Atwater Vitki

You !! The Cat in the Hat is a book!, not a "How to Guide" ! Great duo! I'm sure Ichabod keeps them busy! Blessings of Peace,

I'm glad to see there's been some interest here! Our veterinarian that takes care of our brood is writing up a short topical article on some basic in-home care tips for your dogs and cats that I look forward to posting. She's given the assignment to one of her trusted technicians and should be forth coming soon, very soon! Jolene said she's typing away on it and should have it by early next week depending on how busy the office is! Anyway, just an FYI for something else to look forward to! Blessings of Peace,

Buster is so cool, just a little tanner than my "Bjorn" (Bear) growing up that had more of a whitish tinge. Buster looks like one Happy Puppy!! Blessings of Peace, " Woof bowr bow bowr woof woof! " to Buster! (You may want to RESIZE Buster's picture. or is it in the 640x480 pixel format? looks kinds big and I'd hate to see admin remove it! )

Below are a few examples of things we've made for our "kids" from cheapie store buys. Use at your own risk (of stomach ache from laughter) and make sure you make them safe! "Disk Toss and Chase" - Items needed: "float" Cut (a serrated bread knife works great) several ¾" to 1" slices off "float". Roll like you would a bowling ball on tile or carpet and watch kitty chase until they drop. "Wrestle Buddy" - Items needed: "float" and an old pair of socks Cut a length, to about the size of kitten, cover in a pair of socks (one each direction) and hand play with kitten to get their scent on it. Once a few minutes of play time, they will drag it out of their toy box on their own. A favorite of "Turbo's". If socks are too loose on "float", wrap in hand towel or another pair of socks before putting on outside sock...whatever makes it tight or it will be pulled apart! You can aslo use a "tie-wrap" to secure the open end of outside sock, but could cause injury to kitten if hit in eye so not recommended. "Hanging String Bouncer" - Items needed: "float", string, 5-6 heavy duty rubber bands, 36" spring rod Cut a length of "float" about 6-8" long, can be covered in sock, but not necessary, and secure it at one end of 4-5 feet of string by passing string through center of "float" and tying a rubber ball or cat nip mouse so float doesn't come off. At other end of string tie five or six rubber bands (we use the ones off broccoli bunches) by looping them together. Loop last rubber band around spring rod and twist spring rod to length needed for door jamb (make sure it's really tight!!) We also put one of those removable "pull glue" picture hangers under rod on door jamb (one each side) to make sure it doesn't come down when tugged on. Use caution and make your toys safe for your pet, I assume no responsibility, liability or warranty for your workmanship.

Like human kids, our pets often become one of the family. They also mimic children in that a toy, or gift, sits besides the toy box while they play with the box or bag it came in. Here's few really cool, not to mention cheap, toy ideas for your kitten and even adult cats. Round swimming pool exercise "spaghetti floats" are an item available for $1 at almost any discount or "Dollar Store" type outlet. There are dozens of items available at these outlets than can keep kitty entertained for hours with very little out of pocket expense. These "floats" come in a variety of shapes and all are approximately 48" long so you can make quite a few toys out of one "float". These are made of a soft poly-styrene plastic so it will "shed" a bit when clawed, but vacuums easily. Other products and items that are usually available at these "Dollar Stores" are: Plastic bins, bowls and storage containers for kitty's food (any people food container), sand (under bed sweater/shoe storage boxes) and toy boxes (tool boxes and shoes storage boxes). Shower curtains and liners for protecting areas until potty trained completely, or if kitty is sick sometimes protection as to not spread germs/viruses to other pets. You can also find window curtain and shower curtain "spring rods" there. String and Clothes Line; packaging string and cotton clothes line cord comes in 50, 100 and 250 foot packages and is used for many toys. I saw a 25' roll of "Mailing Twine" at Post Office for $6.95! No need for expensive rope or twine for cat toys. All types of balls; those "Water Splat" fabric/fiber filled for throwing water balls, when kept dry make excellent play toys as kitty can claw and carry without damage to teeth or claws, plus they're very light weight and easy for smaller kittens to toss around. Smaller tennis balls and rubber balls for a good chase and bounce! Utensils like spaghetti spoons and shifters for cat-box cleaning, spoons so you don't have to use the good silverware, tongs for getting hard to reach toys under couch/chairs and all sorts of other things you can dedicate to kitty's needs. Squirt guns for training purposes. We get the plain 5 packs and usually one or two don't work so well or aim is way off. You can correct aim by using a sewing needle in tip and push/pull it to a straight aim with barrel. This normally corrects the "hard right", "too high" or "way under" water stream. Cleaning products; while your name brand stuff is best for most household cleaning jobs, the cheap off label brands are just fine for daily little mishaps and continuous use. "Fabric ReFresh", a "Fabreeze™" type solution is something we use gallons of and the gallon refill of "ReFresh" is $1 compared to $5 for a 12 oz bottle of name brand. It has the same "hydra-poly-chloro-whatever" ingredient as the name brand, just less of it by 2%. The off-brand oven cleaner, which usually doesn't work on oven grease, works great on the once a month cat box cleaning/sand changing and foams out any scratches or nicks in the plastic tub. Spray on, let sit 2-3 minutes, rinse out thoroughly in bathtub. Tissue wrapping paper; a small 12x12x10" cardboard box, 8-10 sheets of crumpled tissue paper, toss in a "Disk Toss" and watch the fun begin! This one is hilarious to watch even adult cats get involved in the fun and games of hide 'n seek, stalker and pounce! Take up at night for kittens as confusion between tissue and sandbox may be not so much fun. Towels and Washcloths; Use the "cheapies" for chair covers, mess clean ups and various other needs, toss out instead of mucking up washing machine. Hand towels are great for lap blankets to keep fur off clothing and can be easily stored under end table or beside chair. All of our cats, including kittens, are "trained" to wait for "bain-kie" before snuggling into lap. They will sit on arm of recliner until towel is in lap, then curl up and get comfy. While you're at the "Dollar Store", just keep your eyes open for ideas, I could list more and even more! We also buy incense and scented candles*(see below), anti-bacterial soap which helps keeps hands clean and home free of "box smell" - though cleaning box 2-3x's daily does the trick and always use good sand- the clumping type has been angelic in keeping foul odors away. "Scoop Away®"and "Exquisite®" (PetsMart brand) are excellent! The non-scented is best for the pet, but if you have a sensitive nose the scented is also very good. Sometimes they even have name brand cat food in stock, but use quickly as when they do it's usually ready to expire. Check out the accompanied "Cat Toy Examples" topic for diagrams of toys you can make for hours of fun for kitty and belly aches of laughs! *if you use incense and scented candles in your home, please do so with caution. Many pets, and humans, can have mild to severe breathing issues if incense and scented candles are used withOUT plenty of fresh air exchange. We're lucky to have a separate room for the "kids" litter box and there is always an open window for air exchange. We also have several ivy plants in there to help absorb odors, but be sure to research which ivy's do NOT have a toxic effect on your pets.

only 1/2 awake...out dead, deeep sleep last night...fuzzy, now, meds... groggy.... keyword - "dash board"....searching......searching.....searching..sear...aha! Referenced...click...brain engaged (or not depending on how one sees it) to... ♫♫I don't care if it rains or freezes, as long as I have my plastic Jesus, sittin' on the dash board of my caaarr...♪♫ ♪ Comes in colors pink and pleasant, glows in the dark 'cause it's iridescent, take him with me when I go afaaaarrr♫♪ I think that was from Firesign Theatre or some such thing...only remember lyrics, not source I had a white rat "Charlie" when I was in 6-7th grade and yes, he too would go everywhere with me on my bike. Poor little dude just didn't wake up one morning but at over 31/2 yr, I'm told was quite old. I could do more rats even today, but with 5 cats, prolly not a good idea. Fish tank, now gone, was enough distraction and problems with the fuzzy ones. Blessings of Peace,

One sent to me...use it/print it at will

Hey Gang, I recently solicited the help of some of the other members in coming up with this idea of the "Pet Corner". Many thanks goes out to those that helped push this idea into reality...you all know who you are! There are a number of risks distinctive to herbal remedies as most, if not all of these, are not mainstream veterinarian practice. You should talk to your vet about this type of medicating prior to starting any regimen or dosing. There are several great Homeopathic Pet Care books available and it's a good idea to find one that makes sense to you. Never assume your veterinarian is educated in homeopathic remedies as like people doctors, natural is not taught in medical school. Rather, the pharmaceutical and business end of medicine is the education most doctors and veterinarians get today. Kay and I have finally found a veterinarian that is not the best educated in herbals, but one of her technicians is a Certified Herbalist and gives free consultations. As with any treatment or prescription regimen that you would apply to yourself, educate yourself on options available for your pet. Don't rely on others to know it all as very few do, but there is a lot of great general advice that applies wonderfully to most circumstance. There is pro's and con's to homeopathic remedies for our pets such as: PRO: Herbal remedies are generally easier on your pet's overall biological system. You can grow many of these yourself at very little cost. Some, your pet will eat right off the plant. CON: A pet owner should be well versed in natural herbs, roots and tinctures before attempting to dose their pet. Not all veterinarians subscribe to natural remedies and some are downright ignorant about them. Consistency of potency can vary greatly. Thanks goes out to those that rendered some feedback while coming up with category for the forum as was mentioned in the opener. I'm not going to post the names of who said what by their own request...I'm sure for legalities and wanting to remain anonymous! A few tips I've gotten as feed back: "99¢" and "Dollar Store" type places have a great selection of: *Toys for your pet, usually found in the children toy section *Plastic/Stainless Steel bowls for food and large "dish pans" for litter boxes *Plastic shower curtains or table cloths for carpet barriers under litter boxes *Inexpensive utensils for food serving and even litter box clean up (So you need not use the family heirloom silverware!) *Cheap 'squirt guns' for training aids (Works great!! No harm to pet or furniture/appliances, but watch the electronics!) *Many other items that pet specialty stores make a huge profit on due to "pet product" label. On Herbal Medicines for your Pet: From: "Master X" : The same concerns which are valid for people taking herbs are just as, if not more, valid for animals. One has to be careful, as some herbs have a distinctly different effect on our four legged friends. While I agree with you in principal concerning better health treatments, there is the additional danger that pets can not give much feedback. There is a large variety of sources available - but you will find the same problems as researching human conditions - it is a very complicated process which requires time and experience to know exactly what herbs to offer, how much, how often, and for what length of time. As is my normal practice - I go where the knowledge is concentrated... (GENUINE knowledge - not New Age mumbo-jumbo). The places to start are Ayurvedic sources and Chinese herbal medicine sources. You will find thousands of years of Chinese experimenting with herbal medicine for their four legged family members... cures which are specifically for cats and dogs and a few for other animals. Ayurveda, on the other hand, is as exacting as Chinese herbal medicine - but they did not apply it to their animals like the Chinese. So, the whole experimenting thing must be begun by the concerned pet owner. Another concern is that Herbs are much more effective for the individual when grown and harvested within a short distance from their home. Fresh herbs will have a drastically different effect sometimes, as well as the fact, that herbs grown in a soil which is very different from that which surrounds the individual can conceivably have unusual concentrations of nutrients and minerals which are not perfectly suited to the individual. An herbal physician must spend a good deal of time with their patient to observe symptoms and make observations, to have a good chance of offering the most effective medicine. It is likely to dissuade folks from herbal cures by offering too much advice as people will make assumptions and mistakes which will result in less than optimal effects thereby abandoning a very helpful practice. And remember folks, as with anything, the more you know, the more you'll grow...intellectually, Spiritually and in maturity. I hope you'll chip in and add to what should be a growing, and ongoing development of this category and topic! Blessings of Peace,

The links below are not officially sponsored by the Forum. These are links the category moderator has found to be useful and thought it would be a good idea to pass them along! The originator of this category strongly advocates for homeopathic (natural) remedies for your pet instead of highly potent, sometimes unreported dangers, pharmaceutical remedies. Please be sure you educate yourself before buying any product listed here. The Forum and originator of this topic assumes no liability for the correctness and proper/improper use of any item offered by any of these links. Pesty strays Repellants Questions for a Veterinarian? Ask a Veterinarian Save a War Zone Puppy or Kitten SPCA-Baghdad Pup Natural and Homeopathic Remedies Native Remedies Dog/Cat Eating Poop? Homeopathic1 Homeopathic2 Homeopathic3

Pet Care is an area to post tricks of the trade and things you've learned while caring for your pets. Please note there is a “Links” posts where a few links have been put up, however, we encourage you to add to this list by posting your own “Favorites” and links you keep on your “Bookmarks List”. There will be forthcoming a short article from the category originator from his veterinarian on some basic pet care tips. DISCLAIMER: While we hope that everyone uses caution with the health and safety of their pet, this "Pet Care" sub-category is in no manner a definitive nor EXPERT source of information regarding the health and upkeep/care of your pet. Please read any topic or article posted herein with great discernment. This category is not meant as a self help guide to avoiding the veterinarian! In case of emergency concerning your pets health, please visit your local veterinarian immediately! The intended purpose of this category is for us to share tips and tricks we've learned along our journey of being pet owners. Blessings,

Please read forum Policies and Rules before posting. Click here for link to rules. Phurry Photos is the area to post your favorite pictures of your pets. Please post just the picture with a short caption. NO LARGER THAN 640 x 480 PIXELS No exceptions! Any picture larger than 640x480 will be removed without notice or warning – (message from admin!) - due to space requirements. Please consult your source of photo or photo editing software for instructions on how to do so. I'm assuming there is limited space available on the server or that pictures larger than the 640 X 480 Pixels gum up the works here...I don't know...I was just told to make this point!! Should you have a story, information or other details you'd like us to see, please, post that in "Stories" with a link by the picture to your story or article.

Please read this before posting! Welcome to the new Category for posting “Pet Corner”. All basic posting rules apply here, just like any other section of our forum. If you still haven't read the rules, click here. Please note the title of each category and place your post in the appropriate area. Stories, Discussions and Articles is just that, a place to post your discussion topics, stories of your personal experiences with your favorite pets or interesting articles you've found on the internet. Please make sure you cite the source if the story is not your personal property. Pet Care is an area to post tricks of the trade and things you've learned while caring for your pets. Please note there is a “Links” posts where a few links have been put up, however, we encourage you to add to this list by posting your own “Favorites” and links you keep on your “Bookmarks List”. There will be forthcoming a short article from the category originator from his veterinarian on some basic pet care tips. Phurry Photos is the area to post your favorite pictures of your pets. Please post just the picture with a short caption. NO LARGER THAN 640 x 480 PIXELS No exceptions! Any picture larger than 640x480 will be removed without notice or warning – (message from admin!) - due to space requirements. Should you have a story, information or other details you'd like us to see, please, post that in “Stories” with a link by the picture to your story or article. We've been given this area by request so I hope we all enjoy it, use it with regard to others and the rules!

Too cool and thanks for the lesson, but due to what I looked at here and internet I guess this long one below isn't any particular "style" or "type", rather an abomination to "haiku"... ... too long if haiku is suppose to be just one paragraph or is there differences? All the one's I read were either one or two paragraphs, except one example from like 840 CE that was five parag. long.? I've never been a poet, that I know, Always been fascinated, how words flow. Some rhyme, others don't, Stop me?, nah, it won't! sun breaks over hills, dew drops sparkle upon tree's limb, shadows stretch upon fields. birds take flight o'er head, breeze gently bends grasses blade, sit, watch, contemplate. mind's eye sees many things, listen, absorb, take them in, the unseen visions. then warrior's call, silence broken from afar, wings, talons, earth bound. sustenance for one, loneliness for the other, is only nature's way. unseen visuals, regain prominence again, thoughts from life's journey. sun high overhead, kettle, flame, gentle roiling, senses alive, savor. mind's eye again drifts, past, now, future unravels, deeply from within. mistakes, successes, paths taken, those lost to whim, intellectual voice. sun fades over hill, shadows lengthening again, moon rise, darkness falls. home, sanctuary, creative actions to take, on 'morrows dreaming. I basically rewrote a poem I wrote 11 years ago into the "American haiku" style as the original is just poetic notes from a day deciding whether to go join Kay on Maui, or stay in Humboldt...was a difficult day of thinking at that time. Blessings of Peace, .

Now I'll try Haiku, To some lowly degree write, What I've learned so far. It seems magical now, What can be said so shortly. Blessings of thinking. Make the words counted, Brings thought to babbling rambling, Short, sweet, to the point. Qryos...your Haiku's are marvelous. No wonder you post the way you do...you're use to thinking, not just writing, like some of us (ah-hem > ME!) do! Is it okay if I copy/paste to my collection some of your works? Some of those by SifuPhil are wonderful as are "Dabbles" and several others. Don't worry, none that I c/p are going anywhere except my personal collection. Oh, and thanks Murph for your entry...waaaay back..I never really understood Haiku before reading your short, simple explanation "Five syllables here..." Blessings of Peace to all,

Thank you Reverend Rainbow for such an eloquent and gentle reminder of what this day is really about. You stirred in me a sense of Patriotism that has been lost for awhile due to things that use that word with such wonton disregard. Patriot Auto Sales, Patriot Missile and Patriot Act come immediately to mind as none of those things represent the true meaning of Patriotism. Thank you for your service in defense of this ideal. You prompted me to get out some old photo albums to look back upon my macabre fascination with the symmetry in those rows of White Crosses on display in our National Cemeteries. Whether Arlington or the Philippines, France or Germany, they all look the same, which is in stark contrast to the many thousands of individual lives buried beneath those neatly landscaped rows of markers. Yet, it represents the unity, the oneness of each of those lives given up for our sake, being able to sit here now writing about our observances and reflection on those lives. Memorial Day or Veterans Day, both should bring our minds back to what was in the hearts of those laid to rest. Their honorable sacrifices express a loss to those who've had the expressed sorrow of keeping a loved one there, instead of perhaps lost in the rows of varied memorials at a cemetery close to their home. Urrah! Semper Fi! Steady as she goes! Above the clouds! As each of those markers does indeed reflect in the rest of us the Best they could be. Blessings of Peace, .