cat Videos of 2011