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MEWSLETTER 69 MAY 2009
Hi there and a very warm welcome to all the New Subscribers who have huddled in the porch by the cat flap since the last issue (December 2008). My sincere apologies for the lapse but both Timmy and Billy suffered serious illness in January and February respectively. At one point, it looked very likely that I was going to lose them both.
They both recovered well, although the prognosis for Timmy wasn’t very optimistic. But he seemed to be getting on with things and had rejoined me on the arm of the armchair each evening when I sat to watch television while doing my knitting. He had this lovely habit of giving a running commentary throughout each television programme and I would add my five cents’ worth and we’d discuss the programmes at length. None of the other cats has ever done this and it was quite an endearing little habit that Timmy had. On Friday, March 6th, Timmy went out in the garden about 12.00 - lunch time. There are builders currently working on a neighbour’s extension at the back of their house and none of the cats like going out because the noise of the diggers and earth movers frighten them. So I was quite surprised that Timmy hadn’t come straight back. I kept looking out in the garden for him and occasionally I called him but no response. I was going out about 4.00 pm so I went up the garden looking and calling Timmy in earnest. I finally saw something gingery under one of my bushes and it was Timmy. I went up to him and noticed his back legs splayed out. I thought he'd been hit by one of the builders working on my neighbour's house. When I went to pick him up he howled in pain and tried to get down. When I put him down indoors he couldn't walk - his back legs just splayed out to the sides. I picked him up and put him straight into the basket and fortunately my boyfriend, Lawrence, was just pulling outside up so I rang the vet to alert them to the fact that I thought Timmy had been run over. He was taken straight into the vet who had been treating him for his heart condition. He hadn't been run over. A blood clot had formed and gone down through the aorta to his groin. His legs were very cold where the blood supply had been cut off and they were slowly dying. He was in a lot of pain and his anguished cries will stay with me forever. There was only one outcome and Lawrence was with us. Timmy had been the first of my cats to accept him and Lawrence liked him as he had been so friendly towards him. Lawrence and I took Timmy to the pet crematorium on his final journey and now his ashes have joined the others in my wardrobe. On Fridays I usually go to a creative writing class in the morning and sometimes I go straight out after the class has finished. It’s possible that Timmy wouldn’t have been found until 5-ish or even later that day. It could have been too late by then and he would have been in absolute agony. As I hadn’t been well that morning, I lay on the sofa and he lay next to me while I was resting. He did a strange thing – something he hadn’t done before. I was lying on my right side and he actually laid down my left arm, placing his two front paws either side of my left shoulder – almost as if he was hugging me or giving me a lovely cuddle. I’m glad that we had the morning together. He was the most caring of all my cats - he and Garfield were exemplary in their nursing and caring duties and now my heart is heavy and I'm absolutely devastated. Billy, Sam and Ollie were very quiet for a couple of weeks and I noticed that they kept having fisticuffs several times a day to sort out the pecking order again. I hadn’t given it much thought that there would be a ‘boss’ and that the rest would follow suit but I couldn’t honestly tell you who the boss is! I don’t think it was Timmy – if anyone, it’s Ollie – the youngest and the most boisterous! So in less than three years, my feline family has diminished from 6 to 3 – and it’s heartbreaking once again. I went away for a few days at the end of March to Guernsey – one of the Channel Islands just off the coast of France. I was pleasantly surprised to find ‘Gizmo’ a beautiful ginger and white cat sprawled out on the reception desk at the hotel. I looked on the wall behind reception to see his photo and his job title: he was General Manager! He greeted each guest and we were allowed a perfunctory stroke. He would come when called and each evening when Lawrence and I were in the lounge reading after dinner, he’d walk by serenely as if he was checking out the guests to see if everyone had what they needed. He was very like Billy in looks other than that he was a slightly lighter ginger. My heart hasn’t been in my writing and I apologise once again. Hopefully, I can get back on track now that spring is here. February saw Britain in the grip of a blizzard. Many places were snowed in and the cats showed no inclination to go outside, other than Ollie who’s still an adventurous little boy. Sam did go out but trod in Ollie’s footsteps and when he’d had enough he retraced his steps so that he wouldn’t have to walk on that cold white stuff! I had to get the litter trays out of the cupboard and back in action as Timmy and Billy didn’t want to go out. As they were both convalescing at the time I didn’t mind the trays being in use once again. As soon as the snow cleared up, the trays went back in the cupboards and the boys went back outside – business as usual! And of course, once I set my mind to writing again, what happened? The computer broke down – not just in tears but had a complete and utter nervous breakdown which necessitated it being taken off to ‘hospital’ where it languished in ICU for about a week or so. The very kind Computer Man – Mick Seymour, of PC-HOMECARE.co.uk – brought it back to me fully restored and well composed and set it all up again for me – and gave me a beautiful new computer desk as well. How lucky can one person be! Now I have room for all three of my remaining cats to sprawl out on the desk while once again, I am relegated to a mere corner to work! Hey ho! ON WITH THE MEWS ….. Carol Turner – she of the Willi Whiskas and Tushtots fame – wrote to tell me that Pet Plan – the Pet Insurance people – are trying to set a Guinness World Record for the most pictures of people’s pets. So click on the link below that she kindly gave me and follow the prompts. Upload as many pictures of your pets as you can so that Pet Plan can realise their dreams! http://www.petraitgallery.co.uk/home Richard Carlyon wrote to me and told me that he’s put together a facts page about Swine Flu. You can read it here on this link: http://www.bwsi.comes1st.com/swineflu.shtml Robert Blau wrote with this link on Coping with the Loss of a Pet Find comfort from others who miss their animal friends, share your memories, and post photos of your favourite moments in this new pet loss support group . . . http://community.beliefnet.com/?page_id=1107&group_id=1314 He also sent this link on 10 Life-Lessons learned from your dog. In response to Clara Westerfer’s piece about unwanted gifts that her cats regularly bring home to her, Joyce Briscoe (UK) wrote the following: ‘I do fondly remember our lovely Dexter bringing home an enormous green caterpillar type grub and laying it carefully, still alive, in the centre of our cream dining room rug!!’ When I lost Garfield’s brother, Biggles, I couldn’t eat anything for weeks. Billy and Timmy’s little brother – Joey – would bring me gifts of food. I don’t know where he found them but I was treated to broccoli florets, and the most enormous piece of ham I’ve ever seen! What else have your little ‘darlings’ brought home as gifts?? Do write and let me know and I’ll share them in the Mewsletter. February was also Pet Smile month and Diana from the US has written a piece on kitty hygiene which you’ll find interesting. Diana will be writing an ad hoc column from time to time on various health issues. She is NOT a vet and if you do have any real concerns about your cat’s health please see your veterinarian as soon as possible. But you can email me with any queries that you’d like her to address in future issues. You all know the address by now. A couple of people told me about Hug Your Cat Day and when I did some research there are conflicting dates for when it supposedly occurs. I think EVERYDAY should be Hug Your Cat Day – what do you think? Will Perry in Canada has written a lovely piece in honour of Hug Your Cat Day and you’ll find it in the KITTYBITS section or scroll down through the Mewsletter a little bit further and you’ll see the link. Will is a great writer and I’m trying to convince him to write an occasional series for the website because I know you’ll all enjoy his style of writing. Some questions for you to ponder: has your cat done something remarkable which helped you or someone close to you? For example: if you overslept did your cat wake you up? Or did your cat alert you to the fact there were burglars, a fire, or something else major going on in your home? Please write and let me know. I’m hoping to gather enough stories to write an article about clever cats. At any rate your piece will go in the CAT CHAT section and if you enclose a photo, I’ll include it – as long as it’s a clear picture. Laurie Jawalski, also from the US sent me this link some time back to another great cat website: A number of you sent me the video to the little cat having fun with a printer. If you haven’t seen this video, hopefully this link will work. If it doesn’t, please let me know and I’ll try to find another way to do it.
Laura Dumm, who does the brilliant cartoons on the website, has been busy doing paintings – which is why we haven’t had a cartoon from her in a while. Here’s a link to a little movie that she created. There’s a great sound track too! If you’re interested in any of Laura’s art, please contact her here: Here’s the movie link:
I also had a rash of emails about me being on Facebook. There IS a Pauline Dewberry on Facebook, but it isn’t me! So if you’ve tried to contact ‘her’ thinking it was me and she’s not responded now you’ll know why. I don’t subscribe to any of those sites so you won’t find me on any of them! There is also a picture of her so if you logged on and thought that’s what I look like – you’re going to be disappointed. I do have a picture of Timmy and I together on the armchair which you’ll be able to see on a link given in the NAPPING ON A SUNBEAM section. Clara in the US sent me this lovely You Tube video link of a kitten playing with a fawn – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rooyt3ptNco You know you’re a REAL cat lover when ….. Here’s an interesting link, sent to me by Mike in Canada. It’s taken from the Bengal website but applies to all cats. How do you know you’re a cat lover??? Click on the link to find out if you match up to any of the comments listed …. http://www.bengaltalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1990 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* A hilarious and addictive game for you to play!!!! http://upchucky.com/games/hairball-bowling.html *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* BOOK QUIZ: The answers to the last book quiz are: 1. The Joy of Cats by Celia Braddon 2. The Secret Diary of Adrian Cat by Linda and Stuart MacFarlane 3. Good Mews by Kitty Chappell Well done to the wonderful winners who were: 1. Dana Beaton - Scotland 2. Antoinette Gale – UK 3. Bridget Haggerty – US 4. Jared Kline – Belgium 5. Sammy and Ellie Gibson – UK I want the author to the book titles below and if you have a website you can nominate it, or you can nominate a favourite site. A modest prize will be given for the first respondent so hurry up and don’t miss out! Who wrote the following: 1. Dewey 2. What if my cat …? 3. My Second Hand Cats Send your answers to: p.dewberry@ntlworld.com *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* A’MEWS’MENT ARCADE Hart Dowd in Canada sent me this amusing whimsical look at birthdays from a cat’s point of view a number of months ago. http://www.thedailymews.com/amewsments/birthdays.htm Richard Carlyon (UK) sent me this tale of what happened when his son’s cat (also called Garfield!) had to go to the vet. Actually, it’s a timely reminder to check the food and milk that you give to your pets to make sure they’re not past their best. As you’ll see – it cost Richard a lot of money! http://www.thedailymews.com/amewsments/frothy_mouth_syndrome.htm Clara Wersterfer also sent me this funny look at what we humans do for our feline dependents: http://www.thedailymews.com/amewsments/help_wanted.htm Some years ago I was standing in a check out line at a local supermarket. I had 100 tins of cat food (I had 7 cats at the time and the food was a month’s supply) and a loaf of granary bread (for me). A little girl stood with her mother behind me in the queue and she looked at all the tins of cat food and the loaf of bread. I told her that I was very poor and I lived on cat food on toast – but I was smiling as I said so I hoped she’d realise I was joking. But in a very loud whisper that only kids seem to manage, she told her mother in a horrified voice ‘That lady EATS cat food on toast!!!!’ So this next piece, The Purina Diet, sent to me by Mike from Canada, reminded me of that encounter with the little girl. http://www.thedailymews.com/amewsments/purina_diet.htm ARTICLES I know you’ve all been enjoying the Honey series written by the talented Lynn Schiffhorst – well, sadly, we’ve come to the end of the series and you can read the final story here on this link: http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/sabbath_with_cats.htm But don’t despair! Lynn has another exciting series up her sleeve. All will be revealed in the fullness of time – watch this space as they say!!! BOOK AND PRODUCT REVIEWS I love it when other people write book or product reviews and I’m happy to see that Chris Janes, from Canada, enjoyed reading Cesar’s Way by Cesar Millan, of ‘The Dog Whisperer’ fame. Here’s the link: http://www.thedailymews.com/bookproductreviews/cesars_way.htm In the midst of all the angst of Billy and Timmy being ill at the beginning of the year, this book made me laugh out loud. It’s a great book! http://www.thedailymews.com/bookproductreviews/its_ok_to_miss_the_bed.htm CAPTION COMPETITION There were millions of responses to the last Caption Competition – you’re a very clever lot and I had a real hard job choosing the winner. Well done to all who sent in their ideas – I will accept multiple entries but you can only win once each competition so if you include 4 stonkingly good entries, only one will be classed as a winner. Richard Carlyon (UK) came up with the best caption and you can see his, and the others here: http://www.thedailymews.com/KittyBits/caption_competition5.htm This month’s picture was kindly sent by Laurie from the US. What caption can you give for what her little cat is doing? Answers please by 20th June http://www.thedailymews.com/KittyBits/caption_competition6.htm CAT CHAT I like Will Perry’s easy laconic style of writing and I’m sure you will all love this wonderful story about Nort – an old boy who made an impact on Will: http://www.thedailymews.com/catchat/nort.htm We all know the healing power of cats and Pollyanna, the angel cat, is no exception. She even saved her owner’s life by alerting his mother that he was in need of help. http://www.thedailymews.com/catchat/pollyanna_angel_cat.htm FELINE FITNESS I’m pleased to introduce Diana Schicta as our new occasional columnist who will be writing about all things related to cats and their health and well-being issues. http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/intro_diana.htm http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/first_aid_intro.htm http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/pet_first_aid.htm Diana’s first piece is brushing your cat’s teeth. This tied in with February being National Pet Dental Month. http://www.thedailymews.com/brushing_with_kitty.htm KITTYBITS Jim Willis sent me this article a while back and I’ve just found it again – thankfully – in time for the flea season. http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/all_purpose_anti_pest_spray.htm Tammy Whitfield from the US sent me in her homemade remedies for dealing with fleas and ticks. You can read them here: http://www.thedailymews.com/KittyBits/flea_tick_control.htm If you have any money savings tips which you’d like to share, please email me in the usual way. Will Perry in Canada has trawled through his memories of the wonderful cats that graced his life and in honour of Hug Your Cat Day has written another witty piece for the Daily Mews readers. Enjoy! http://www.thedailymews.com/KittyBits/hug_your_cat_day.htm We all know that our cats and dogs stay by our sides when we’re sick or in need of comfort, but here’s a heart-warming story about Lucky the dog who covered his mistress with a blanket of his toys to show his love for her. http://www.thedailymews.com/KittyBits/lucky_the_dog.htm MEWSERS MEWSINGS In July 2008 Jackie Murphy from Kent, UK, wrote a moving tribute to her little cat Timmy. Timmy had a house friend, a big old dog called Teddy who wanted to add something to the New Year’s Resolutions that Timmy had written in January last year. See link: http://www.thedailymews.com/mewsersmewsings/timmy_murphy.htm Teddy’s comments have been added underneath Timmy’s. On the subject of New Years’ Resolutions, those felines that kindly wrote to the Daily Mews to share their own Resolutions – how did you all get on? Would you like to give me some feedback on your progress? Tushtots, who shares his living quarters with Willi Whiskas, Little Dumpty Roo and Two Strange Humans, wrote a letter to the Mewsers voicing his disappointment over one of his humans blatant unfaithfulness when she goes on holiday. As if that’s not bad enough, she’s continued her wanton behaviour at home under his very nose. If – having read Tushtots’ heartfelt plea – you can offer him any words of comfort or advice, please write to me at the Daily Mews office as usual. I’ll publish your replies and send them on to Tushtots. http://www.thedailymews.com/mewsersmewsings/Tushtots_letter.htm NAPPING ON A SUNBEAM Jim Willis has suffered three terrible losses in as many weeks recently and he wrote the heart-rending tributes to his beloved Bogie, Ella Bella, and Frazier. http://www.thedailymews.com/NAPPINGONASUNBEAM/bogie.htm http://www.thedailymews.com/NAPPINGONASUNBEAM/ella_bella.htm http://www.thedailymews.com/NAPPINGONASUNBEAM/frazier.htm Ed Kostro lost his beautiful cat Jessie recently – read his moving poem in tribute to her here: http://www.thedailymews.com/NAPPINGONASUNBEAM/dear_old_jessie.htm Anthony Bilotta wrote a wonderful tribute to his great friend and companion of 16 and a half years, Jasper. http://www.thedailymews.com/NAPPINGONASUNBEAM/Jasper.htm And here’s my tribute to my special little Timmy – Garfield’s protégée and devoted companion, and then latterly my nurse and carer. http://www.thedailymews.com/NAPPINGONASUNBEAM/Timmy_dewberry.htm To everyone who has written in recent weeks about the loss of a beloved cat or dog companion, you are held up in my thoughts and prayers. Well that seems to be it for now. Take care and until the next time, hug those cats (and dogs) as much as you can! All good wishes Pauline, Billy, Sam and Ollie
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