ChristMas an' Secret Paws 2010!

Today is ChristMaus an' Mom finally relented an' let us open the package under the ChristMaus tree that had OUR names on it. It was from the Chesney Cats who live in the midwest. Mom said that it's cold an' "wintery" at their house ... an' that they probably had a "white ChristMaus" 'cuz of snow. We don't have snow, but we do have ice ... in the water bowl.

Anyway, Charmee an' Sparky Fuzzypants were furry excited when Mom finally got up at 11:02 AM ... They were all about opening that package.

Mom didn't hafta help them, 'cuz someone who is mostly white an' has a long black tail that he got from KMart decided to sneak peeks into the package at the back part where he thought that no one named "Mom" would look (but she did!).

The package had a box inside an' there was a card with a picture of Emma, Sammy an' Festus. They look furry pretty on their card.

In the card was some coupons so that Mom can use 'em at the store if she ever goes an' gets us any stuff (Mom here: In my defense, I stocked up in September/October and have a cabinet full of stuff for them to eat!)

Their cousins in Oregon ... Zoey and the Furballs ... sent a package with a 'nip toy in it, but as soon as it was opened, Charmee made it disappear somewhere an' no one can find it to take a photo!

So that was what we did today .,, We played with the toys that the Chesney Cats sent in our Secret Paws: Fev-ver butt mousies, a 'nip pillow, an' four super-cool handmade Squiggles! Squiggles are the BEST!

Thank you!
Ho, ho, ho ...
DMM and the Feline Americans

Merry ChristMAUS!

We here in sunny(-ish) Sandy Eggo wanna wish efurryone on the Innernets the happiest of holidays an' a politically incorrect Merry Christmas!
DMM and the Feline Americans
And Jessica, too

Help Animals this Holiday ...

Pets on Wall Street!

**MEDIA ALERT**
THURSDAY, DEC. 23, 2010

Iams Home 4 the Holidays Celebrates the Holiday Season and Raises Awareness for Pet Adoption

Adorable Orphaned Dogs and Cats Lend a Paw to Representatives of Helen Woodward Animal Center and Iams Home 4 the Holidays to Ring the Closing Bell® at the NYSE

What:
Orphan dogs and cats available for adoption during the 12th annual Iams Home 4 the Holidays will visit the New York Stock Exchange on Thurs., Dec. 23 to raise awareness for pet adoption.

In honor of this occasion, representatives of Bideawee, Helen Woodward Animal Center, and Iams Home 4 the Holidays will ring the Closing Bell, along with the help of orphan dogs and cats.

Iams Home 4 the Holidays – founded by Helen Woodward Animal Center, aims to place 1.5 million orphan pets in happy, loving homes this holiday season. The program kicked off on Oct.1, 2010 and will end on Jan.4, 2011.

When:
Thursday, December 23, 2010
3:45 p.m. Iams Home 4 the Holidays group moves to the Trading floor
4:00 p.m. The Closing Bell rings

Where:
NYSE
18 Broad Street (and Exchange), New York, NY

Photos Available:
Visuals of the four-legged friends who are helping put a cute, furry face on the topic of pet adoption.

More Information:
For more information about Iams Home 4 the Holidays, visit www.iamshome4theholidays.com.

Contact:
FOR PHOTOS, PLEASE CONTACT:
Chad Darwin
cdarwin@painepr.com

Photo/Video:
Photos available via Associated Press/New York (212.621.1902), Reuters America (646.223.6285) and Bloomberg Photo (212.617.3420).

The Closing Bell (starting at 3:55 p.m.) feed is available via Ascent loop #4009. Media seeking footage via The Switch should contact the NYSE Broadcast Center at 212.656.5483.

Iams Home 4 the Holidays: 2010 Update

Carly, a public relations specialist for Iams Home 4 the Holidays, sent us this update on how the promotion is goin' ... Here are the stats through November 9th (when we received the email) ...

"After a month of hard work and dedication, we'’ve tallied adoption numbers, meals donated and Facebook fans and wanted to be sure you and your readers knew the stats! We can’t thank you enough for all of your support. Because of you, we’ve been able to keep the momentum going and spread the word about pet adoption this holiday season.

Since October 1st, we have helped find new loving homes for:

Dog/Puppy 150,037
Cat/Kitten 131,956
Other Adoptions 6,191
Total adoptions: 288,184

Facebook Fans 50,551
Total Meals Donated 439,746

Important Campaign Details:
Iams Home 4 the Holidays runs from Oct.1, 2010 to Jan. 4, 2011
This year’s goals are to find forever homes for 1.5 million pets AND provide 5 million bowls of food to shelters in need
1.3 million pets were adopted last year alone
3,500 partner animal organizations (21 participating countries around the world)
Information on how to get involved, how to find a participating shelter in your area and other important tips for new parents can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/iams or on IamsHome4theHolidays.com

Please help us continue to spread the word so we can reach our goal to get 1.5 million pets adopted by January 4, 2011!!

Thanks,
Carly"

11-4-2010: Blog Blast for PEACE

Hi efurryone ... We're joinin' in an' posting for peace on our bloggie. Won't you do your part to wage peace in your little corner of the world? If woofies an' kitties can do it, so can YOU!

Shhhh ... Charmee's sleepin'!

Monday morning is often the least favorite day an' time of the week ... 'specially if you hafta work like Mom does. As she was leavin' this morning, she snapped a photo of a furry sleepy Charmee wrapped in the afghan that Mom made a bunch of years ago. He was comfy an' was tryin' to get more than his typical eighteen or so hours of sleep. It's rough bein' a cat. He slept much better after Mom snapped off the overhead lights an' closed the bedroom door. Shhhh ... He's still sleepin'!

Kick-Off: Iams Home 4 the Holidays 2010

Here's an email that we got this week from Chad Darwin who works with Iams (an' might be a furriend of our furriend, PetCareBev) ... 
He wanted us to know that  Iams Home 4 the Holidays was kickin' off an' that we all can participate to help other kitties an' woofies 
who live in shelters to find their furever homes this  holiday season.    
He said,    "I hope this email finds you well. We wanted to be sure your DaisyMaeMaus and the Feline Americans readers knew 
about our holiday pet rescue campaign from  Iams….    With pet homelessness on the rise, we need to work together more than
 ever to help homeless pets. This year, Iams Home 4 the Holidays has set a goal to save  the lives of 1.5 million orphaned pets 
AND donate 5 million bowls of food to animal shelters in need!!   
Important Campaign Details:    
Iams Home 4 the Holidays runs from Oct.1, 2010 to Jan. 4, 2011 
This year’s goal is to adopt 1.5 million pets 
1.3 million pets were adopted last year alone 
3,500 partner animal organizations (21 participating countries around the world) 
Information on how to get involved, how to find a participating shelter in your area and other important tips for new parents
 can be found on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/iams or on IamsHome4theHolidays.com    Here’s a link to all of 
our campaign assets including photos, video, fact sheet, etc.: http://pitch.pe/92203    
We really look forward to working with you to save LOTS of furry lives this holiday season!    
Thanks,    
Chad  
www.iamshome4theholidays.com

Live Strong!

Today, October 2, is "Live Strong Day" in the blogosphere ... an' the Zoolatry girls made us this special picture with Feline American Sparky Fuzzypants so that we can represent! Thanks, ladies!

Charmee's playin' with his Lance Armstong "Live Strong" silicone bracelet ... FETCH!

Mom's busy ...

Mom's gradin' papers ... again. Oh, an' Charmee's helpin' ... He's keepin' the papers warm an' he's decoratin' 'em with his furs. Yay!

9/19: Meow Like A Pirate?

Oh, goodness ... We missed it AGAIN! What's the deal, Mom? How come we keep missing "Meow Like A Pirate" Day?!? Don't you love us?

Arrrrgh ... I guess that's as much "pirate" as I'm gonna get. Sigh.

DMM

It's been NINE years since the September 11 attacks ...

In honor of the ninth anniversary of the September 11th attacks on America, we are revisiting the patriot we now consider our own. Her name was Laura M. Longing and she was, in every sense of the word, a hero to this country who lost her life ... and who left behind a loving family.

Laura M. Longing
Age: 35
Resident of Pearl River, NY

Laura M. (Pettus) Longing of Pearl River, New York, was an extraordinary woman. In her thirty-five years, she accomplished much and touched the lives of many. She was a loving wife and mother, an accomplished businesswoman, and a patriot. She was an Assistant Vice President for Marsh USA. Her office was on the 96th floor of the World Trade Center in the North Tower (Tower I). She managed projects in the technology information systems department. During her ten-year career, Laura worked for Marsh & McLennan Companies and their subsidiaries.

Laura graduated from Nanuet High School in 1984. While a student, she played varsity soccer and softball. After high school, Laura earned her Bachelor's Degree in Management from Pace University in 1988, and went on to earn a Master's Degree in Finance from Iona College in 1994.

In addition to being a successful businesswoman, she was the mother of William and Bryan, and a loving wife to her husband, Chris. She was the daughter of Kevin and Anne Marie Pettus, and sister to Keith and Peggy Pettus. Laura had four nieces and nephews: Rory and Grace Pettus, and Brendan and Erin O'Shea. She was the daughter-in-law of Helen Longing and sister-in-law of Dierdre Pettus, Donna O'Shea, John O'Shea, Lorraine Longing, and Anne Longing.

In her leisure time, Laura loved the outdoors. She spent much time camping, and playing golf and softball.

She touched the lives of her family, friends, and coworkers. She put the needs of others before her own. Although she lost her life in the World Trade Center tragedies of September 11, 2001, she lives on in the memories of those she loved and who loved her.

It is our privilege to honor her memory as one who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country in the name of freedom. Laura M. Longing is truly a hero worthy of recognition on this day and on all that follow.

Respectfully posted,
DaisyMae Maus & the Feline Americans (and Jessica, especially)

Check out my new template!

Hey, efurryone! I was gettin' tired of my old bloggie template, so I asked Mom for some help in makin' a change. Isn't the new style much nicer? No more boring boxes an' checks for me ... Now I've got green trees an' I didn't have to lose a speck of my content! Yay for Blogger 'cuz the new template is much more ME!

DMM

Temptations are plentiful once more ...

After discovering the dearth of Temptations at my house last week, Mom got some "emergency" packages to last the week 'cuz our local PetSmart had only a couple of bags available in our flavor: Seafood Medleys. So when she went out today with coupons an' a shopping list, I made sure that "TEMPTATIONS" was at the top of the list written in BIG letters so that she couldn't claim that they "skipped her mind."

Mom was gone for most of the day an' we got furry worried.

When the black masheen pulled into the drive, Charmee an' I met Mom at the door an' carefully inspected efurry bag. An' you know what?!? What did "Thumbs" do? Did she fall down on the job ... again?!?

Nope. She bought Seafood Medley-flavor Temptations. Not one bag, not two ... She bought six jumbo bags and a dozen regular-sized bags. In fact, Mom says that they were on sale with the PetPerks card an' she bought efurry single packet for us.

I guess we'll keep her ...

To show his appreciation, Charmee is playing "THoE" up and down the hallway! Yippee!

Mom?!? We're outta TEMPTATIONS!

Can you believe it?!? Mom actually allowed our plastic Tempations bin to empty! All that are left are some crumblies at the bottom. We took a vote ... an' four paws raised high makes it unanimous ... we're gonna mutiny if Mom doesn't make a trip to Target, or PetSmart, or Petco to buy us eleventy-squillion green bags of Seafood Medleys-flavor Temptations! I think that we're upset enough to overthrow her as "mom" and elect someone else who is more responsive to our demands ... I mean "needs" ...

Would YOU deny this sweet ... and hungry ... face a handful of yummy Temptations whenever she wanted them? Me, either ...

Iams & Eukanuba: Voluntary Recall continues ...

Our furriend, Bev, of P&G Pet Care, sent us an email an' asked us to pass on this information to U.S. pet owners who feed their pets Iams an' Eukanuba foods ... We're happy to comply ...

"Earlier this week (Sunday 7/25/10) you may remember that P&G Pet Care announced a voluntary recall of two lots of Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal. We are expanding this recall to include all Iams Veterinary Formula Diets (dry), Eukanuba Naturally Wild, Eukanuba Pure, and Eukanuba Sensitive Skin." Bev sent pictures of the bags that we'll attach to this post ...

"Any other Iams or Eukanuba cat/dog diets, biscuits/treats or supplements are NOT included in this recall."

This is the press release from Proctor & Gamble:

Contact: P&G Consumer Relations – 877-340-8823
July 30, 2010

P&G Expands Voluntary Limited Recall of Specialized Dry Pet Foods
Due to Possible Health Risk


CINCINNATI, July 30, 2010 – The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG) is voluntarily expanding its recall to include veterinary and some specialized dry pet food as a precautionary measure because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. No salmonella-related illnesses have been reported.

The following dry pet food products are included:

Product Name Version “Best-By” Dates UPC Codes

Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas All dry sizes and varieties 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes

Eukanuba Naturally Wild All dry sizes and varieties 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes

Eukanuba Pure All dry sizes and varieties 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes

Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin All dry sizes 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes

The affected products are sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers throughout the United States and Canada. No canned food, biscuits/treats or supplements are affected by this announcement. A full listing of UPC codes can be found at www.iams.com.

These products are made in a single, specialized facility. In cooperation with FDA, P&G determined that some products made at this facility have the potential for salmonella contamination. As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling all products made at this facility.

Consumers who have purchased the specific dry pet foods listed should discard them. People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

For further information or a product replacement or refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).

Media Contact: Jason Taylor 513-622-3205

Vacation's nearly over

Mom's six-week "summer vacation" is over on Monday an' she has to start a new school year. We'd hoped that this year would be a little easier 'cuz she'd done all of the class prepping the last school year and could use this one to fine-tune the lessons. Nope. It's gonna be much, much harder an' more time-consuming 'cuz instead of just teaching sophomore English, she's now teaching AP English Language and Composition, English 11, English 12, and a CAHSEE class to twelfth graders who failed the CAHSEE multiple times. She hasn't taught English 12 since 1991. The last English 11 class she taught was in the fall of 1994. She's NEVER taught AP English before ... EVER! The only class she's taught recently is the CAHSEE class. It has four students in it, but it will seem like FORTY.

Perhaps now is the time to buy a Lotto ticket?

DMM

Happy Belated 12th Gotchaversary!

Mom couldn't help me to post on July 3rd, so I'm gonna say a happy BELATED 12th gotchaversary to Mr. Sparky Fuzzypants. Yay for Mr. Pants!

Voluntary RECALL: Iams

Our furriend Bev, in the interest of getting the word out to the widest number of readers possible, asked us (in addition to a large number of other bloggers) to post the TRUTH about the voluntary recall of Iams Canned Cat Food (the "stinky goodness"). Only certain cans are being recalled, so please read the whole posting to know if YOUR food is part of the recall ... (Please note that the italics and bold-faced type are our own additions to the emailed text).

Bev states: "I am writing to you because of an emerging issue involving my company. We are voluntarily recalling Iams Canned Cat (wet) Food because of insufficient amounts of vitamin B1 (also known as thiamine).

Here are some important points about the issue:

P&G (Procter and Gamble) is voluntarily recalling specific lots of its Iams canned cat food in North America as a precautionary measure. Diagnostic testing indicated that the product may contain insufficient levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1), which is essential for cats.

This recall is limited to only Iams canned cat food distributed in North America. No other Iams pet food is involved.

Affected Products:
Product Name
Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food – all varieties of 3 oz & 5.5 oz cans

Date on Bottom of Can
09/2011 to 06/2012

Cats that were fed these canned products as their only food are at greater risk for developing signs of thiamine deficiency.

Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include loss of appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss. In advanced cases, signs may include ventroflexion (downward curving) of the neck, wobbly gait, falling, circling and seizures.

Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat is displaying any of these signs. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.

Consumers who have purchased canned cat food with these codes should discard it. For further information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8826 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST).

... [W]e thank you for your help in sharing accurate information pertaining to the Iams Canned Cat Food recall.

Sincerely,

Bev
Community Manager, P&G Pet Care"

If you are eatin' this type of Iams stinky goodness, please check the bottoms of the cans to make sure that you're not eatin' something that's part of the recall ... Be safe an' be smart. Your furriends, DaisyMae Maus & the Feline Americans

Cocoa Francis Puff: RIP

We are so sad.

Our dear Cocoa Francis Puff went to the Rainbow Bridge today after a brief illness.

He will be missed ...

August 1997 - May 27, 2010

Yay! Auntie El is coming today!

Our Auntie Ellen is thirty minutes into her flight down to Sandy Eggo from Seattle. Auntie Toni, mom of Ben Fuzz, dropped her off at Sea-Tac for a 10:55 AM flight down to spend ten days with us. Mom's very excited!

Auntie El hasn't seen us since Charmee was a wee little pipsqueak, so we've got lots to show her ... We hope that Mom doesn't wear her out before we get some cuddling time. Mom's gonna take her shoppin', out to eat, an' to the movies ... Today they're gonna get haircuts an' pedicures. Tuesday, El's gonna help with Mom's awards banquet. Wednesday is the senior awards night. Thursday an' early Friday are GRADNITE at Disneyland! They're gonna do more shopping on Saturday an' Sunday. Then, El boards the plane for her first class trip back to Seattle. It's gonna be a busy vacation!

We hope that efurryone is havin' a restful weekend!

I'm gonna be tryin' to kick up another hairball ... I've got a tummy-ache.

DMM

Can YOU help Mango, too?

We get Twitter updates from our furriend, Skeezix the Cat. When Mom remembers, she lets us read all of the news that he provides connecting the world of people with the Cat Blogosphere an' sometimes allows us to "do something about it." Today was one of those days:

Skeeze reported about a sweet kitty girl named Mango who was badly burned by some horrible people an' has since been taken to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to heal from her injuries. After lookin' at her beautiful Calico face an' readin' her sad, sad story, we begged Mom to let us spend some green papers an' make a donation for Mango's care. Of course, Mom couldn't resist OUR sweet faces, so she let us use her plastic money.

Please consider makin' a donation to help Mango. When we made ours, we put "Earmarked for Mango the Calico kitty's care" in the comment window to make sure that Mango knew that we were tryin' to help her to get better.

Thanks, efurryone!
DMM

In the home stretch ...

May is a BIG month at our house with Cinco de Mayo, AP testing, Teacher Appreciation Day, staff development, Awards Banquet, the arrival of our Auntie Ellen from Montesano, CSF Banquet, Senior Awards Night, GradNite, Memorial Day weekend, and sliding into home with the end of the spring food drive, graduation rehearsal, and graduation itself at 2 PM on Friday, June 4th. It's a good thing that Mom has to do all of this stuff 'cuz I'd get so worn out!
DMM

Okay ... Now what?

Grandma kept today's appointment at the v-e-t for Puffy and Pumpkin. Both boys had a special "sugar" test for their diabetes to re-evaluate how much insulin they should be taking. Mom was gonna buy more insulin and needles this weekend 'cuz they were running kinda low ... she was prepared for that.

But what happened today? Mom doesn't really understand an' Grandma wasn't too good at explainin' what Dr. Hannigan had said. Needless to say, both boys came home today totally freaked out (ask Mom 'bout the rivulet of pee that led from the livin' room clear down the hallway an' under her bed that Pumpkin made when he was released from the PTU).

Apparently, Puffy's sugar was at 67 an' Pumpkin's was at 43 when they were tested in the early afternoon today. They both got their insulin shots at 8 o'clock this morning as they're supposed to have ... Mom's careful 'bout insulin AND only feeds us the diabetic diet from Prescription Science Diet (although she'd rather we eat the prebiotic diet from Eukanuba). We're all losin' a little bit of weight from the "fat cat" food ... but now NEITHER Pumpkin nor Puffy needs insulin. The v-e-t thinks that their diabetes can be controlled with diet exclusively.

Mom's happy for the boys (an' her pocketbook 'cuz insulin an' needles are pricey), but she's confused, too. Pumpkin had been nearly dead back in early November and became Lazarus-like after the miracle of insulin. What happens now that he's no longer gettin' two shots a day? How's she supposed to watch him drink water an' pee in the litterbox when she's at work?

I've promised to do my best to snoopervise the boys an' report back to Mom with what I see. At least Charmee's still on the Buspirone twice a day. Can you believe that he sits on the floor under where Mom keeps the pills to alert her when it's 8 o'clock an' he is due for another dose? I guess he likes the flavor of the Pill Pockets, right? Or ... It's like I've been singin' all along: Charmee is WEEEIIIRRRRRRDDDDD!

EaRtHqUaKe!!!!

Happy Easter to efurryone ... and YES(!) we had ham for dinner.

Mom asked me to blog so that efurryone will know that we who live in Sandy Eggo are just fine after the 7.2 earthquake that we had today at around 3:40 PM PDT. It was in Baja California, Mexico, an' while we could FEEL it, it didn't do any real damage where we live. I watched Mom jump up an' hold onto the doorjamb, but I just rode it out on the bed pillows watching the ceilin' fan rock back an' forth. Don't get me started 'bout those wussy Feline Americans ... the boys FREAKED OUT an' looked for places to hide!

In the past four hours, we've had a bunch of aftershocks (one was out east in the Imperial County area an' was about 5.1) ... There were so many that I kinda lost count ...

Just so that efurryone knows, we Californians have LOTS of earthquakes efurryday (mostly really little ones) ... I do live on a fault ... so it's part of a "normal" day. Please don't spend your day worryin' 'bout us, 'cuz we're gonna be just fine.

DMM

In Honor of Easter an' bunnies efurrywhere!

I know that this isn't "new" ... an' that others, like Derby, have it on their bloggies for Easter, but I just couldn't resist puttin' it up on mine 'cuz Mom's furriend, Rose, sent it to her in an email today ...


All I need to know I learned from the Easter Bunny!

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.
There's no such thing as too much candy.
All work and no play can make you a basket case.
A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.
Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.
Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.
Some body parts should be floppy.
Keep your paws off of other people's jelly beans.
Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.
The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.
To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.
The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.
May the joy of the season fill your heart.
AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!
Happy Easter!

TWO cats with diabetes ...

By now, efurryone knows that Feline American Pumpkin has diabetes an' is takin' injections of 5 ccs of insulin twice per day, but did you know that Cocoa Francis Puff is ALSO diabetic? Yep, he is ... an' he's takin' 2 ccs of insulin twice per day.

Mom an' Grandma picked up Puffy after his appointment with Dr. Hannigan an' she confirmed his diagnosis with a special glucose test. Puff isn't a big fan of the v-e-t an' really dislikes the stabby place. He's lost about two pounds in six weeks an' I can tell you that some of it was in pee 'cuz that dood was stinky!!!

Mom didn't like Puffy's aroma, so she an' Grandma used some Bed Head spray bath on him. They thought that they could avoid the mega-bitey that way, but he just got sticky an' foamy on his furs. So ... Mom an' Grandma gave him ... a bath. Yep. They hosed an' soaped an' hosed again. Puff was NOT happy an' tried to put the bitey on any pink skin near his teeth. He wasn't successful in puncturing any humans, but he did get clean. He smells much better now an' his furs aren't flaky like a pie crust.

Let's hope that the rest of the Feline Americans (an' me, too!) don't become diabetic cats.

Fresh Air Fund: Hosts URGENTLY Needed!

Sara Wilson from The Fresh Air Fund contacted me an' asked if I'd put out some information on my bloggie 'bout a terrific organization that provides a "fresh air" experience for disadvantaged kids who live in New York City. hoping that we an' our readers might be able to help some of the kids.

She said, "As someone with a passion for animals I thought you and the readers of 'Daisy Mae Maus and the Feline Americans' would be interested in helping children who also love animals. The Fresh Air Fund is in need of host families for this summer. Host families are volunteers who open their hearts and homes to children from the city to give a fresh air experience to disadvantaged children from the inner-city. Even if you can't host a child yourself, just posting a mention of this program on your site or as a 'tweet' would be helpful to spread the word."

There's a site on the innerwebs where you can get more information if you're like us an' already live in a fairly large city like Sandy Eggo. You can find the site at Fresh Air Fund Hosts.

Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund has been giving inner-city children the joy of a summer vacation with volunteer host families and at Fund camps, creating unforgettable memories and fresh possibilities. For some kids, this trip out of the city may be the first time to see stars! Can you believe it? Some cities have so much ambient light that something as run-of-the-mill as seeing a sky full of twinkling stars is out of the question!

Remembering Bailey

This is an email from our dear furriend Bev who works for Iams. Her woofie, Bailey, recently went to the Bridge an' Bev is missing her intensely. In honor of Bailey, Bev is teaming up with that great feline (an' woofie) fundraiser, Romeo the Cat. Here's what Bev has to say ...

"On January 15 this year, my sweet Bichon, Bailey, gently went to sleep for the last time. Bailey would have been 14 years old on March 11. In her memory, I am working with another blogger, Romeo the Cat, to raise money for Small Paws Rescue, a Bichon rescue group. We are devoting the entire month of March to our online Bichon Bash fundraiser.

As part of the effort to raise awareness of Small Paws, I am posting information and photos of Bichons available for adoption from Small Paws every day on my blog. And each Sunday I will be posting an article detailing who Small Paws is,
what Small Paws does, and why the members of Small Paws work so hard. I have already posted 2 articles, which you can see here: Petcare Bev.

Donations are easy to make and can be securely done through

First Giving.

The favor: I would greatly appreciate it if you would mention our efforts on your blog. Our goal is to raise $1,000, but I'm hoping we can raise more before we reach our deadline of March 31.

Can you help us? Please let me know if you need additional information, and feel free to quote from my blog. Thanks so much!

Smoochies to the kitties,
Bev"

Mom agreed with me: No quotes necessary as Bev's email says it all. If you can help Small Paws, please click the link above to view their donation site.

Happy Squillions Day, efurryone!

Thanks to our furriend ... Tara, Princess Meezer ... for remindin' us of Squillions Day! We wanna wish a happy day to Coconut Flake an' Pinky Schwinn who are our Virtual Squillions from the Cat Blogosphere Animal Shelter, an' to all of the squillions that Mom painted for our cousins an' furriends over the years. We wish efurry squillion a most excellent day!

He's gettin' better all the ti-iii-iiimmme!

To crib from the Beatles ... "Better, better, bettttt-ttah!"

Yes. Our orinch ruffian, Pumpkin, is feeling so much better on 4 ccs of insulin in the morning and four in the evening. Mom knows that he's feelin' better because he's been singing in the hallway an' he's gotten up on the bed! Mr. P hasn't been up on the bed for nearly a YEAR.

Thanks to efurryone who has been keepin' him in purrs an' purrayers since he took ill. The power of the blogosphere never ceases to boggle my mind. You all are totally pawesome!

Valentine's Day 2010

We wanna wish all of our Valentines an extra wonderful Valentine's Day today!

Charmee is sendin' smooches to Miss Willow ... He's also winkin' at her!

Sweet Miss China Cat is Cocoa Puff's sweetie again this year ...

Pumpkin is extra happy to be Miss Dazey's Valentine for the fourth year in a row ... He's extra happy to tell her that he's feelin' much better an' that he's gettin' his diabetes under control so that they can have MANY more years together as Valentines.


Sparky Fuzzypants is gettin' used to bein' stag on Valentine's Day ... In fact, he's Mom's Valentine an' has been keepin' the foot of her bed extra snuggly today so he can make her some Valentine's Day biscuits ... Hubba, hubba!



An' my Valentine again this year is the super-suave an' totally "geezer" Rocky the Gutter Cat. He sent a wonderfu present of primo 'nip, a 'nip heart (ready for bunnykickin'), an' a mushy card. I HEART You, too!



HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, EFURRYONE!

Four-day Weekend ...

It's the long weekend an' Mom has been spending time at home with us cuddling an' watching hours of television that she's recorded on the DVR. Not too bad a way to spend days off.

But Pumpkin an' Puffy went to the v-e-t yesterday for some shots an' bloodwork. Pumpkin's blood sugar level hasn't stabilized, so he's gonna get a larger dose of insulin to see if it will help. An' now the v-e-t thinks that Puffy might be diabetic, too ... His weight keeps vascillating an' his sugar was over 400, but the v-e-t thinks that MIGHT be because he was nervous an' scared. I don't blame him 'cuz the PTU is scary an' so is riding in the green masheen an' hearin' woofies barkin' in the hospital an' smellin' that terrible V-E-T smell. Don't get me started about gettin' goosed by a thermometer an' bein' put into a cage ...

So, things weren't furry pleasant for the Feline Americans for the first part of our weekend ...

But they were good for ME! I got a Valentine from Rocky with a big bag of primo 'nip (Yeeoowww! is the BEST!), a big furry heart from Siamese Rescue that says "Lick Me! Bite Me! Bunnykick Me!", an' a super sweet card from Rocky himself. Wow! He sure does make a Spicy Vixen like myself feel super special for Valentine's Day! Thank you, Rocky! Smooches!

I'm gonna post my Valentine's Day photos of the openin' of the package tomorrow ... Don't tell Rocky, but the Feline Americans have all bunnykicked that fragrant heart about ... Even Pumpkin!!

'Til tomorrow ...

DMM

Pumpkin's feelin' better ...

Pumpkin has his first post-diagnosis check-up tomorrow. Mom has been monitoring him carefully ... feeding him the special diet, dealing with Clavimox and insulin. He looks much better and is walking much less "disabled" than he had ... He still needs to build his muscle tone back from what he'd become. The extra good news is that he's HAPPY and perky and NOT GOING TO THE BRIDGE. He's returning to good health and that makes all of us ... especially Mom ... furry, furry happy.

I do know that he's not going to be happy to be loaded into the PTU tomorrow an' there may be some serious chasing around the house and crawling under the bed to get him ready for his check-up. Hee, hee ... I plan to point him out 'cuz I'm just that kind of girlie! Better take a towel, 'cuz the Boy of Orinch is gonna put the "P" in PTU!

DMM

Pumpkin is back from the v-e-t

Grandma an' Grandad picked up Pumpkin from the v-e-t yesterday while Mom was at work. Grandad held him in the green masheen an' they transported the PTU (full of p-e-e), a bag of Hill's Prescription Diet fat boy kibbles, twenty-four cans of some yucky, yucky stinky BADNESS (that I won't eat, but the boys all love ... I want Fancy Feast, but Mom said "no"), syringes, Clavimox, an' insulin.

Supposedly, Pumpkin could be off of the insulin in a few weeks after efurrything is stabilized, but the v-e-t doesn't really think so for him. He had a blood sugar level in the 600s while he was in the hospital an' now it's down to 320-ish, but it needs monitoring an' reducing still.

Mom mailed our cans of Fancy Feast an' Sheba to Michigan to our furriends, an' she made a trip to an animal shelter to give away our WONDERFUL an' DELICIOUS Eukanuba ... sigh. I've been tellin' Mom to email our furriend, Bev, to ask her if there is a Eukauba that we can substitute 'cuz Mom's makin' ALL of us go on Pumpkin's diet ... an' I really don't like his food. Besides, I'm not fat. Pumpkin's not fat either 'cuz you can feel his bones an' see 'em. I'm confused. That Hill's Prescription Diet M/D kibble an' W/D stinky-badness can't be good for you if you won't eat it, right?

At least I've still got Temptations 'cept Mom got a little pack of the new "kitten" Temptations an' they don't taste like my wonderful green Seafood Medley Temptations ... they taste like chick-hen an' I don't like 'em either. Sigh.

Pumpkin's at the v-e-t

Pumpkin's dental appointment turned into something very different ... He went to his appointment at Banfield expecting to have a cleaning (with maybe an extraction or two). It turns out that the dental couldn't be done until after a blood test and some antibiotics for an infection in his gums. But wait, that's not all ... Pumpkin has diabetes.

Grandma an' Grandpa spoke to the v-e-t extensively after cleaning up the "accident" that he made in the PTU (they agreed to be the transport since Mom had to work). The "accident" made Puffy look like the king of v-e-t visits since he doesn't befoul the PTU and rides pretty quietly now that he's a veteran of the green masheen. Puffy had his v-e-t visit and has lost nearly four pounds since December 28th. The v-e-t had great words for Puffy's efforts and said that his abcesses are nearly healed, but the fur isn't growing back that quickly. Puffy came home with our grandparent.

Pumpkin, however, had to stay overnight and was very frightened. Grandad held him and told him to be a good boy (is there any other kind when you're talking 'bout Pumpkin???). They are gonna pick him up tomorrow with his insulin an' needles. Hopefully, he was stable enough this afternoon for the dental visit. Can you believe that he weighs over sixteen pounds? Mom was amazed 'cuz he seems so light.

Oh, an' it's POURING rain right now. Let's hope that it continues for a few days 'cuz Sandy Eggo is nearly "normal" for our "season to date" rain! It would be nice to be ahead of the rain curve for once in twenty-five or so years. Keep your paws crossed for our Pumpkin an' our rain (but mostly for our Pumpkin). Our dood of orinch is our biggest priority!

DMM

What's up on MLK, Jr. Day???

Since this was MLK, Jr. weekend, Mom chose to do "service" for her club at school. The day after Thanksgiving, she bought a YuDu machine (paid for by the club) to print student t-shirts. Little did she know that the supplies are very expensive and that the task of making silk-screened t-shirts, while not particularly difficult, IS horribly time-consuming and tiring.

Michaels started a sale yesterday with Jerzees t-shirts at $2/each (a 100% savings over regular price), so Mom and Grandma zoomed all over the place buying red, white, and navy blue t-shirts in all manner of sizes. About sixty t-shirts were purchased along with YuDu ink in gold for Mom's club. Uncle James made the original design ... and it's pretty darn cool.

After messing up the first emulsion sheet, Mom finally abandoned the DVD that came with the machine in favor of better instructions on YouTube. The second emulsion came out terrific, and then the assembly line began. T-shirts got washed, dried, printed, dried again, and finally, ironed to heat-set the ink.

We'll let you know how the students feel about the t-shirts. I was able to get some of my fur onto them, so my job is done.

BTW: Happy MLK, Jr. Day to efurryone ... Mom needs a NAP!

DMM

Oh, Puffy seems to be recuperating pretty well from his second set of Charmee bites. Charmee is adjusting to the Busparin. Pumpkin needs his teeth cleaned ... Don't tell him, but Grandma is calling Banfield for a dental appointment tomorrow.

Back to work already?

Well ... The vacation is officially over 'cuz Mom goes back to work tomorrow (at least it's a teacher prep day, so there're no kids).

Last week, she flew back from Seattle an' her visit to our Cousin Ben Fuzz in her usual seat on Alaska Airlines ... 4A. Mom sat for a few seconds in the "regular seats," but was glad to have her seat in First Class fixed and ready for her. She says that the seats in the rows of three are short and uncomfortable. She likes the stretching-out room in the front of the plane.

Anyway, she used her phone to take some photos while she was flyin' over stuff on her way back to Sandy Eggo. This is somewhere in the upper-middle part of California. She's not sure exactly where, but it's north of Oxnard.

Mom says that there are lots of photos to share from her trip, but she's got stuff to do before goin' back to work tomorrow.

To get efurryone updated: Puffy had another surgery 'cuz the Banfield v-e-t didn't get all of the infection out last time an' had to remove stuff when she took out the drains last time. Grandma an' Grandad took good care of Puffy an' made him take his medicine. They also gave him hot compresses on his stitches an' petted him a bunch.

Charmee got his medication to make him less felicidal (in other words, to keep him from killin' Puffy). He's takin' a bunch of pills an' they seem to be workin' a little bit.

Pumpkin is hanging in there an' might have gained a couple of ounces. Mom's still feedin' him bunches of food an' Temptations. He keeps sneakin' out into the livin' room after efurryone is asleep. He thinks that he's sly ...

I'm still Queen of the House. Was there any doubt?

Oh, an' Fuzzypants seems to be made of Velcro ... He sleeps on Mom's bed an' is makin' biscuits as fast as he can. Apparently, he thinks that this will keep Mom from leavin' us for vacations. I'll let you know if it works ...

An' I made a resolution for Mom: More bloggin' an' visitin' in 2010. Mom said that she'd think about it 'cuz she works awfully long hours.

I put my paw down ...

Our furriend is sick!

One of our first furriends, Kismet, is mighty ill an' needs efurryone's purrs ... You can stop by Skeezix's blog for more information an' you can leave good vibes for Kismet an' Sophie.

We're furry worried. Kismet is the mancatliest ManCat we know next to Tripper an' we want him to get better!

Feel better, dood!