'Toon Tuesdays

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Toon Tuesdays feature cat & dog cartoons made by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) - where our mom works, too!

BREAKING: Pet Food Salmonella Recall

Natura Pet, makers of Evo, Innova, California Natural and HealthWise brands of pet food are recalling the following dry dog, cat and ferret foods:

Healthwise:
       •Weight Control
       •Puppy
       •Lamb & Oatmeal

California Naturals:
       •Kangaroo & Red Lentil

Innova:
       •All three cat formulas
       •Puppy
       •Adult large bite
       •Senior plus
       •Prime beef & lamb
       •Herring & Salmon
       •Herring
       •Large breed adult & puppy

Evo:
       •Ferret
       •Turkey & Chicken Cat & Kitten
       •Herring & Salmon Cat food
       •Red Meat Large Bites Dog
       •Turkey & Chicken - Dog
       •Senior
       •Weight Management 


The specific runs impacted are the ones that have an expiration date between 12/17/13 and 1/2/14.
Please check the lot numbers on any bag of pet food you may own against the lot numbers listed on Natura Pet's link, here.

If in doubt, you can contact the company at (800) 532-7261 between 8 AM and 5:30 PM, CST, Monday – Friday.

Frosty Doppelganger

We're taking a break this week from our weekly Monday Medical series, but we'll be back next week for National Nutrition Month!

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I awoke one morning a few days ago, wondering how in the world Faraday could cling to that narrow ledge that was the window sash.

 Then I realized what I was seeing...

Fooled by a frosty morning!

Hallmark Partners with the RSPCA

Look at what the folks at Hallmark are up to now!

Some of the cards available now in the U.K.

Hallmark has entered into an agreement with the RSPCA to feature their animals on greeting cards, gift wrap and stationery products. Each card provides a link to the RSPCA website where you can find information about the pets featured in the photographic design.

Both Hallmark and the RSPCA expressed enthusiasm over the 3 year agreement, with Hallmark executive Emma Read stating, "Having the chance to bring these images to our cards and other personal expression products has been a great opportunity — not just to employ these wonderful images on our cards but to help the RSPCA raise valuable funds to help animals."

The product line will be available at supermarkets and card specialist stores across the U.K.

Saturday PhotoHunt: Footprints

As many of you know, we were in a bit of upheaval at home during January & February
while the floors are being refinished.

Here, we present evidence that yes, the floors indeed were sanded,
as the incriminating foot-- err, pawprints -- attest!

 

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We're also participating in the Weekend Cat Blogging blog hop...

...and the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop, hosted by Baby Patches, Life with Dogs and Two Little Cavaliers.

Rally the Troops

Friends, it's with great dismay that we write this afternoon after hearing about an op-ed article in yesterday's Orlando Sentinel written by Ted Williams, field editor for the magazine Audobon.

In it, he writes, “There are… effective, humane alternatives to the cat hell of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). One is Tylenol (the human pain medication)—a completely selective feral cat poison.”

Friends, not only is this illegal, there is nothing humane about Tylenol poisoning.

We called Dr, Sara Huber of Leawood Plaza Animal Hospital and here is her response:
"To say Tylenol is humane is completely inaccurate. In fact, Tylenol poisoning is terribly inhumane. It causes severe, life threatening anemia - basically the cat will bleed to death."

And to say it is a completely selective poison? No poison is completely selective. If it's left out in the open, any animal can ingest it, including indoor/outdoor pet cats who are not feral. And while the active ingredient in Tylenol, acetaminophen, is generally safe for rodents such as squirrels and chipmunks, it is not safe for dogs.

Not only is Mr. Williams' article inaccurate and misleading, it encourages individuals to break the law:

“Killing a cat is a criminal offense in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Ted Williams used a major media platform to call for cats to be illegally and tortuously killed. It cannot be excused,” says president and co-founder of Alley Cat Allies, Becky Robinson.

We join Alley Cat Allies - and fellow bloggers all over the world - in calling for the immediate dismissal of Ted Williams by Audobon. Please click here to sign their petition.

This article is more than egregiously irresponsible reporting. It calls into question the man's journalistic ethics. This is a personal vendetta, plain and simple. And it must stop.

"Fun Finds" Friday

 This is a random gathering of pet-related things we thought you might find interesting. 

(Okay, and a lot of it is from Mommy's snoop time on Pinterest!)

If you have a fun find you'd like us to feature, send us a shout-out by clicking on the Contact Us tab above.

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We have Kjelle Bus (aka Charlie Rascal) to thank for this one!

Straight from Sweden, this is the Globe Window Birdfeeder. A suction cup adheres it to the outside of a window, and can provide hours of kitty enjoyment.

As soon as we saw it, we knew it was a must-have for  us. The Bird TV Channel is pretty popular around here, so this will be like installing the kitty version of an IMAX 3D Theater in our home!

To see this little beauty in action, take a look here at Kjelle Bus' photo - you can see how entranced he is by the Real Deal!

You can buy this online at Gardener's Supply Company for only $19.95.

Thanks, Kjelle Bus, for blazing the trail!