MEWSLETTER 35: April 02, 2005

by Pauline Dewberry

Hello, and a very warm welcome to all the new subscribers who flooded through the DailyMews’ catflap this past month. Congratulations go out to Anne Young from Canada who is the 300th subscriber. Anne has 10 rescue cats and runs the Exploits Valley SPCA in Newfoundland. Hopefully, we’ll have an article on the work that she does and what goes on at the EV SPCA next time.

The end of February and early March saw severe weather conditions in the south-eastern part of the UK where I live. Fortunately for us at the Daily Mews, we were not snowbound as some folk were further down in our county. There, the army was required to come out and drop food parcels to people who were cut off in their villages. But we did see snow on a daily basis for several weeks. Or as Ollie would say: ‘The sky was breaking and it was all going in our garden!’ See Ollie’s diaries:

http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/kittendiaries12.htm

One Friday morning I woke to a beautiful blue sky with just a few white fluffy clouds ambling nonchalantly and I thought that a beautiful day was on the cards. Within a short space of time I noticed that it was snowing heavily and I was amazed at how something so ‘settled’ looking could change in moments!

It snowed for over an hour and completely covered the back garden by a few inches. Timmy, Ricky and Ollie all paused by the cat flap to watch and despite opening the back door frequently for them, only Ricky chose to rush out to the water bowl (despite there being three inside!) to have a drink.

Timmy finally decided that he could ‘wait’ no longer and hurried out to relieve himself and just plonked himself down on the snow without clearing a space first, had a quick sniff of his ‘doings’ and decided he’d cover it later.

Little Ollie was hilarious. First this white stuff had to be sniffed. Then gently tapped. Then sniffed again. Then he pounced on any blades of grass that had the temerity to be sticking up from under the snow. Then he caught and ‘killed’ several stones that were misbehaving, batting them up into the air and dancing along the path with them. He was so funny to watch – of all the cats here at the Daily Mews, Ollie seems to love the snow the most.

Within an hour or so of the snow settling there was torrential rain and within minutes all the snow had completely vanished. Once the storm had passed we were blessed with a beautiful blue sky again. We must have gone through all the seasons within the space of a couple of hours!

A few days later, I happened to look out the back door and saw Ricky sitting on one of the big green tubs trying to hatch the tulips! He used to drink out of these tubs – see Ollie’s diaries here: http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/kittendiaries15.htm

I’m sure the baby tulips were glad of a big squidgey ginger bottom perched on them keeping them warm and dry!!! They’ve certainly grown since then and some of them are bursting into bloom.

It’s hard to believe that Ricky has been living with us for almost 7 years. He’s brave enough now to get up on my bed with the others, and you would have seen the photo of all 6 DailyMewsers on the Home Page last month on the right hand side. I’ll leave it there for a while longer so that you can check it out. For those of you who don’t know Ricky’s story, please see the following article: http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/introricky.htm 

Easter was last weekend and you can always tell when it’s a Bank Holiday here in the UK – there is an undercurrent of activity from the distinct whirr and hum as dozens of lawnmowers make their debut appearance of the year followed by the sweet smell of freshly cut grass. You can also hear the thud-clink as hammer meets nail as D-I-Y enthusiasts embark upon a frenzy of creative projects in a bid to save money, encouraged by the plethora of home and garden makeover programmes seen on television. Occasionally, you’ll also hear thud-smack as hammer meets thumb (or other soft part of the anatomy) and then the air turns blue for a while and very occasionally, that will be followed by the sound of a siren which will transport the hapless D-I-Yer off to the emergency room putting an end to his Bank Holiday plans.

Garfield celebrated his 19th birthday on Easter Sunday, (27th March) and you’ll have to wait just a bit longer to see the birthday photo of him wearing ‘THE HAT’. Laura Dumm sent me a digital camera so future birthdays will be captured and put on site within the hour – once I’ve mastered how to open the box (just kidding! Although I’m a complete technophobe and need manuals with huge childlike drawings to lead me from one function to the next.)

Thanks go out to all of you who remembered his birthday and were kind enough to send him ecards. He was a bit grouchy on the day, refusing to sit on my grandson’s lap for a birthday portrait, but then, he is over 120 in human years – so I guess he has a right to be grouchy from time to time.

Garfield always has been an affectionate cat but now he’s taken to kissing me on the lips whenever I ask him a question, such as ‘are you alright, Garfie?’ Kiss. ‘Is this alright for you here?’ (when positioning him the sofa) Kiss.

Just recently, within the past couple of days, he’s started lying on the floor instead of the low sofa bed in this back bedroom which is the Daily Mews office, so to make him more comfortable, I folded a duvet (quilt) into four so that it’s nice and squidgey and lay him on it. ‘Is that nice and comfy, Garfie?’ Kiss.

Timmy, as always, is his little carer and rarely leaves his side unless it’s to answer a call of nature or to get some fresh air, and Garfield often won’t settle down until Timmy is back alongside him, mutual grooming taking place and purrs resounding from both boys.

In your new look MEWSLETTER:
A’mews’ment Arcade
Animal Welfare
Book Review
Breed profile - Persian
Cat Chat
Charity profile
Cudell Street Cats by Laura Dumm
Mewsletter Archives
Napping on a Sunbeam
Purrfect Poetry
Quiz
Recipe
Snippets
 

First of all, I must apologise for an error in the previous MEWSLETTER. March 27th was indeed when British Summertime began, but we put the clocks FORWARD not back one hour as I said L So Garfield had one less hour to celebrate his 19th birthday!

Before we get underway with the contents of the MEWSLETTER, I thought we’d begin with a new QUIZ. Those who send the correct answers will be forever etched in living memory on the pages of the next issue of the MEWSLETTER. If you have a website or wish to nominate a website, please add the link.

Who wrote the following?
1. 100 Secret thoughts cats have about humans
2. Talk to your cat
3. Outwitting Cats

(Clue: you’ll find all of the above titles and a favourite on this link: include the title and author with your replies.)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/026-4139587-6215626

Send your answers to p.dewberry@ntlworld.com 

This month, I’m pleased to announce that there are three new sections and I hope that you’ll stop by each one and browse. The first new section houses all the stories and poems by Ed Kostro. Like Jim Willis, Ed is a tireless supporter and advocate for animal welfare and I’m always thrilled to put his wonderful stories and poems on site. Now they’ll all be in one section for you to enjoy.

http://www.thedailymews.com/edkostrointro.htm

Ed has also written a great book ‘Curious Creatures – Wondrous Waifs’ which I’ll be reviewing a bit later in this MEWSLETTER.

The second new section is an archive for all the past MEWSLETTERS. As there have been so many, they won’t all be on site just yet, but the first 27 when I sent them out with Yahoo are!!! The rest will be added as and when time permits, but if you have only just joined us, then do go back to the archives and read some of the older MEWSLETTERS. Some of the links may not work, however, as I lost a lot of material when my website crashed last June and I haven’t been able to replace it. If you do meet a broken link, please let me know and I might be able to sort it out.

http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/mewsletterarchiveintropage.htm

And finally, the third new section is called ‘NAPPING ON A SUNBEAM’ which is a line taken from an email that Laura Dumm wrote telling me that China, her beautiful 18year old cat, had passed away in early March. To read China’s tribute, please click here:

http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/china.htm

This section will be a little bit like Rainbow Bridge in that it will be a memorial to all our dearly beloved feline companions who’ve passed away. Here, stories, anecdotes, pictures and poetry of our furry four-legged friends will be posted and if you want to add your story, then please use the ‘contact us’ link or feedback form.

http://www.thedailymews.com/nappingonasunbeamintro.htm

Ed’s cat, Princess Gabriella, who featured in February’s Valentine Special, has a tumour in her gut – and at 18 years of age, the prognosis doesn’t look very optimistic. Keep Laura and her feline family, and Ed and Gabby in your prayers, for comfort and healing. And remember, if any of you need to talk about your feelings of grief, please contact me.

A’MEWS’MENT ARCADE
Colleen from California sent me an amusing item for the A’MEWS’MENT ARCADE which you can read here: http://www.thedailymews.com/amewsments/fourcats.htm

ANIMAL WELFARE
Ed Kostro has written a hard-hitting article for the Animal Welfare section expounding his outrage at the proposed legislation in Wisconsin brought about by a fire fighter called Mark Smith who is miffed because cats sit under his bird table. If this becomes law on April 11th, then any cat that is not under the direct supervision of its owner, and not wearing a collar can be shot on sight.

Read Ed’s article here: http://www.thedailymews.com/AnimalWelfare/worldgonemadinwisconsin.htm

To read the newspaper article go here: http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/index.php?ntid=31029&ntpid=3

Write to your local senators, congressmen/women, radio stations and newspapers voicing your disgust as such a proposal. The apathy of the majority is what kills our society – whichever country we live in. Subscribers who live outside the USA can write to their own Societies for Prevention of Animal Cruelty and lobby your MPs and members of Parliament. If there is worldwide outrage then perhaps the State of Wisconsin will reconsider. If this proposal becomes law then the cat will be hunted down and vilified as it was in Mediaeval times – and we’re not going to let that happen – are we!!

BOOK REVIEW
‘Curious creatures, wondrous waifs – my life with animals’ by Ed Kostro is a wonderful book that takes the reader along the highway of Ed’s life. Beginning with Ed’s earliest memory at the age of three, Ed recalls each animal that made an impact on his life and made him into the caring, animal advocate that he is today.

Shaped by the careful nurturing of his grandmother’s interests of all living things, Ed grew up in a household filled with grandmothers, their dogs, and a secret snake in the basement kept as a pet.

This book will charm the reader and encourage a deep love and respect for all God’s creatures. St. Francis of Assisi’s Prayer for Animals (taken from Ed’s book) sums it up:

‘God, Our Heavenly Father, You created the world to serve humanity’s needs, and to lead us to You. By our own fault, we have lost the beautiful relationship we once had with all Your creatures. Help us to see that by restoring our relationship with You, we will restore it with all animals. Give us the grace to see all animals as gifts from You, and to treat these animals with respect.’

You can get a copy of Ed’s book from www.amazon.com  on this link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/002-3870151-4712810
and www.barnesandnoble.com  on this link: www.authorsden.com/

BREED PROFILE
This month the spotlight is on the Persian cat and you can read all about this fluffy puss here:

http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/persians.htm

CAT CHAT
Peeky, the Wonder Cat is a great new story from Anna Marie Fritz and you can read it here:
http://www.thedailymews.com/catchat/peekythewondercat.htm

Another fantastic story from Jared Kline called ‘Cats On Duty with NATO’ can be seen here: http://www.thedailymews.com/catchat/catsondutywithnato.htm

Catch up with Anne Marie’s other amazing stories here:
http://www.authorsden.com/annamariefritz

Michelle Gallagher was forced to overcome her fear of heights in order to rescue her ebullient cat, Silverbell, from a neighbour’s rooftop. Now, Silverbell is a happy indoor cat watching squirrels from the safety of his kitchen windowsill. Read his lovely story here:

http://www.thedailymews.com/catchat/silverbell.htm

What heroic measures would you take to keep a premature puppy alive? Read Meredith Moore’s inspirational story here:
http://www.thedailymews.com/catchat/miracleworker.htm

Three Orphans by Roger Dean Kiser is about a little tiny kitten that melts Roger’s brother, Wayne’s heart. Read it here:
http://www.thedailymews.com/catchat/threeorphans.htm  

CAT CHARITY
The featured charity this month is the Cats Protection, which is the UK’s largest and oldest cat charity. Click here for details:
http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/catsprotection.htm

CUDELL STREET CATS
The latest cartoon from Laura Dumm is in memory of China, her sweet little black cat who passed away aged 18 years in March. Click here: http://www.thedailymews.com/Cudellstreetcats/china.htm

And in the SOME CATS ARE…. section, click here for the latest:
http://www.thedailymews.com/Cudellstreetcats/somecatsarethinkers.htm

PURRFECT POETRY
It’s always great when we see a new name in any of the sections, and we are blessed with a precipitation of poems this month! Paul Bearer has written two great little poems summing up our feline friend to a purrfect ‘T’. Read ‘Cats’: http://www.thedailymews.com/poems/cats.htm  and ‘Purrfection Purrsonified: http://www.thedailymews.com/poems/purrfectionpurrsonified.htm

Jackie Brooks has been busy writing about her latest kitten ‘Noah’ who came to live with her back in December. I’m sure everyone who’s ever had a kitten and a computer will identify with the first poem ‘Kitten on a Keyboard.’
http://www.thedailymews.com/poems/kittenonakeyboard.htm

The second poem she wrote is called ‘Little Rapscallion’ and is charmingly accurate as to what new little kittens are all about. Read it here:
http://www.thedailymews.com/poems/littlerapscallion.htm

Introducing a new kitten or cat to the rest of the feline family can be traumatic and take a while for everyone to settle down again. ‘Pesky Little Brat’ is Timmy’s lament at Noah’s shenanigans! Read it here:

http://www.thedailymews.com/poems/thatpeskylittlebrat.htm  And finally, ‘Morning Ritual ‘ that you can read here: http://www.thedailymews.com/poems/morningritual.htm

RECIPE
Several people have sent me this ‘recipe’ for a Kitty Litter Cake so I thought that even though it doesn’t appeal to me, I’d still print it up so that the more adventurous among you can have a try. Let me know if you do, and what you thought of it! Thanks to Michelle for the recipe and Bridget for the illustration. You’ll find it in the KITTYBITS section on this link: http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/kittylittercake.htm

Visit Michelle’s website www.betterbudgeting.com  and Bridget’s www.irishcultureandcustoms.com  - they are both excellent!

SNIPPETS:
Recently I received PURRFECT SYMPHONY, a CD of cats purring and beautiful music. There are 8 tracks featuring 13 cats in total and it was an absolutely joyous experience as I lay on my sofa with my eyes closed listening to the different tracks. I have already documented in a previous MEWSLETTER the advantages to health and healing that cats’ purring has on a person, so it should be no surprise when I tell you that I felt energised and refreshed after listening to this CD. Research confirms that cats’ purring lowers stress levels and blood pressure and creates frequencies that energise and heal. Listening to this CD will enable you to fully relax, energise yourself and improve your wellbeing and health. To learn more about this CD please go to: www.purrfectsymphony.com 

Part of the sales of this CD will go to the Cats’ Protection, which is our featured CAT CHARITY this month.

Well this is a particularly MAMMOTH MEWSLETTER this month and I hope you all enjoy the read. I welcome your feedback, good, bad or indifferent and I’m always on the look out for new ideas and stories about your own feline friends – so keep them coming and you’ll be able to read about them in the CAT CHAT section.

Until the next time, then, have a PURRFECT month.

Pauline – editor
Garfield – Chief Technical Advisor and Assistant Editor
Billy and Timmy – Chief Wildlife Advisors and Care of The Elderly (Timmy)
Sam – Ethnic Advisor
Ricky – Bereavement Counsellor and Psy-cat-therapist
Ollie – Chief Mischief-Maker and Joker Extraordinaire!

Those of you with AOL will have to copy and paste the links into your browser.

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