Hi there and a very warm welcome to all the newcomers who have joined us since the last Mewsletter. Pull up a pew, plonk a cat on your lap and enjoy this latest issue of the Mewsletter.
We have a packed issue this month so less of the chat.
Don’t forget to enter the Caption Competition – there is still time.
ANIMAL WELFARE:
The Cats Protection has produced a leaflet which all caring pet owners should read:
Caring for your cat when you are gone
ARTICLES
John Grafton has sent me another funny story to add to his collection which is gathering a sizeable fan base on Facebook.
Pepper: black cat heart attack machine
The Home Page message this time is a story I wrote a while back which I thought I’d air again.
The ‘Old Mouse in the Handbag’ Routine
Squirt’s Staff recently read it and apparently laughed so much that she had to take the rest of the day off work because she did herself an injury! Squirt’s Staff suggested that I gather up all my Mewsings and perhaps put them on Kindle in a collection. Scared and excited in probably equal measure, I read through all my stories and thought ‘they might make people laugh’.
So I’d like you to read it please and let me know what you think. Does it make you laugh? It is loosely based on a true event that happened to me. Would you like to see a collection of my Mewsings on Kindle? If I do this, it will pave the way for Ollie’s Diaries.
Please write and let me know your thoughts. Thank you.
BOOK REVIEW:
You can take the cat out of Slough … by Chris Pascoe is a brilliantly funny book. I made the mistake of taking it with me while waiting for a hospital appointment and gained an audience of bemused people.
You can take the cat out of Slough …
CAT CHAT
Shelley Madden sent me this next story two years ago and it’s been languishing in my inbox all that time. How or why I missed it remains a mystery that probably even Arthur C Clarke couldn’t explain. But it is a beautifully written story and I’m glad that Shelley forgave my oversight and allowed me to publish it here for your enjoyment.
Beware of what lurks in the night
Jean Porter in Canada wrote to tell me about her lovely little deaf white cat, Missy.
Professor Brian Cox (of moggy persuasion) recently caused his anxious owners a lot of financial outlay, hours spent travelling up and down motorways to see Neil Fitzpatrick, the ‘Bionic’ Vet and 14 weeks of incarceration for his leg to heal. Read his extraordinary story here:
Cat cafés are opening up in various places now after the one in Japan. Helen Gale who lives in Torquay, Devon (UK) went to visit the cat café which is in Totnes – near to where she lives. Here’s her review with some lovely pictures of the six cats that are present while visitors can enjoy a beverage and a cuddle.
CHARITIES AND RESCUE CENTRES
The Blue Cross (UK) holds a tea party each year in May and this year, on Friday 9th, you can be part of that, by holding a tea party and raising funds for the Blue Cross.
For more information, please go to the Blue Cross page in the Charities and Rescue Centres section (in Information) and scroll down till you reach the additional bit about the tea party. You’ll see a picture of an adorable little kitten called Daphne.
ED KOSTRO
Ed is a tireless campaigner for the wellbeing of all animals and spends every waking minute of each day trying to round up stray cats and dogs that have been abandoned by their ‘people’.
Scruffy, a dog that Ed wrote about recently, has hit international fame. His story now has over 10,000 Facebook likes, and over 800 comments. The rest of Ed’s Beasty Boys are all now getting jealous.
You can read all about him, on this link:
http://www.care2.com/causes/off-duty-police-officer-uses-day-off-to-save-old-stray-dog.html
KITTY BITS
2015 Cat calendar competition
Unfortunately the entries received so far have not been of a high enough standard to go into a calendar. So Dan has suggested we extend the competition deadline to 28th June (so you have 3 more months) in the hope that people will up their game.
Please click on this link to read the competition rules. You’ll see a photo which Dan has picked out as a sort of blueprint or benchmark, if you like, as to the standard he’d like to see for the photos.
As before, please put 2015 Cat calendar competition in the subject line of your email and send them to p.dewberry@ntlworld.com by 28th June. Thank you.
MEWSERS MEWSINGS
DIPPI DUCK’S DEMON
Chapter 33: Willi saves me from murderous tame blackbirds
Chapter 34: Making cakes with the human
Chapter 35: The last morning * Tissue alert!
Chapter 36: Life sort of goes on …
JIMMY’S MEWSINGS
Do the Russians like cats too?
NAPPING ON A SUNBEAM
SQUIRT’S SCRIBBLINGS
Spring Fever and March Madness
WHISKERS, WOES AND WORRIES (the old Pussy Problem Page)
As you can see, the Pussy Problem Page has been renamed to Whiskers, woes and worries. Our new resident feline columnist, Squirt, has kindly offered to extend his vast knowledge and experience in order to help any feline who carries the weight of the world upon his/her shoulders.
Holly, (who is Jimmy’s housemate), has bravely written to Squirt and you can read her problem and Squirt’s reply here:
Possession is 9/10th of the law
Both Holly and Jimmy responded to Squirt’s reply and you can see their letters here:
Possession is 9/10th of the law part 2
Possession is 9/10th of the law part 3
Possession is 9/10th of the law part 4
Looks like we have a little bit of a paw pal friendship going on here!
If you have a problem that you would like Squirt to resolve for you, do contact him here at the Daily Mews office. Send your queries to p.dewberry@ntlworld.com and I’ll forward them on to Squirt. He will treat them in a fairly confidential-ish manner!
And that just about rounds up this month’s Mewsletter. I welcome feedback – good, bad or indifferent, so please do let me know what you thought of the content.
The Scratching Post will be with you in a couple of week’s time. For the Mums in the UK I wish you all a happy and relaxing day with your families. Casey is going to cook me breakfast in bed and read Shakespeare’s sonnets to me ….
Until next time, purr-filled blessings
Pauline – Editor in Chief
Casey – who is busy brushing up his knowledge of cookery and Shakespeare!!
xxx
A Cats Prayer
Lead me down all the right paths,
Keep me from fleas, bees, and baths.
Let me in should it storm,
Keep me safe, fed, and warm.