“Rocky Mountain Way” by Joe Walsh.

This YouTube video is provided by Champloo321.

Since this song is probably not new to anyone, if you’d like to go back in time for a vintage live version of this classic hit from 1972ish click this link. (This video was my first choice but it said this video can’t be embedded and must be viewed at Youtube.)

Check it out. IT ROCKS! Let’s Rock and Roll Cat Protectors

Slash has been sporting his harness and leash outside at times lately, mainly because the campground is really busy now.

Frog leg pose: pelvis flat to the ground with legs flared out. Notice how his back paws are positioned for the ability to pounce.

He also has a strong desire to hunt mice on the hill behind us so it helps keep him in check.

Here is a mouse tunnel exit which is a death trap since Slash spends a lot of his time outside close by.

Too bad Slash’s harness is not as cool as Mr. Bowie’s but it works when the situation calls for it which is not all the time.

This is his favorite place to perch and wait. A big flat rock on the edge of the hill.

He knows he is wearing his harness and I’m holding the other end but he zones in on locating the mouse and positioning himself for the pounce anyway.

He determines that the mouse is approaching the death trap exit so he repositions and waits for it to appear.

 A more practical stance for pouncing. The mouse appears at the tunnel exit!

 Slash was so pleased. The mouse gave no indication that he knew we were there.

Either a blind mouse or Slash and I were doing a good job of being still and quiet, who knows. I kept moving my phone closer to him trying to capture a better photo.

I think mice are cute. I think Slash only sees them as needing to be dead.

Just another day in the life of Slash “The Slasher”. The mouse surveillance continues.

“4th of July” by Shooter Jennings

Youtube video by BVMTVOutlawCountry

Slash & I were fortunate to travel back to the area I grew up over the Christmas holiday this past year. The area I’m referring to is in the midwest. Land of corn and soy fields, bluffs, bald eagles, whitetail deer, turkey, and morel mushrooms. Near the mighty Mississippi River.

We stay at granny’s house which Slash absolutely loves. It’s the perfect house for a cat including a loft overlooking the living area, a private finished basement for alone time, lots of rooms and nooks to explore, and a screened in porch with a swing. It’s surrounded by a wooded area with a creek so there’s lots of squirrels and other critters to watch.

There are no children, cats, or dogs so Slash feels like the king of her castle during his stay. We’ve spent many Christmas nights sitting in front of this fireplace chatting until the wee hours of the morning with Slash by our side. Wonderful times and great memories we’ll cherish forever. Not too shabby, eh? Granny has fun with decorating. She uses some of the same pieces year after year but always in different arrangements.

Each year for our arrival granny posts a message on her chalk board welcoming us for our stay. She’s pretty wonderful wouldn’t you agree? We always have the best time staying with her. She is very accommodating and makes sure we have everything we need including a litter box and a food and water dish for Slash.

This year she even had a present for Slash – an angry bird toy! Slash instantly loved it and enjoyed playing with it during his visit there. He was very pleased that someone remembered him. Cats like Christmas gifts too!

He plays the hardest with the angry bird outside…

He sleeps with it..

and holds on to it too!

Thanks again Granny!

The Blog On Fire Award – check out this cool award! Even comes in a picture of fire, got to love that. This award was given to us by the coolest cowgirl in the blogosphere – Hot Rod! Hot Rod Cowgirl’s blog is on fire! With a name like Hot Rod it’s gotta be hot, right? She does not disappoint. Her photos are the best. I never knew pictures of the sky could be so beautiful and intriguing. You’ll meet all kinds of sweet animal friends and come away with a feeling of what it’s like to be a cowgirl on a peaceful beautiful ranch where life seems to take the slow lane. Did I mention that they have classic hot rod cars too? Oh sweet bliss! Thanks again Hot Rod! We love your blog.

I am to nominate 8 bloggers and include 8 unusual thing about myself.

Unusual things:

1. I live full time in a mobile RV.
2. I am not a member of Facebook.
3. I do not have children.
4. I don’t have cable television.
5. I don’t go to the movies or watch movies at home.
6. While working a “good” full time job, I took on a paper route throwing up to 350 papers every day for about 6 months one Winter working from 2:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
7. I don’t get the flu shot.
8. I love the Winter and rainy days.

The 8 bloggers I nominate (in random order) for The Blog On Fire Award are:

1. dutchgoesitalian
2. Go Bake Yourself
3. foodtable // la vie e’clectique
4. That Fred Guy
5. life’s journey & more
6. Neo Watercolour
7. Cast Light
8. VirtuaVet

Texas, a cat in New York nominated us for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award! Texas is a super cool cat with a great human blogging the message that cats are super cool! Check out the last two posts titled Mojitos for hot summers & Enjoying the sun outside. This cat ROCKS the sweet life of a well cared for cat. What a handsome cat he is too! Thanks again Texas! We love you and your blog

So here are the rules for the awards:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and link back to them in your post
Thank you to a PURRfectly COOL cat Texas!

2. Share 7 things about yourself (this honor goes to Slash this time)

1. I used to be homeless but that doesn’t mean I should be punished for it.
2. My humans named me Slash because I have an ear that got SLASHED!
3. The other ear was chopped off (tipped) to mark me as feral – thanks guys!
4.  I’ve never attacked my humans even when they shove pills down my throat.
5. I used to spray my pungent urine anywhere I could until I was neutered – LOL.
6. I learned to walk on a leash cause I want to go outside no matter the circumstances.
7. I camp and do short hikes with my humans. Oh did I mention my love of Catnip!

3. Nominate 15 bloggers you admire

The bloggers I nominate (in random order) for this award are:

1. kkeithphoto’s
2. nzthroughphotos
3. on the road with Animalcouriers
4. Lady Fi
5. My Serendipitous Life as a Baseball Wife
6. MindRetrofit7
7. labellestudio
8. talinorfali
9. Nature Pics Blog
10. hovercraftdoggy
11. to write is to write is to write
12. Mexico to Canada
13. Joshi Daniel Photography
14. Uphilldowndale
15. Colddeadheart’s Blog

Congratulations!

“Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” by Jack Johnson

This YouTube video is provided by Aerrllanggaaa

(acoustic studio version recorded with Ben Harper)

“Come And Go Blues” by Allman Brothers Band.

Acoustic version preformed by Gregg Allman.

(Slow to begin but hang in there it’s worth it!)

This YouTube video is uploaded by audioglass.

Thank goodness for this ROCKIN’ cat blog and all you WONDERFUL cat protectors/followers/readers/blogging friends. By starting this blog I’ve discovered many other blogs that ROCK!  I am connecting with so many wonderful and unique people who also love cats from ALL AROUND THE WORLD!

This has been enough to keep my spirits up. I am truly honored and thrilled yet amazed by the positive feedback, kindness, and support that’s been coming our way. When someone goes out of their way to say that our post “made their day” or “simply makes them happy” Slash and I are overjoyed so much so we might even dance a jig!

I’m excited to announce that throughout this time of struggle and lack of regular postings CatPurrology has been nominated for two more awards!

A special thanks to Life’s Journey & More for nominating us for The One Lovely Blog Award! Please visit this great blog and check out this recipe for stuffed chicken baked in butter and cream sauce. Looks and sounds incredible!

The rules to the ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD are:

• Thank the person who nominated you and link back to them in your post
• Share 7 things about yourself
• Nominate 15 or so bloggers you admire
• Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they’ve been nominated.

Seven things about Slash & I:

• I last time I went to the movies was in 1998 and saw The Sixth Sense.
• I am not a member of Facebook.
• I eat according to Paleo guidelines 6 days a week with 1 scheduled day off (Sunday) when I eat anything I want and lots of it.
• As a teenager I painted my room black.
• All four cats I’ve had have all been black and male without selecting them.
• I walk Slash (aka Slasher) on a leash sometimes.
• Heaven to me would be a cabin in the mountains with a creek, hot tub, a greenhouse, and SEVERAL cats and dogs! Oh, and heated floors.

A few of the blogs I admire and selected for this nomination are:

1. Heaven 4 Earth
2. Teresa Young’s Beautiful Life Blog
3. Meow hear this!
4. Ourmerrybee’s Blog
5. The Cat Ball
6. Chez Chloe
7. Hands On Bowie
8. Hot Rod Cowgirl
9. The Vibes
10. California Pixie
11. Creative Noshing
12. 2me4art
13. AnnieRie Unplugged
14. The cats I meet
15. The Lonely Dogs

Slash and I are also very honored to have been given The Versitle Blogger Award from an extremely COOL cat named Texas, a cat in New York! Another cat blog that rocks! Meow & Gracias Texas.

So, for the rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award

2. Include a link to their blog

3. Select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site

The 15 blogs I’ve selected are:

1. lemonysqueezes
2. The Squirrel’s Eye
3. know the sphere
4. rumpydog
5. Doli Siregar
6. Edilio Ciclostile
7. From Korea with Love
8. hugauga
9. The Bipolar Dance
10. i-mayfly
11. Craig McCall
12. iheartmakeupart
13. Later On
14. Man I Am in Amsterdam
15. Manipal’s Photo Blog

Now I will begin notifying all 30 bloggers and hope to visit all these awesome blogs this weekend. Happy weekend bloggers!

“No Rain” by Blind Melon

This selected YouTube video is provided by emimusic.

“Cigarettes And Wine” by Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit.

This selected YouTube video is courtesy of jasonisbellmusic.

Behind this edition of Slash’s Stash: I picked up this cigarette box that someone had apparently thrown on the ground. I can’t stand that people litter, it’s really sad. This was in a national forest even. I thought of this song so I hung on to it. Finally picked up some wine. Now I can recycle the cigarette box! (This Merlot by Cable Car is a nice easy-to-drink dry red wine for under $10.)

Fun music fact: It’s Bob Dylan’s birthday. Born Robert Allen Zimmerman May 24, 1941.

Special Note: Thanks to everyone who has sent well-wishes and love to Slash & I. We are having a lot of fun with this cat blog because of you, thank you!

Saturday kicked it all off with publishing our latest blog post called Cat Calling. Later on, we got a notification that foodtable//la vie e’clectique selected CatPurrology for its Reblog/Linkback Project. Our 1st reblog! Thanks again foodtable! (A wonderful blog about dining, food, lifestyle, travel, etc.)

The next excited thing I discovered is that Anita from The Bipolar Dance Blog bestowed CatPurrology with The Sunshine Award! Thanks again Anita!

The instructions for the award are as follows:

• Link the award to the person who gave it to you.
• Answer the questions that come with it.
• Pass it along to 10 people and let them know they have received it.

Here are the questions & my answers:

Favorite number: 22
Favorite Non-alcoholic drink: Green Tea
Facebook or Twitter: Neither
My Passion: Animals (particularly cats)
Favorite pattern: (This seems like an odd question) Mother Nature’s - Peacock
Favorite Day of the Week: Sunday
Favorite Flower: Poppy

In no particular order my nominations for The Sunshine Award are:

• Life with Cerebellar Hypoplasia Cats
• Texas, A Cat In New York
• Just Cats
• Cute and Funny Pet Photos
• Happy Cat Girl
• Whispers of Sunshine
• Hands on Bowie
• Creative Noshing
• My Three Moggies
• ooamerica

To top it off, Monday morning I discovered that The Bonny Blog nominated CatPurrology for The Liebster Blog Award! Thanks again Cyberbonn!

To acknowledge this nomination, I must now:

1. Link back to the person who nominated me: The Bonny Blog (Cyberbonn)

2. Nominate five (5) bloggers who have less than 200 followers (if you can tell).

In no particular order, here are my Liebster Blog nominees:

• Evidence & Reason
• Reveg of the Nerd
• All That Jazz Cat!
• CollTales
• Russel Ray Photos

** Bloggers, should you accept this “nomination” ~ please follow protocol.

3. Let nominees know by leaving a comment on their sites.

4. Post nomination image on this blog. Here it is:

It was hard to decide who to pass these awards on to since there are so many great blogs that I’m following. I wish I could have selected more and had more time to think it over.

A sincere THANK YOU to everyone for visiting CatPurrology and spreading the word that CATS ROCK! 

Let’s Rock & Roll Cat People!

In the post titled 10 Facts About My Cool Cat Slash, I showed my old apartment (where I used to live when I met Slash) and featured some interesting things about him. There is another thing that he did which seemed more dog-like (just like laying flat to the ground), coming to us when he was called!

There was a round rock path that was between my apartment and his access to the underground street drainage system he went in and out of all the time. It was like his personal path from my home to his and he used it to go back and forth for his daily visits.

One day after visiting, Slash was leaving on his rock path and we started calling him from the balcony. “Slasher, where are you going kitty kitty, kitty? Here kitty kitty, come back Slash.” To our surprise, he turned around and came right back!

When he tried to leave again we waited then called “Don’t leave Slasher, come back here kitty kitty kitty.” Again he stopped and perked up as if thinking “that’s me they are talking to” so he turned around and came right back, looking up at us while swaying his tail back and forth as if saying “here I am, I’m a good kitty kitty see”.

Poor thing, it seemed as if he never had attention from anyone so it worked every time! He would always stop, turn around, and come right back. I had never experienced a cat listening like that when calling to it.

We no longer live at that apartment where Slash and I met so the rock path and our routine has changed. He still seems to react to being called as if it were a luxury. Perhaps sometimes not listening quite as well (laugh out loud) but still happy to have someone talking to him, making him feel wanted.

This is something that I hope for all the poor homeless stray and feral cats out there. Good luck to them getting by and hopefully finding a happy-ending with lots of love and attention just like Slash did!

(This makes me think of a cool cover of “Gettin’ By”, the Jerry Jeff Walker song performed by my favorite - Todd Snider! YouTube video is provided by EighteenMinutes.com.)

This selected YouTube video is provided by RemoVegas

For Mother’s Day, show mom you love her and help cats too!

If you already bought her a gift or you’re like me and don’t have much money to spend (if any). Send her a free e-card from Ally Cat Allies! They have 3 adorable cat cards to choose from which include information about helping cats. You can fill it out today and schedule it to be emailed tomorrow. They help spread the word about the work this organization is doing to help cats across the country.

Go wild if you have $20 to spend by giving her the gift of supporting the wildlife rescue efforts of NRDC (National Resources Defense Council). If she likes cats, together you can help protect the Canadian Lynx from the Tar Sands Mining.

The Canadian lynx makes its home in Canada’s dense boreal forest. But each year, this elusive member of the cat family loses more of its pristine habitat to destructive tar sands mining. Oil companies level out vast swaths of forest to extract heavily polluting tar sands oil, leaving a toxic wasteland in its place.

Your Green Gift will help NRDC stop the spread of tar sands mining and save the boreal home of the imperiled lynx. They will send her a personalized card or e-card. They have donation gifts available for other wildlife too like polar bears, whales, wolves, otters, etc.

Don’t forget about 600milliondogs.org. Your donation will help end an enormous amount of animal suffering due to overpopulation. They are developing a sterilization cookie for dogs currently and will move on to cats next!

Our mothers are important and so are cats. Give the gift that helps end suffering! Spread the love and help make this world a better place for all living things.

Cheers & Happy Mother’s Day!

Greetings Again Animal Protectors,

I received word from 600milliondogs.org that they currently could use help for 2 very specific needs. This organization runs completely on donations and volunteers. If there are any kind-hearted animal protectors who can help accomplish this great mission please consider volunteering in some way. Their current needs and contact info are listed below; also click here for more ways you can volunteer. Thanks in advance for helping innocent animals who are suffering terribly. Together we can make a difference!  – CP

1. PRINT SHOP NEEDED!

600 has a new address and they need to find a printer who will do one print job for free of anywhere from 100 to 1,000 new “Number 9 Envelopes”, that have special post office codes; this will also allow 600 to get a discount from the post office.

The printer can be located anywhere pretty much, and they can provide you with a receipt so you can deduct it from your taxes :^) A pdf of the approved envelope click here to see it is ready to send to any printer right away!

2. EXCEL PERSON NEEDED!
They need help from anyone who is fluent in Excel, the software known as xls.

If you can help donate your time to answer questions by phone or email, it would help 600 a lot!

Photo below provided by 600 volunteer Laura Guttridge.

Alex Pacheco (Founder) & Baby Bear

Email: Alex@600MillionDogs.org  

Tel: 954.933.6066 or 305.519.0877

Website: www.600MillionDogs.org

photo provided by www.i-newswire.com/peter-cennamo-and-teacher-tech/42011

To All My Fellow Cat & Dog Protectors,

After making a small donation awhile back to 600 Million Stray Dogs Need You at 600milliondogs.org (a non-profit with a mission I hold close to my heart), I received a personal email from the founder thanking me for donating. He also included this pdf attachment Introduction March 1 Pills to Sterilize Stray Dogs Instead of Spay Surgery which provides details on how they plan to accomplish their mission and how close they are to seeing it through. 

Please read the pdf from the link above to learn how we can end the needless suffering of dog and cat overpopulation which is far out of control. Remember that together we can make a difference. Thank you for your time and for reading about this solution.

“Bread & Water” by Ryan Bingham

This YouTube video is provided by WNRNradio.

1.  He came along as feral, already several years old, not neutered, and terrified of people. He was thriving in his natural habitat proving to be a skilled hunter and survivor of nature’s elements. He survived sneaking around at night with larger predators and spent time underground in the city’s concrete drainage tunnel system.

2. It took several months of talking to him and trying to interact. We offered gifts such as food, treats, and catnip before he would trust us enough to finally be able to touch him one day as he ate the food we gave him.

3.  It took even longer and a cold Winter day to get him to step inside to eat his food out of the cold. Poor thing, he was extremely nervous when I closed the door to keep the cold air out. We made sure to let him out when he went to the door and begged.

4.  When we were finally able to pick him up for the first time it was quite a shock how heavy he was but yet so lean. This cat was a lean mean muscle machine! Even the vet was very surprised by his incredible physique during the first doctor’s appointment.

5.  He sprayed all over the outside since he hadn’t been neutered yet, probably more so since we had cats. If he came in during the Winter to get warm he had to be watched closely or else he could spray inside. One time he did – on the oil heater! It radiated a smell throughout the whole apartment that would make you instantly want to vomit.

6.  Thankfully after he was neutered he stopped spraying. This was key in order to be able to spend time indoors without being monitored constantly. Also it was likely we would be moving soon and I couldn’t stand to leave him behind. At this point he was starting to show his own appreciation to us by bringing back the best gifts only a cat could only think of (a rabbit and two live mice). It probably confused and disappointed him to see my ungrateful reaction to these “thoughtful” gifts.

7.  We started calling him Slash because his ear had a slash or split in it most likely from a fight with another cat. The top of his ear is scarred in a line where the claw started and must have ripped his ear near the outer edge. We can only guess about what happened and where he came from.

8.  The Rocky Mountain Ally Cat Alliance also known as The Feline Fix, preformed his sterilization and administered the necessary vaccines during one of their clinic days. I didn’t know at the time if I’d be able to have him indoors so they marked him as a treated feral. This is done by either notching the outside of the ear in a V shape or tipping the top off completely. I’m sure he noticed at the next bath that his ear was sore and something seemed to be different. Oh well, just increases his coolness!

Photo taken from my old apt. balcony showing the route he would take. Except the outside stairs were a little different and closer to the roof above the door on our building.

9.  After leaving for about a week to travel over Christmas, Slash figured out how to climb his way up to the 2nd floor balcony which involved scaling a narrow double windowsill about 2″ wide. I guess he was desperate to figure out if we were still in there. He figured out how to use the outside stairs of the neighbor behind us to walk across our roof area then across the double windowsill and a final leap to the balcony. This was nice because there was an elevated cat bed he could use at night for a safe place to sleep while keeping a look out for what was going on. It was so nice to wake up in the morning and find him sleeping out there safely. The balcony had a roof which kept him out of the rain and snow. He walked across that windowsill everyday even when it was covered in snow and ice and never fell off. A couple of times he got across the window and apparently decided the final jump was too risky so he backed himself all the way across it backwards!

10.  When Slash gets hot he lays with his back legs flared outward so that his stomach lays completely flat on the ground. We think he learned to do this to cool his body temperature down using the coolness of the ground. I’m sure that since he’s all black he soaks up more sun.

“Blue” by The Jayhawks

This YouTube video is provided by PHDa64.

Slash’s Stash Copyright © 2012 CatPurrology.com

My current cat Slash (pictured above) is lucky today for many reasons. One of them being the high quality cat food he eats. I’ve made several feeding mistakes with cats over the years. Unknowingly, I’ve fed them poor quality commercial cat food and people food (even milk and raw egg). Thank goodness I know better these days because it’s unfortunate for both the cat and you to learn the hard way.

One of our most important responsibilities as cat protectors is to provide your cat(s) with the necessary nutrients required for proper growth and maintenance because it’s the best chance they have at being healthy and living as long as possible. The six essential classes of nutrients fundamental for optimal health are: water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

Water, as I’m sure you know is the most important nutrient. It is extremely important to have fresh clean water available at all times. Even if the water doesn’t appear to be dirty it’s still necessary to rinse and refill their water bowl at least once every day and more often when contamination is visible. Please don’t forget to wash your cat’s food and water bowl with soap then rinse with hot water from time to time. Once a week should be enough to eliminate bacteria and residue while ensuring their water is clean and fresh tasting. Keep in mind that if you wouldn’t like to drink it your cat shouldn’t have to either.

A deficiency of water will result in serious consequences. So if you have multiple cats you’ll want to make sure they are all eating and drinking regularly as they should. Remember it’s critical to have your cat seen by a veterinarian as soon as you notice a problem with them not wanting to eat or drink and/or are loosing weight.

I notice that my cat isn’t comfortable drinking when anyone enters his feeding area. If this happens I leave the area so he can continue on. Be sensitive to your cat’s feeding behavior, and make necessary adjustments to provide optimum environmental conditions. Their feeding area should be away from high traffic areas, noise, kids, and other animals.

When it comes to vitamins and minerals a cat needs the right amount. That’s why feeding your cat a complete and balanced diet using a high quality commercial cat food is important. Preparing your own cat food the right way is a difficult and time-consuming process. It is usually recommended that cat owners use a commercial nutritionally balanced product, unless a veterinarian recommends a home-formulated recipe for medical purposes. Often these recipes come from published sources and are created by veterinarians certified in animal nutrition. Unless a specific vitamin deficiency is diagnosed by a veterinarian it’s not necessary to give your cat a vitamin supplement. You might be surprised to learn that poisoning from excess vitamins is more common these days than a vitamin deficiency.

Your cat will require different nutrients throughout their life, depending on their age. These stages include kittens, adults, pregnancy, and lactation. The nutritional claim on the cat food label should state the stage of a cat’s life cycle for which the food is a complete and balanced product. Do you see something wrong here?

In a cat’s natural habitat, they are hunters that take in high amounts of protein with moderate amounts of fat and minimal amounts of carbohydrates. It is important to read the ingredient list when choosing your cat’s food. This names all items used in the product, including flavor enhancers, artificial colors, and preservatives. The items are listed in order of decreasing proportional weight. Meat, meat products, or seafood should be listed among the first few ingredients.

The food type (dry, soft, or a combination) is a matter of what your cat prefers. Choose the ones that work best for your cat. These products differ in water content, protein level, caloric density, palatability, and digestibility. Many cats are content to eat a single product, although some cats may develop finicky eating habits and become very selective about what foods they’ll accept. Feeding your cat two or three different cat foods provides flavor variety, and may prevent your cat from developing an exclusive preference for a single food, this could help if a medical condition dictates a change in diet.

This is the food that Slash has been eating for a year now and he absolutely loves it.  He’s only tried the chicken and duck recipes so far and likes them both but they also have one in salmon. It’s a good idea when trying out new foods to buy in the smallest quantity regardless of any cost savings. That way there is not waste if it doesn’t work out and your cat won’t be stuck having to get through it all.

I’d like to tell you why I think this food is so great. Blue Wilderness by The Blue Buffalo Co. is a healthy holistic convenient alternative to a raw diet. It’s high in protein, 100% grain free, no chicken or poultry by-product meals, artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors and no corn, wheat, or soy. The protein is from high quality sources as in deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, and fish meal. Healthy complex carbohydrates come from sweet potatoes, peas, and potatoes. Cranberries, blueberries, and carrots are the antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables in it. The dark pieces are called LifeSource Bits. This is a precise blend of the nutrients and antioxidants used by holistic veterinarians to help promote immune system health and provide life stage support.

The Guaranteed Analysis of Blue Wilderness includes: Crude Protein 40%, Crude Fat 18%, Crude Fiber 3.5%, Moisture 10%, Magnesium 0.08%, Taurine 0.15%, Omega 3 Fatty Acids 0.9%, Omega 6 Fatty Acids 3.5%.

The Guaranteed Analysis of that Generic food includes: Crude Protein 30%, Crude Fat 9%, Crude Fiber 4.5%, Moisture 12%.

The first 10 ingredients of Blue Wilderness are: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Potato Starch, Fish Meal (natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Chicken Fat (naturally preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Peas, Potatoes, Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), and Alfalfa Meal. It even gets better from there but there are too many to list.

The first 10 ingredients of the generic food are: Corn Germ Meal, Wheat Middlings, Ground Yellow Corn, Poultry By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Meat & Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with BHA), Animal Digest, Fish Meal. It gets much worse from there. Salt is the next ingredient, high on the list with Brewers Dried Yeast next.

That shows a major difference in the quality of these commercial cat foods. In regards to price, I buy Blue Wilderness from PetCo for about $23 (including tax) for a 6lb bag. Buying a high quality food is like preventative medicine so consider what you will save in medical expenses by keeping them out of the vets office and off prescription medication. Not to mention the extra years your pet lives are PRICELESS.

If you use dry food, it is important to store unused portions in a cool, dry location, and not to use the food after its expiration date. Lengthy storage decreases the activity and potency of many vitamins and increases the likelihood that fats have become rancid. Storing dry cat food in an airtight container can help prevent nutrient deterioration and help maintain palatability.

Be careful not to overfeed your cat. Obesity is the most common nutrition-related problem in cats. An overweight cat is prone to other health problems such as diabetes and arthritis. There are pet foods formulated to help cats lose weight. Check with your veterinarian to determine the ideal weight for your cat and how much you should be feeding them.

Important note: Do not give your cat raw eggs. Raw egg white contains avidin, an anti-vitamin that interferes with the metabolism of fats, glucose, amino acids and energy.

Here’s to good nutrition and a long life for your cat(s)!

References: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/nutrients-your-cat-needs.aspx, http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/feedcats.html, and http://www.bluebuffalo.com/

“Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger.

This YouTube video is provided by chemicalflaw.

It’s long been said that you can never know a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes, and today you’re going for a walk you won’t soon forget.

German-born Manuela Wroblewski is cursed, threatened and even assaulted as she tries to discretely make her rounds feeding street cats and dogs in the seaside community of Avsallar, Turkey. It’s a bittersweet duty that brings such fulfillment as the animals emerge from the shadows and run eagerly to her feet for their meal. But the daily walk is not without the sting of unwelcome surprises.

One Short Walk…

“While we were on the move, we bumped into a skinny street dog who had a nasty cut on his neck as well as blood running out of his right ear and several cuts,” Manuela explains of a recent day on her beat. “Only 15 minutes later, we bumped into a dead cat that I had been caring for. He was a very friendly one, and what this poor cat looked like now, was shocking.  Sara (visiting veterinary technician from Canada) lifted up his dead body and saw that one eye was missing too. She believes, and my vet confirmed, that this cat was abused and poisoned and — while still alive — was put into the open cardboard box where we found it.”

“Down the road there is one apartment complex here where eight cats were peacefully living until a German woman chased them out by throwing stones at them. Now all of them look really confused as they dwell under a pile of trash directly next to a road. When we fed them, they climbed up onto our laps as they were so devastated. Still in shock about this, we bumped into another street dog who was limping badly. We informed my vet this morning and he will come here tomorrow morning to check both dogs out before we will hold the second spaying/neutering day tomorrow. And early this morning the pretty calico cat that was being used as a football by the local kids, was spitting a bit of blood. My vet will examine her too later today.”

What’s Going on Here?

In Turkey, as in many parts of the world, the animal welfare movement has not yet made its mark. It is not unusual for animals to be poisoned or beaten or killed in ways I dare not describe. It’s truly a difficult situation.

We’ve talked about community education programs, but both Manuela and the  veterinarian she works with fear that any posters to inform residents about our efforts to spay/neuter the cats or to attempt to address issues of cruelty would most likely inspire additional acts of violence toward the street animals. We’ve not yet penetrated the schools to introduce humane education to children who may be our only hope for a humane future here. There truly is a long road ahead of us here and no one is more aware of that than Manuela.

Amidst this monumental struggle, there are golden moments that buoy our spirits. For example, just the other day a puppy followed Manuela and visiting volunteer Sara Ahmadi for several miles.

“We fed her but she wanted more, she wanted love,” explains Manuela.

So when a rare opportunity arose to rescue the dog and fly him out with a Belgian rescuer, Manuela immediately set out to find the puppy.

“I left at 9 am this morning with my big food bag and with a cat crate and spent seven hours walking and feeding, constantly searching for the skinny puppy. I felt like a robot walking back and forth but after exactly seven hours I spotted the puppy nearly two miles away on the beach. I had a leash with me but she refused to walk on it. So  I carried her in my arms all the way while trying to hold onto the bag of cat food and the empty crate. I had to stop a few times as it was incredibly exhausting, but I got her back to my apartment safely and she will now begin a new life with the love she’s been so desperately seeking.”

Manuela is now firmly tucked under the wing of the Harmony Fund and we’re holding on tight with financial and moral support. There’s also a Facebook  group where Manuela shares photos of the cats (and dogs) she’s caring for in hopes of stimulating interest in international adoption. In fact, five cats are coming over at the end of April and will be arriving at JFK  International Airport in New York.  Three of those very affectionate cats do not yet have families to meet them at the gate and we’re hoping and praying that will change over the next few days. (see photos above)

#1 Make a donation to help: The Harmony Fund is raising funds to help support Manuela’s work to feed, spay/neuter and provide emergency veterinary care for the animals around her. This is a significant investment and we would deeply appreciate any donations to help our small charity meet this need year round. All donations that come in over the next 33 hours will be automatically earmarked for this project.

#2 To adopt or escort a cat on flights leaving Istanbul: The search is on for responsible, loving homes for these three cats and others Manuela hopes to help in coming months. The costs of vaccinations, a crate for air travel, the flight and taxes brings the total cost of adoption for each cat to $300. Any serious inquiries may be directed to liaison@harmonyfund.org We’re also eagerly looking for travelers flying out of Istanbul to the United States or parts of Europe who can ‘escort’ animals during future flights until adoptive families can meet them at the airport.

Brought to you by the World’s Biggest Baby Shower for Animals

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/cats-thirst-to-escape-violence-in-turkey.html#ixzz1rpsSht9I

This song is called “Cornbread” by The Band Of Heathens.

This YouTube Video is provided by TexasOutlawVideos.

Grandmother’s Buttermilk Cornbread

Ingredients

•                     1/2 cup butter
•                     2/3 cup white sugar
•                     2 eggs
•                     1 cup buttermilk
•                     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•                     1 cup cornmeal
•                     1 cup all-purpose flour
•                     1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Recipe provided by BETHANYWEATHERSBY @ allrecipes.com

I really liked this recipe because of the buttermilk. It came out very moist, fluffy, with a great buttery flavor. I used organic medium grind cornmeal, whole grain and stone ground which added a nice grainy texture. After trying the medium grind cornmeal I think the coarse grind would be too much for me. Serve with real butter and honey. Great cornbread recipe, enjoy!

The song is “Keep Off The Grass” by Todd Snider

This Youtube Video is from ToddSnider1.

Hello Spring! Slash has happily welcomed this wonderous season. The conditions are right for all kinds of activities that cats fancy. He rarely misses a day of going outside for a bit, even in the Winter. Now that Spring’s here though he insists on being out there as much as possible. Recently he’s gotten great pleasure again from favorite pastimes like chasing butterflies, flying insects, and grasshoppers.

Spotting squirrels, rabbits, and birds.

Foraging for new green grass to eat.

Scratching and climbing trees.

Rolling in dirt spots.

Even a daily bath is better outside.

He enjoys it so much more in the warm sun and cool refreshing breeze.

And of course, hunting.

These activities make Slash a happy cat. Summer follows close behind and that’s when we will be able to begin our camping trips. Last Summer Slash and I crossed paths with a Moose out on our morning walk. I’m looking forward to these adventures as well as the start of a new series of posts called Slash’s Stash which is sure to bring more fun to CatPurrology. Let’s rock and roll cat people!

Copyright © 2012 CatPurrology.com

It’s been a month now since our road trip to Flagstaff, Arizona but it seems like it was only yesterday because the memories are so vivid from the experiences that touched my heart. I wrote about the experiences I’m referring to in my last post Poverty, Stray Dogs, And A Solution To Dog & Cat Overpopulation. I’d like to share a little more about the trip which has to do with another passion of mine that’s right up there with cats – music! Afterall my cat’s name is Slash.

I’d like to dedicate a song to our recent trip. I chose this one because it best represents the impression the area left me with. The song is called Depression by Ryan Bingham. The YouTube video below is by The Roadhouse KEXP and is a live acoustic version.

The concert that we went to see in Flagstaff was Todd Snider, a long time favorite of ours. My boyfriend has followed his career since the early 90′s. We’ve both seen him perform so many times it would be hard to name them all (which I’m sure you don’t mind). The Flagstaff show was the first time our friends saw him perform solo and as usual he did not disappoint. The last time we saw Todd together was when Great American Taxi (one of our friends favorite bands) was touring with him.

The photo above is from the show that Todd and Taxi preformed on Halloween last year at the Fillmore in Denver. Todd was Bob Dylan for the night and the members of Taxi dressed up like nuns. It was a nice treat to hear them cover some of Dylan’s classics.

This photo below is of Todd & Taxi from The Boulder Theatre in the Winter of 2010.

It seems that Todd is more well-known these days and other musicians are covering his music. While it’s nice to see more people discover his musical talent I can’t help but cherish the good old days when he wasn’t so mainstream. I’m happy for him though and he definitely deserves it. He’s put in many years of ”paying his dues”.

In an attempt to tie back to this cat blog, I hope that one day after “paying my dues” the first group of CatPurrology subscribers will be glad to have followed in the beginning before it became so popular – yeah right! Bloggers can dream though can’t we? All joking aside, I wonder if there are other cat admirers who are also just as passionate about music? I know that Coffee Kat is a music lover.

Copyright © 2012 CatPurrology.com

The longer I live and the father out I venture, the more I realize that there is a lot of needless suffering experienced by people and the animals who depend on them. This had never been more apparent to me until my boyfriend and I traveled to the Flagstaff, Arizona area.

We left Colorado and drove down through New Mexico, took a right in Albuquerque and headed towards Flagstaff. Somewhere in between I started noticing a lot of trash along the highway. I knew by looking at the map that there was reservation area around. We began to see a lot of run down mobile homes, trailers, and shacks (very small sheds that actually looked like people were living in them). No wonder there was so much trash. Poverty in this area seemed obvious.

We stopped to have lunch quickly at a Golden Corral in a small town along the way. There was beggars on almost every corner who looked to be of Native American descent. We pulled into the parking lot as the only non-locals there. We got out of the truck, walked toward the door as two beggars asked us for some spare change. My boyfriend gave them the change in his pocket. They shook his hand and thanked him.

While standing in line I heard an old voice directly behind us say “do they have meatloaf”. I turned around and looked into the most desperate set of lifeless old eyes I’ve ever seen. He looked as if he definitely couldn’t afford to buy lunch at a restaurant but stood in line anyway. I said “you like meatloaf do you? I really don’t know since I haven’t eaten here in a long time but I guess that they might.” He nodded his head in agreement and gazed off into the air as if dreaming about the possible meatloaf ahead or some from the past.

We paid, got our drinks and tray then looked for a place to sit. Meanwhile the man behind us leaned in and said something quietly to the staff member then they handed him a glass of water. He took the first available seat ahead and slowly sipped his water while staring at the enormous spread of food that lie before him. As we went up to make our salads we saw a staff member carrying a plate of meatloaf from the kitchen to the old man, sat it down in front of him and said “here’s your meatloaf sir”. We wondered what was going on and if perhaps we had missed something. Regardless, it was nice to see him get the meatloaf he was hoping for.

The next day we met up with our friends we came to visit, ate breakfast then left town to see The Grand Canyon’s South Rim. We were just a few miles out-of-town and they explained that their was reservation land nearby. That’s when I started noticing more run down mobile homes. Then I heard one of them gasp as the other said “oh my”. We looked ahead out the windshield just in time to catch a glimpse of a dead puppy laying along the highway.

The rest of the afternoon and the following day were wonderful and couldn’t have been better. We had a lot of fun and unique experiences with our friends, saw The Grand Canyon, a concert, and watched the Superbowl together. However, I couldn’t help but think about that poor dead puppy from time to time and how tragic it is that its life ended so short. I also couldn’t help but wonder if it was somehow better off now rather than to suffer through a life in poverty’s misery.

Monday morning came and it was time to head back home. We decided to take a different route so we could drive through Monument Valley and visit Arches National Park. We left town and drove by the same area where we had seen the puppy hit on the highway a couple of days earlier. Just up the ahead we saw an animal control vehicle pulling up to a group of mobile homes where a puppy stood all alone in the side yard looking out towards the highway. As we drove by I silently said a prayer for that puppy and hoped for a good outcome.

A couple of hours down the road it was time to stop for fuel in the next town. We pulled into the gas station, got fuel, used the restroom, and decided to grab a snack to hold us over until we got to Moab, Utah. We chose a bag of several large chicken strips and 4 small breakfast burritos.

We got back in the truck and parked on the side of the station. Immediately I noticed what looked like a stray dog sniffing every inch of the pavement around the parked cars. I looked away and then it disappeared. We each took a bite of the food and when I looked out the window again it was sitting just a few feet from my window watching me chew and swallow my first bite.

As if that weren’t bad enough, two more stray dogs came over from behind the station and joined the first. We quickly figured out that one was female and the other was male, who appeared to not be neutered and was more interested in breeding than our food. The female stared at me in desperation and licked her lips looking hungry.

I apologized and said that there was no way I could enjoy the food as these hungry stray dogs watched so intensely. He agreed as another male dog who was also not neutered crept closer, exposing himself but keeping some distance from the others.

I kept telling the other male dog to knock it off when he would get behind the female. I couldn’t stand to think about how the female will surely be pregnant soon if not already and how the outlook for their puppies did not look good, to say the least. As I told the breeding male to knock it off again someone walking by said “yeah good luck with that”.

We started tossing the rest of the food out to all four dogs. Honestly, it wasn’t good anyway and we knew the poor dogs needed it more than us. When the food neared the end, the other male dog sitting by himself came closer to the group. That’s when the other male launched towards him as if going to attack but instead stopped within inches, showing his teeth and growling fiercely.

After the food was gone the dogs continued to sniff the pavement and lick the spots where the food briefly made contact. It was a very sad sight and I was eager to get out of there. I had experienced all the heartache I could take in the last couple days from seeing so much suffering and desperation first hand from the people and animals living in that area.

When people can’t afford to take care of themselves the animals suffer too and are the last ones to receive food or medical attention. We agreed that this was the most poverty we’d ever seen before but also recognizing that this probably didn’t even compare to the poverty outside the USA in developing countries.

I couldn’t stop thinking about those dogs. I remembered the female licking her lips and wished I would have given her more food since she would need it if she were pregnant. I also regretted not thinking about going back inside the station to look for a bag of dog food. While I’m sure the gas station owner’s wouldn’t have wanted us to feed the dogs right outside their station like we did, maybe we could have left the food in piles for them in a nearby area. Alas, it was too late now.

Luckily I remembered about 600milliondogs.org just in time to ease my mind enough so I could take in the sights as we drove through Monument Valley. It is estimated that at any given time on this planet there are over 600,000,000 stray dogs living in desperate conditions who give birth to between 1 and 3 billion puppies each year! Millions are brutally killed each year for population control especially in countries with no animal cruelty laws.

600milliondogs.org’s mission is simply to end the needless suffering and killing by developing and distributing a pill which would safely, economically, and painlessly sterilize stray dogs. This will reduce the rate of reproduction while controlling stray dog populations humanely. Once they accomplish this they’ll develop one for cats too!

I made a promise to myself that when we got back I’d donate to this cause and I did. It’s the best shot we have to overcome dog and cat overpopulation because it’s so out of control. Please join me and support their mission too. This solution is long overdue and they need you and I to help see it through.

Copyright © 2012 CatPurrology.com

Meet Slash

It’s my experiences with Slash and with the other cats I’ve had, helping the stray or feral who come along, as well as witnessing the lives of indoor cats I know through friends and family which led me to start this blog. Honestly, I delayed it for quite some time. Sharing my life and thoughts online with the world is something that I’m getting more comfortable with. I’m not a member of Facebook and before WordPress I had no social presence online other than through email and a Flickr account for sharing photos.

My friends and family do not know about this blog, that way I can also share their experiences without problems. Afterall, this has nothing to do with attention or praise and everything to do with helping cats. Even if this is just by sharing information and experiences. Here are two quotes to ponder:

“Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes”.  – Peter F. Drucker

“The trouble with the world is not that people know too little; it’s that they know so many things that just aren’t so”. – Mark Twain

In regards to these quote, I want you to know that the opinions I may share here I won’t share them with you because I think that they are right. I’ll share them because I have a strong desire to write and help animals live a good life. If nothing else I hope to ease my own mind of the unfortunate mistreatment animals experience and celebrate the good times.

So the time has come to get out of my comfort zone, rise up to the challenge, and do something no matter how small. Even if it means losing a bit of privacy, being criticized, or possibly offending someone. The positive outcomes that are possible far outweigh the risks involved.

I was nervous to click the publish button for the first time and I admit at that moment my deodorant had a job to do. The experience was uneasy for me but yet still exciting at the same time. How do you know that your post is ready and all that it can be?

I didn’t know what to expect for feedback, as far as if anyone would find and read it at all. Turns out there were a handful of people who did! Cat Ignorance 101 received three likes which was super encouraging and probably the most exciting of all was that someone clicked the follow button! Receiving the likes and to think that someone liked it enough to welcome more helps give me the confidence to keep going.

A special thank you to the first “follower” Ooa Revo who I’m extremely honored to now be connected with through our blogs. If you like art, photography, and travel you will want to learn more about his blog www.ooarevo.wordpress.com and what he is up to at www.ooamerica.com where he is currently getting ready for another road trip across the USA.

The WordPress community seems very supportive and the overall impression I have so far is positive. You can count on the main focus of this blog to be about improving the lives of cats. I suspect though at times I’ll write about other animal interests too since I truly care about them all, even the meanest and ugliest. Upcoming cat topics:

• What makes a cat happy
• Cats I’ve known and cared for over the years and past experiences
• My current amazing cat Slash (a.k.a Slasher)
• Tips for improving your cats health and well-being
• Helping the stray and feral too
• Issues such as overpopulation and mistreatment
• Traveling and moving
• Camping and hiking with your cat
• Even cat walking!

I hope that you may learn something new here or at least be entertained at times. My goal is to post something on a weekly basis. I respect your time and will not over post just to get something in front of you. There are so many great blogs and only so much time. That said, I still encourage you to join Ooa or at least remember to check back in from time to time.

Please stay tuned my fellow cat protectors and protectresses, the more the merrier!

Copyright © 2012 CatPurrology.com

                 Sweet Chaos, the cat responsible for melting my cold heart.

I think that if you don’t like cats then you haven’t taken the time to get to know them. This was my experience. Sure there were always cats around me ever since I was born, although they lived outdoors on the farm. Looking back I’m not sure they wanted to be inside. Too many activities and things to discover outside. They also had the run of the barn with endless rodents to catch, a heated garage with cat door access, and plenty of cat food.

They were living a life of freedom, one which any indoor cat would envy. Though their freedom certainly came with risks. They could disappear at times then usually show up again, although occasionally never to return. This should have been devastating to us but, alas I don’t remember that being the case. There were lots of animals on the farm and several of them were considered pets. We never spent any special time bonding with the cats really. Sure we would feed and pet them occasionally but the truth is we never really got to know them. Unlike the dogs, our cats didn’t force us to interact with them.

I suppose that’s why as I got older I thought of myself as more of a dog person (as if you have to choose). I probably also thought it was “cooler” to like dogs than cats as a teenager but what it really came down to was a selective state of unawareness rooted from ignoring. Yes, I was among the cat ignorant.

Thankfully those days are far behind me and I’m embarrassed to admit that’s what I once thought. Fortunately I realized how wrong I was when I left the farm for college and got a small apartment in the city. That’s when I began living one on one with a cat. Then and only then did I truly get to know these beloved creatures. I found myself quickly realizing how precious, loving, intelligent, playful, fun, intuitive, trainable, fascinating, graceful, and down right adorable cats really are.

I’m so thankful for this enlightenment and the joys that their companionship bring. Ever since then I proudly declare to the world that I’m a cat lover! Sometimes it might seem that I’m the biggest cat lover EVER. Note: Others might not understand, especially when it seems like you are more interested in their cat than their child.

Don’t let the consequences of ignorance affect you. As Charles Darwin observed, “ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge”. Even if you’re not a cat person from the start (like me) it’s never too late to put your cat ignorance behind you and really get to know them.

Another lazy day Chaos?

Reference: Charles Darwin (1871). “The Descent Of Man” pp. Introduction, page 4.

Copyright © 2012 CatPurrology.com