Very sad day

The PDX pride mommy writes:

I have very sad news.  Last night, we had to say goodbye to Tabby.  She was down to just under 6 lbs., had advanced dementia, and was falling off the places she chose to sleep.  Last night, she could barely get to her favorite recliner and then was very disoriented so she only stayed on her daddy's lap for a few minutes before coming in and climbing shakily onto my lap.  It was time.  We all said our goodbyes at home, then we harnessed her up for one last car ride.  She watched out the windows and knew where we were once we got to the vet, but then became disoriented again when we were carrying her into the building.  She fell asleep gently while air-kneading just before 10:30 pm, then was given the final shot and passed peacefully.  The above picture was taken while waiting for the vet to come in with the shots.  She looks worried because she was so disoriented that she didn't really know quite why I would be taking a picture of her there.

We brought her body home and buried her in the yard by her brother, Carbon.  The others got the chance to sniff her body and say goodbye once again if they wanted to.  The twins and Starla declined, but the others came over to pay their respects.  This was Shadow's first time dealing with death, and he still isn't quite sure what happened, but the others are helping him.  He gently touched her body with his paw, then lay down next to the box that held it.

Thank you for all the love you have shown our girl over the years.

Goodbye to Mommy's Grandpa T.

Tabby writes:

This is Mommy's Grandpa T., her dad's dad.  I visited him and Grandma T., and also Uncle David, on April 27th.  I went visiting at H. in the early afternoon, like I normally do, but then as soon as we got back home I was off again!  Mama Shawnee and Mommy took me over to the T.'s, because they needed some purr therapy right away.  Even though it was for family, the visit was an official therapy visit and I knew it.

I'd been over to their house once before, and they'd been over to see us a few times, but not for a while.  I remembered them, though, and was glad to see them.  Mommy put me on the big bed in the bedroom, and I looked around for my patient.  I could smell that he wasn't feeling well at all, that he smelled like some of my oldest friends at H.  Why wasn't he in his bed like he was supposed to be?  Then I saw him in the special hospital bed next to the big bed.  After my special blankie was set up, I was lifted over and positioned myself in the crook of his arm, as you can see in the picture above.  Grandpa T. consented to have his picture taken with me, and talked to me, petting me the whole time.  I purred for him, and moved around a little so he could pet the easiest places.  He had Parkinson's, so his arm was shaking, but I snuggled against it so it stopped bouncing so much.  He liked that a lot.

He couldn't talk much, but he told me I was a good kitty and tried to purr at me.  While he talked with everyone and Mommy held his hand, I kept the bouncing arm in check and purred, letting him rest his hands against my soft fur.  At one point, I rolled over so he could give me tummy rubs, which gave him the giggles!

After a while, he fell asleep, so then Mommy and I went out so I could sit with Grandma T.  She sat in the recliner with her feet propped up on the footrest so that I had more of a lap.  She loved being able to pet me and snuggle with me.  I purred loudly for her, too, just like I do sometimes for her on the phone.

When it was time for Grandma T. to eat dinner, we all sat at the table with her, I in Mommy's lap.  Uncle David went in to the bedroom to try to get Grandpa T. to eat something.  Mama Shawnee said that we should probably leave in a half hour, so when that time was up I trotted down the hallway in search of Grandpa T. and Uncle David to say my goodbyes!  I knew that was going to be the last time I saw Grandpa T., so I wanted to be sure to say goodbye to him and purr for him one last time.  I hopped up on the bed to snuggle with Uncle David for a few minutes, then got to purr for Grandpa T.  After that, we went back out to say goodbye to Grandma T. before we left.

A few days later, Grandpa T. was transferred to a hospice house, where he spent almost a week.  He passed away on Wednesday, May 11th, at the age of 90.  Mommy's dad was with him when he passed, and that day he also had a visit from the pastors of the church where he and Grandma T. belong.  Grandma T. and Uncle David were just down the hall in the kitchen/dining room/lounge area when he passed, but Mommy's dad went to get them and they spent about an hour sitting in the room after that.

We loved you, Grandpa T.!  Say hi to Grammy and our angel kitty family from us!

We've all been taking care of Mommy, Daddy, and Mama Shawnee for the past week, even more than usual, and giving them our purrs and snuggles continually.

Therapy Cat Tales: How Tabby Travels on Public Transportation

Tabby writes:

Today's Pet Travel Safety Day, so I'm writing about how I keep safe while traveling on public transportation.  When I'm in the car, I ride on harness & leash or in a carrier like the kitty pictured above.  However, when I go visiting the nursing homes and other places, I usually ride the bus or the MAX light rail train with Mommy.

This is my stroller.  It's specially-made for pets!  People think it's a baby stroller, but the top folds out and the mesh comes up so it's fully enclosed.  We decorate it for holidays, like these heart stickers for last Valentine's Day.

Heimdall also likes riding in the stroller, but usually only around the house after I get back from my visits.  He likes to roll places, mol!  Mommy is training him to go places, too, so he rides the same way I do.  Since Heimdall's in training, he isn't allowed to ride just on harness and leash.  He has to be in the carrier bag as well.  It fits right in the stroller and has mesh so we can see out.

When I go places on the bus, I have to be in the carrier bag also, because the bus rules for both the Vancouver buses (C-Tran) and the Portland public transportation (Tri-Met) say that all pets must be in carriers.  Some bus drivers don't consider the stroller an adequate carrier, so the carrier bag is taken out of the stroller and the stroller is folded down.  On the MAX light rail, I can stay in the stroller because strollers don't have to be folded down.

Animals that participate in animal-assisted therapy have to abide by the rules for pets, not the rules for service animals.  That's because we are still considered pets.  Service animals help only their owner, and with specific tasks for medical and/or psychological reasons.  Emotional support animals are pets but have specific housing regulations and airline regulations.  Therapy animals are pets that are trained with their owner to help other people in a variety of situations.  We can help random people on public transportation, but that is a side-benefit and does not grant us extra legal protection.  We are pets, first and foremost, and then we help people in specific settings like nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and therapists' offices.

These rules and laws help keep me safe on public transportation and out in public in general.  When I'm in my carrier bag, no one can pet me without my humans' approval because my carrier bag is zipped shut.  I also cannot escape from it, so if I get scared I can't run in an emergency.  I prefer to ride in my open stroller like in the Valentine's Day picture, but I also know that my carrier bag is my "safe zone" and ask to climb in it when I'm unsure of a situation or am too tired to visit anymore.

Dogs are another reason I like being safe in my stroller.  This dog actually wanted to hop in my stroller with me!  Another time, a husky actually picked me up.  When my stroller mesh is zipped, they can't get to me.  When it's unzipped, like this picture, my humans keep an eye out for dogs, small children, and other potentially-hazardous situations.  Most dogs get along well with me, but there are always exceptions.  That's why it's good to know the pet's boundaries and monitor the situation.

Safe travels, my friends!  Always follow the rules for pets on public transportation!

Meowy Christmas and Therapy Cat Tales!

Tabby writes:

Meowy Christmas!!!!!!!  I'm sorry it's been so long since I've written a therapy cat tale, but we've had a kind of crazy few months here.  I went to H. with Mommy and Auntie Shawnee in November for their holiday bazaar, but then didn't have my November visit.  I did this month, though!

Mommy!  This notebook cover's the picture Grammy took of me!  It also has one of her kitty blankies on it!

I chose the mackerel because they looked good enough to eat.  Unfortunately, I couldn't eat a notebook cover!

Are we done already?  How much did we make?

We ended up making about $30, and half of that we are donating to the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon.  They got the profits from all our kitty-related notebooks and greeting cards!

On our December visit to H. a couple weeks ago, I wore my Christmas outfit, which you can see in the first picture on this post.  I was so excited that Mommy only got one decent pic out of the photo shoot, because I was rolling around and air-kneading!

My friends were all there, and I made some new friends, too.  The man who meows at me loved my dress, and one of my new friends had her two daughters there, so they got to meet me, too!  Another new friend wanted me to snuggle on the bed with her, so I curled up right in the crook of her arm.  I love snuggling with my friends!

No, that's not a real person standing with us under the umbrella.  It's the umbrella man statue in Pioneer Courthouse Square!  He had an ugly Christmas sweater on this year!

Have a merry Christmas, everyone, and stay safe!

Tabby's Therapy Cat Tales from Yesterday

Tabby writes:

First of all, our daddy says thanks for the birthday wishes from two weeks ago, and sorry we haven't been keeping up our bloggie!  We've had a busy and crazy few weeks.  Daddy had a good birthday, but his daddy is on hospice care now due to liver cancer.  I can't go visit Daddy's daddy and help him, because he lives a ways from here.  Mommy was hospitalized last week with pancreatitis, and I couldn't go visit her in the hospital, either!  Daddy took care of us while Mommy was there, but now Mommy's back home so they both are taking care of us again.  Purrrrrrrrrs.

Another comforting purr to each of the families of three ladies I visit at H.  A couple weeks ago, one lady died, and then today two ladies died on two separate floors.  I was excited to go visiting again, because we missed our visit at H.G. last week.  I knew it was going to be a special visit this time, too, because Mommy was getting out our candy-corn witch costumes!  I love my costume; it feels like a blankie!  I watched her until it was time for my "bath" with the pet wipes, then Mommy put me into my carrier bag.  I didn't even fuss, which is unusual and meant that I really did want to go visiting!

When we got to H., we went into the restroom, and that's when we met the daughter of the lady who died this morning.  She talked to Mommy and petted me for about five minutes.  I'm glad I was able to help her!  When we went to S.'s office, she told us what had happened as well, so we wouldn't be surprised.  Then we went to visit the other people on our list, with S. asking at each doorway like she usually does.  I was very sleepy today, so I didn't get out and walk like I sometimes do.  I walked on the beds, but not on the floor.  Of course, I had my harness on under my candy-corn witch outfit.

At one of the rooms, I kept on shaking my head, looking from the room to Mommy and back again.  Mommy wondered why I was doing that, but she found out soon enough.  S. had gone into the room to ask the lady's son if they would like us to visit, because the lady was in a coma and had been for most of the last day or so.  Turns out, the lady had died a couple hours before, and her son was sitting in her room having some quiet time with her before the body was moved.  S. apologized and quickly left the room.  After S. came out into the hallway again, I lay down calmly in my stroller again.  If the son had wanted to visit with me, that would've been fine with me, but I could tell what had happened.

A new friend wanted to pet me in the hallway then motioned for me to follow her into her room so she could pet me more!  Her daughter and son (I think) were there with her, and they loved that I was visiting with their mom!  The lady was almost in tears saying goodbye to me, because she loved that I'd come to see her.  Another lady in another room was telling us about their 19-year-old cat they used to have, and about the pug they have now.  I guess the pug acts like a cat and is smaller than I am, and she's full-grown!

Therapy Cat Tales from Yesterday

Tabby writes:

Whoa, you mean I actually got the letter T on the right day?  Cool!  T is for Therapy, and for Tabby, and for Tale, and even for Thursday!  Paws up!

Yesterday, Mommy took me to visit my friends at H.  This means I got three outings in one week, two to the pet fair and one to H.!  When Mommy and Daddy said that I was going to visit my friends, I didn't really think they were telling the truth, but they were!  I'm way luckier than any of the other kitties in the household.

There was a little dog at the MAX light rail station.  She knew I was in the stroller, but couldn't see me because she was too little to look up that far.  She sniffed my carrier bag, which was on the ground, but I wasn't in that, either.  Her person asked if it was ok if she said hi to me, and Mommy told the person it would be ok.  The doggie grew up with a kitty and still looks for him every so often, but no other kitties want to play with her.  Other kitties run or swat.  I wouldn't do that to a friendly woofie!  She was very friendly, and even stepped around my tail instead of on it when she put her front paws in the stroller to sniff me.  We exchanged sniffs and I even let her snuffle in my shoulder fur!  Then her person said she had to get down again.  You're a nice woofie, Jessie doggie!

We had some extra time once we got to H., so Mommy sat with me on my favorite brown couch for a few minutes.  I was so happy to be there, I kept on giving Mommy leaning-hugs and asking for more pets!  She didn't take any pictures this time, because she wanted to be sure I knew what a good girl I was being.  Besides, she didn't think I would hold still for any pictures!

S. walked around with us for a little while this time, but then she had to go put up some flyers on a few of the other floors (and in the other building).  That was fine, because we can go visiting by ourselves.  S. did tell us about a toy poodle who goes visiting totally by itself in another facility!  That's pretty amazing!  I don't think I'd be brave enough to do that all by myself.  I'd much rather have someone on the other end of the leash!

We visited 6 or 7 friends, and some family members of those friends.  Two of them were new friends!  I always like seeing everyone, whether they are old friends, new friends, family members, or staff.  They're all friends to me!  We were coming out of one room when we got flagged down by the daughter of the neighbor.  Her mom loves all animals, so she wanted us to visit with her.  Yay!  At each of those rooms, I checked out the hurt knee (the opposite one for each of them) and purred for them.  All the humans said I was running my own CAT scan, because we kitties purr at the same frequency as a deep muscle tissue healing machine!  The ladies thanked me for purring for them.  I heard about Oscar the therapy cat, who's pretty amazing.  I'd heard about him before, and I still think he's amazing every time I hear about him sitting with people who are dying.  He's in another part of the country, but I follow his page on Facebook.

After those two ladies, I went to see some of my friends I've visited with before.  Some were there and some weren't.  Two friends were sleeping.  M. was sleeping also, but we woke her up because we knew that she wanted us to.  That's what she tells us to do, so we do it.  If they don't tell us it's ok, we let them sleep.  At A.M.'s room, there was a giraffe stuffed animal!  It was staring at me from beside her chair, so I stared back.  A.M. asked me if I wanted to say hi to it, so Mommy got it down and had it say hi to me.  I sniffed its face, then nosed it and gave it whisker kisses.  I looked down at its paws and saw that it had hooves instead!  I looked at Mommy and at A.M., and they said that giraffes don't have paws like kitties do.  I guess that makes sense, but I still think it should've had paws.  Even humans kind of have paws!

The little boy feral kitty was waiting for his dinner when we got back to the house.  He was lying on the deck with Tigress, but got up when Mommy opened the door to put food out.  I'm glad we got home in time to give him his dinner at the usual time!  I got to sniff at the door when it was open, put I sneezed in the little one's face.  I hope he doesn't hold that against me!

Still Doin' the Q, and Answering Questions at the Pet Fair!

Carbon's still doin' the Q, just like our friend Monty Q!  A few years ago, Carbon joined many of our fellow cat bloggers to honor Monty with a "Doin' the Q" contest!  It was a lot of fun.  This picture from yesterday shows that Carbon's still in fine form, even at almost 10 years old.

Tabby writes:

I had a blast at the NW Pet and Companion Fair on Saturday and yesterday!  I saw many of my friends and family, and met some new friends.  I even got a new outfit from WildChild!  Mommy and I did a stage presentation about feline-assisted therapy and how to get started in animal-assisted therapy.  Mommy talked about how she trained me, and I demostrated how calm I am (by falling asleep on stage!) and showed off how I hug when being carried.  It was really fun!

There was a not-so-fun part, though.  A husky bit me when we first got there on Saturday!  It actually was going to carry me off somewhere, with a not-good ending.  *shivers*  The owner, who was on the other end of the leash, was 3 feet away and looking the other way, not paying attention to the tugging on the leash.  Mommy was pushing me in my stroller, and the husky charged the stroller, grabbed me behind the shoulderblades, and lifted me up a few inches!  Mommy charged the dog with a "Drop it now!" command, which the dog luckily obeyed the first time!  I was not hurt physically, and the bite did not break the skin.  The lady's comment when Mommy Cai confronted her?  "I didn't think anyone would bring a cat to a dog show!"  Mommy Cai responded, "It's a pet fair!" and pointed to the sign.  The organizers went after the lady after Mommy made sure that her dog had the proper vaccinations.  I was ok after about a half hour of snuggling and being petted.

One lady who attended our presentation may want to adopt Autumn!  And, if that weren't enough of a highlight, Jennifer at Spot Magazine wants to interview us later on this year about our work in animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activities!  Very cool!

Here's a video slideshow of our weekend!  We met up with Panther's Mommy Cai, Mommy Erin, Coriel, JJ, Erin's friend Amanda and her son Matthew, and Auntie Michelle McClintock and her brother on Saturday.  We also saw my birdie friend Athena from last year's fashion show!  On Sunday, we saw human Athena and her family, who are friends we know from Grammy's kitty blankets for the Humane Society for Southwest Washington.

Pet Fair!

Tabby writes:

I'm going to the pet fair today!!!  It's the NW Pet and Companion Fair, and I've gone with Mommy, Mommy Erin, and JJ for the last few years.  It's a lot of fun, and this year will be the best ever!  Mommy and I are going to do a stage presentation like we did last year.  We'll be doing that today and tomorrow, from 11:00 to 11:30 am on both days.  If you're in the area, we'd love to see you!  Last year, we met up with Mommy Erin's sister Anna and our Catster friend Bitu's mommy Michelle (and Michelle's brother).

Our talk is going to be on feline-assisted therapy.  I'll probably hang out on stage on a chair, like I did last year.  Since I did this last year, I probably won't want to dive for my carrier bag during the presentation, at least I hope I won't!  That was kind of embarrassing for me last year, but Mommy took it in stride and explained that it was my first time doing a presentation there.  We were also first on the schedule, so that made a difference.  This year, we have a reptile show before us one day and a training class before us the next, so I get to hang out in the audience and watch those before it's my turn.

After my presentation, I get to ride in my stroller and look at all the doggies, some kitties, and lots of humans.  There may be some other animals to sniff, but I'm not allowed to sniff the reptiles or the small animals.  Too much temptation, even though I only go after bugs and froggies!  I sure watch everything, though!  I'm really looking forward to it!

Therapy Cat Tales, Walk your Cat Day, and Saturday PhotoHunt: Wheel

Tabby writes:

Hi!  Happy belated Valentine's Day!  These are my "wheels", my stroller for visiting.  Since we visited a week ago Wednesday, we went with a Valentine's theme for my stroller and outfit.  I wore my "Mommy's Sweetheart" pink dress/shirt over my pink harness.  It was very comfy, especially in the wind when we were outside!  Mommy and I stopped at the Dollar Tree on the way to H. to get the decorations.  The puffy fabric hearts on the top part of my stroller are actually stickers!  Autumn attacked them the moment we got back home, and actually ripped them in half, but they looked very cute while I was visiting.  Once Mommy put them up there, I had to sniff them to investigate.  I then asked her what she'd done to my ride!  She assured me it was just temporary, so I left the hearts alone.  Mommy and S. had a good laugh over my worry, though, and so did I after I thought about it.  I kept on looking at the hearts and purring contentedly.

The red blanket is actually a hand towel, once again from the Dollar Tree.  We love shopping there!  We also got some plastic boxes that are shaped like conversation hearts, except they don't have anything written on them.  We gave them to my friends for Valentine's Day, and they loved them!  Some people were going to use them to collect coins, and others were going to use them for rings.  Some didn't know what they were going to use them for, but liked the idea.  One of my friends just found it amusing to keep opening and closing the box.  That works, too, because it's fine-motor therapy for her hands!

On the way to H., we rode the MAX light rail as usual.  While we were waiting for the train, Mommy was getting me ready and dressed.  One man took out his camera and took photos of me getting dressed, because he couldn't believe he was actually seeing that!  He asked our permission to put the pictures up on Instagram!  Wow!  Mommy doesn't have an Instagram account so we can't find the pictures, but it's really cool to think about that those are out there!

At H., my friend S. took us around with the list of people to visit.  Some were at the social hour, so we had to wait until they got back home to visit with them.  I wondered why they weren't in their rooms, but then it made sense when I saw them later.  One of the nurses stopped us to take pictures of me in my stroller (at the same time Mommy took the pic I posted here).  I love the paparazzi!  I posed for the cameraphone, and even "asked" for my picture to be taken!  See my paw?  That's how I ask for things, petting, and to ask a question of someone.  I taught myself how to do that when I was about a year old, and it's a very useful skill to have!

After our visit, Mommy took me to a pet store to get some new toys.  I found something I wanted to take home, but Mommy said we couldn't do that.  Bummer!  Does it count as a wheel, too?  It didn't roll, though, but it was fun to be in.  We did get a new crinkle ball and a big kitty straw to take home.

Walk your Dog/Cat Day is tomorrow.  Our friend Summer reminded us of that!  Are you going for a walk?  If so, please stay safe with your human!

Are you a photohunter?

Tabby's Therapy Cat Tales and Starla's Vet Visit Report

Tabby:  How are you doing today, Starla? I'm glad that you're out here on the couch with me! That's a huge improvement!

 Starla:  I'm doing a lot better, thank you! I've been eating and drinking more normally on my own, and I've used my pee pad and the tub, and even used the box a few times! Mommy and Daddy don't seem so worried, either.

Tabby:  Let me do a cursory exam. *checks ears by sniffing in both of them, checks fur and skin color and smell, and checks butt for "output" issues*

Starla:  *licks the top of Tabby's head once, quickly, in thanks*

Tabby:  You smell more normal and aren't as yellow. You don't smell as sick anymore!

Starla:  When I had my week checkup last Monday, the doctor said my blood sugar levels were normal again, my bilirubin was still high but high-normal this time, and the rest of my levels were within normal range.

Tabby:  That's such good news! How was the vet visit, in general? Any more out-of-control woofies?

Starla:  No, thankfully!  There was a woofie, but he was behaving himself in the waiting room.  The same nurse that took me back for bloodwork was there again, just ending her shift, and she saw my name on the board.  She immediately asked if she could be the one to bring me back for my bloodwork again!  She wanted to see how I was doing!  *smiles*

Tabby:  Sounds like a nice lady!  I'll let you rest now, but I wanted to see how things were going.

Starla:  Thanks, Auntie Tabby!  *curls up for another nap on the couch*

Tabby:  Now on to my therapy cat report from a week ago Wednesday:

I was so excited when Mommy said we were actually going visiting again!  I'd missed a lot of visits because she wasn't feeling well, but she's feeling better now so I get to see my friends again!  I didn't even pretend to hide or cry when leaving the house, so she knew I was super-excited to be going to H. again!  I did, however, check over my carrier bag, because it smelled of Starla, even though it had been washed since her vet visit.  I knew I wasn't going to the vet, but the wash doesn't get all the smell out for our sensitive kitty noses!

When we were going down the sidewalk toward the bus stop, we saw a blue heron in the marsh!  That's Mommy's favorite bird, and they always appear to her when she needs a little cheering up.  It was huge!  I'd never seen a bird that big before, so I perked up to watch it better!  It was so cool!

There was a little girl on the bus who didn't really want to be there.  Mommy offered to let her pet me through the carrier, and that cheered her right up.  I like humans of all ages, so that was just fine with me, too!  The little girl was just learning how to talk, but she could say "kitty".  She kept on saying it, pointing at me, and smiling to everyone.  After we got off the bus, Mommy told me how good I had been about letting the little girl pet me.

At H., we went around by ourselves, although I got to see R. when she handed us our list.  We visited seven people, plus a couple nurses and a therapist, but that was just fine.  It's never about how many people we visit; it's about the quality of visits and getting to the people who need to see me at that time.  A few of my regulars were somewhere else, so I didn't get to see them, but I probably will next time.  I wondered where they were, but Mommy told me when I stopped in front of their doors and looked at her questioningly.  One of my friends was sitting in a chair in the hallway, so I got to visit with her three times!  That's how many times we passed her, so we stopped each time because she had forgotten in the minutes inbetween that she'd already seen me that day.  That's what happens with some of my friends, actually with a lot of them.  I guess when you're as old as they are, that happens a lot.  Auntie Sara Kitty had kitty Alzheimers, so I remember how it was being around her.  Same thing with the humans.

M. was very glad to see me, because she'd missed visiting with us the last few months.  She's the one resident there who genuinely wants to know how Mommy's doing and how everyone at home is doing as well as visiting with me.  She's the one who used to be afraid of kitties until she met me!  She still second-guesses when I ask her for pets and when I rub up against her fingers with my mouth, but she only pulls back a little when I do those things instead of flinches totally away from me.  I'm so proud of the way she's gotten over her fear over the years!

A.M. held me and petted me, telling me how nice a kitty I am.  She got to feel me purr this time!  I don't always purr when I'm on a visit, but when I do it's a rumbly-purr that my friends can feel as well as hear (if their hearing is good).  A.M. can't hear me purr, but she could feel it!  I also kneaded away, because she was wearing a blankie.  She called it a lap-blanket, and it was crocheted.  It felt so good under my paws!  I never scratch when I knead, and there are blankies that Mommy can ask for if someone needs to have one on their lap for me.  I'm very careful with my claws, though!  A.M. thought it was so neat that I kneaded for her!  She was as happy about that as she was that I came to visit her!

One of the residents isn't my friend, and doesn't even like cats.  Normally we stay away from her, but she called out to us as we passed her door.  She thought maybe I was the dog, but then she asked about me when she found out I was the kitty.  We didn't go in, but Mommy talked with her through the doorway.

When we got back home, Daddy played a rousing game of red dot with us and we got canned food!  Fun and yummy!  It was a great day!

Meowy Catmas, a Therapy Cat Tale, and a Sherbet Report

Heimdall writes:

Meowy Catmas, everyfurry!  We've been having so much fun over here at the PDX pride!  Thank you to all our friends who have sent Catmas cards!  Mommy and Daddy read them to us and let us look at the wonderful piccies when we get them!  We'll send out cards, too, but it will be a few days before we get them mailed.

I've been taking care of Mommy again.  She got sick and had to go to the ER, but she's doing better now.  I try to take care of her tummy, but she says purring on it doesn't help it heal.  She lets me purr next to her tummy, though, and that helps a lot!  It's a furry important job, and that's why I got a special Christmas bandana this year!  I paraded all around the living room, showing it off to everyone.

Tabby writes:

I got a new outfit, too!  I was so excited to get it; I couldn't even sit still for the picture!  It's a black & plaid dress, and it matches Heimdall's bandana perfectly!  Mommy and I couldn't go to H. or C. this month because of Mommy's tummy, but we'll be able to go next month, and she says I can wear my new dress on those visits instead of a Christmas visit.  That's ok with me, I guess.

I did go on a very important visit at the beginning of this month, though!  I went to Mommy's church in Vancouver, WA, to entertain kids whose families participate in the Winter Hospitality Overflow (WHO) shelter program.  WHO was putting on a health fair for the participating families, who are homeless and need assistance of various kinds (housing, medical, monetary, nutrition, etc.).  The health fair had information on free medical & dental clinics, food assistance, housing assistance, and hands-on stations with basic checkups from nurses, medicine checkups, manicures, massages, and foot-washing.  For the kids, they also had gingerbread house decorating, coloring masks, and playing with toys.  I was there to entertain the kids and take some stress off the parents, plus promote healthy interactions with animals.  I was very important!

Mommy and I took a taxi to the church, because we had to be there pretty early in the morning.  The driver was the same one who took us to the pet expo last April!  He was glad to see me again, and told us how his kitty was doing.  He even let us sit up front and petted me while he was driving!  When we got to the church, the lady in charge told us what we would be doing and I got settled in.  At first I wondered what I was supposed to do, because it was a totally new environment for me.  Where were the people crowding around to see me and pet me?  Where were the beds, walkers, laps, and chairs?  Why weren't people calling me over?  What was I supposed to do in this large, open space, with only two rows of mostly-empty chairs and some long tables scattered about?

It took me a while to realize that I was supposed to just be myself, like I do at home, and not like I do on a regular visit.  I was supposed to walk around on my leash, say hi to people, ask them for pets, and hop onto chairs.  Those parts of my duties and training didn't change.  But on this visit, I could also talk a little (as long as I didn't scream), play with the toys the kids put near me, and investigate things!  I'm usually not allowed to do those things on a visit!  It was fun; more like playing with JJ than being on a visit!

The kids naturally gravitated toward me.  Two kids in particular wanted to be my assistant trainers, because Mommy told the kids I was learning how to interact with people in this new environment.  The two boys shared me nicely.  The older one pushed me in the stroller around the room and got me used to being there, then gave me a nice chair to curl up in.  He sat in another chair next to me, petting me and talking to Mommy about me.  A lady with a walker came up, and I immediately switched into my regular visiting mode.  She has an emotional assistance cat, but she can't have her with her at the hotel where they were staying.  I visited with her, her husband, and their young daughter for a while, then the second boy came to see me.  He and his sisters had met me when the first boy had, but his sisters had gotten bitten by a cat in the past so they were leery of petting me or being close to me much.  The brother wanted to be sure I wouldn't bite or scratch, but once he was convinced that I would be good, he was my very best friend for the rest of the time we were there!

The boy held onto my leash just like Mommy showed him, and we walked around the whole narthex of the church, investigating all the windowsills.  It was so much fun, and everything smelled differently than my windows at home!  At one point, I walked under a rolling table and the organizer of the event had to get Mommy's attention to have her "rescue" me.  Mommy walked right over and called me to come out, and I came right back out.  All I wanted to do was have a nice nap in a quiet space, and that looked about as inviting as anywhere else!  Mommy brought my stroller over and I got in, taking about a half-hour nap while she visited with some people who were at one of the tables.

After my nap, the little boy found us again.  He wanted to have me help him with his gingerbread house, but I couldn't.  I did play trains and cars with him and the girls, though!  I think I was a bridge at one point, but I'm not quite sure, because sometimes the cars flew over me and sometimes they went around me.  I politely sniffed them, and pushed a couple with my nose, but wasn't really interested in batting at them right then.  The boy wanted to push me around in my stroller some more, so he, Mommy, and I walked all around the church and back out into the narthex.  Those two rows of chairs were still there!  I wanted to get out of the stroller and investigate them, because they intrigued me, so I hopped out and got pets from one of the other volunteers.  I then walked over him to the next chair in line.  Mommy told my friend that I like to walk from chair to chair, so he very nicely moved all the chairs in the line so they were touching each other, like a huge train!  I happily walked about three-quarters of the length, about 10 chairs, then got tired again.  Back into my stroller I went, while the little boy and Mommy talked about the functions of my harness and leash, my stroller, and my walking jacket.  After seeing me in action and walking around with me for that long, he had a lot of good questions!  He wanted to know why I ran out of energy so quickly, where my food and water were, did I sleep in the stroller, and did I have a home.  Mommy answered that I ran out of energy faster because I am smaller, my food and water were in bowls in the closet area, I do sleep in the stroller, and I have a home in a house with Mommy, Daddy, and the other kitties.

It was an exhausting day, but very fun!  Even the two little girls who were afraid of me were happy to see me and know now that not every cat will attack them.  I'm glad I made a difference for all those kids and people!

Sherbet writes:

Hello, everyone.  I'm still inside!  At the moment, I'm under the bed again, where I've been for most of the time.  I come out to eat, drink, and use the box, but the rest of the time I stay hidden.  It's a very different life from being outside!  A couple weeks ago, Auntie Shawnee came to clean the room I'm hiding in.  Boy, was that ever a traumatic day!  All those sounds, and wondering what was going on, and then a horrible thing happened!  They moved my bed!  They actually moved it clear across to the other side of the room!  I scooted out of there so quickly I was just a blur, bounced off the wall in the hallway, and ended up on the sink counter in the bathroom!  I'm still not quite sure how I got up there!

Panther hit my seat while I was trying to see if the window would open.  It wouldn't, so I turned and hissed at my brother.  He backed off when everyone told him to, so I hopped down and started for the living room.  Panther started chasing me!  We ran into the living room at top speed, so I looked around for the highest safe spot.  Seeing a bookcase, I climbed it, but it was full of computer parts that crashed down around me!  They and I were alright, but what a commotion!  Everyone in the household came out to see what in the world was going on, and I got out of there as fast as I could.  I ran to the other side of the fireplace and hopped onto the small table next to the end of the couch.  There was a nice pillow on it that I used as a bunker, as you can see from the picture!  This is where I stayed for the next hour and a half until everyone and everything calmed down.  Mommy sat in the chair and worked on a project, Daddy fell asleep in his chair, and the other cats went about their routines.  Dare checked on me and Tabby walked over to touch noses, make friends, and lie down almost touching me!  Both of them check on me under the bed now, as does Rori.  When there are visitors in the house, Rori even comes under the bed to hide with me, and we talk!  I'll come out when I'm ready, but it may be a while.

Happy Birthday to Tabby!

Tabby writes:

Wow, you mean it's my 9th birthday?  I love my birthday!  It means I get extra treats and snuggles.  I've been doing a lot of things that I haven't had time to write about.

On May 10th, Mommy took me to the Doggie Dash again.  Other than one doggie I hissed at because it wanted to share my stroller and one that was being too aggressive, nobody bothered me.  Oh, they sniffed, wanted to play, and even cleaned my ears, but they were all very nice about it.  Here are a few pics from the day, including a table I found to relax on and a puppy that Mommy liked.

Free digital slideshow made with Smilebox

I also went visiting to H. on May 21st and C. on May 22nd.  I had a wonderful time visiting with all my friends at both places, and even got my own announcer at C.!  One of the nurses went into all the rooms to ask each resident on the floor if they wanted to visit with me, then reported back to Mommy who wanted visits and who didn't.  Mommy and I then went to see each friend who wanted to see me, and reported to the activity people who we saw and how they were when we saw them.  It was fun to have an announcer!  I'm starting to get the routine at C.  I even wanted to walk on my leash part of the way.

I had an extra-special visit with one of my friends who also was one of Mommy's friends from the church she used to attend.  I visited with Liz Norcross, the lady in the picture, at the end of May.  Mommy took this picture of us together and gave Liz a copy of it.  Liz showed it to me, but I was more interested in snuggling with her and being petted than I was in the picture, which made her giggle!  I snuggled while she petted me and talked with Mommy, whom she knew for around 10 years.  Liz passed away soon after our visit, although at the time we didn't know how close she was to passing.  I'm sure she is surrounded by her dogs and cats that she had all her life, as well as those human friends who had gone before her to Heaven.  We love you and miss you, Liz Norcross!

I'm going to have a great birthday today, running around with Little Bit, snuggling in my nest on the table (towels put there especially for me), and getting pets and snuggles from Daddy, Mommy, and Grandma.  Yay!

Therapy Cat Tales from 4/16/14

Tabby writes:

You know that black cat that we met at the NW Pet and Companion Fair?  The one I mentioned in my last post?  Well, today she came to H. to see what I do!  Mommy invited her and her person, Chris, to come along with us and see how we work.  The kitty's name is Blackbird!

We got to H. before Blackbird and Chris did, so Mommy told the receptionists that they would be coming.  Chris had to get a sticker nametag instead of the pin nametag that Mommy has, because it was their first time there.  Actually, it was Blackbird's first time visiting at an assisted-living facility at all!  She got down off Chris' shoulder (where she likes to ride) and checked out my carrier bag, but she didn't come over to sniff me.  Strange!  I want to be friends with her, but I'm not sure if she likes me.  We hung out on the floor while our people talked and friends stopped by to say hi and pet us.  Mommy let Chris know what the routine was and what to expect.

Then, we started off!  I really showed off for the new people!  I walked over and showed them where the door to the office was, then walked in and showed them where S.'s office was.  They got introduced to S., who is our supervisor, and she told them a little about H. and asked Chris some questions about Blackbird (who was riding on his shoulder again).

S. walked with us most of the time when we were visiting.  Blackbird's eyes got very wide when we stepped off the elevator onto our visiting floor!  I didn't flinch a bit, of course.  I know my routine very well.  I was surprised that Blackbird was nervous, but I guess I was nervous the first few times I went visiting, too.  It was so long ago (about 5 years), that I really don't remember the specifics.  Mommy and S. say I was nervous for about the first three times, though, so I guess it makes sense that Blackbird would be.  She's about the same age I was when I started actually visiting.  She's 3 1/2 years old.

There were a group of ladies talking by the couch in the hallway, so we stopped there and visited with them.  They got introduced to Blackbird, who wanted to stay on Chris' shoulder and arm but let them pet her.  After a few minutes, the ladies had to go, so we went to visit more friends.  When we went into the individual rooms, I showed Blackbird the proper way to behave.  I hopped up on laps, beds, and walked in on my own (with Mommy holding the leash, of course).  Blackbird stayed on her perch and got petted, but a couple times she got to sit with people and once she got to lie on a table.  She liked the table!

She didn't like sharing the spotlight, however.  She was counting how many pets I got and how many she got, and she started getting jealous.  She hissed at me!  At one point, she was too much of a distraction, with her hissing and Chris telling her "NO", so Mommy had them go out in the hallway to wait and watch from there until Blackbird calmed down.  After that, she went back to observing me and learning how to visit.  When she hissed, I gave her the stink-eye, because she wasn't behaving properly.  I know if I tried that, I would get taken home right away!  Blackbird will learn, but it will take her a while.

S. and Mommy agreed that it would be better if Chris and Blackbird visit separately from Mommy and me for a while.  If we do visit on the same day, we'll start at opposite ends of the hallway and each visit with the same people at different times.  That way, she'll learn how to interact with people without worrying what I'm doing.  Chris and Mommy can try to socialize us away from H., so that the residents won't get worried about Blackbird hissing at me.  They won't try to socialize us to each other at H., though, because that's not good for the residents.

All in all, Blackbird passed the test to start training for therapy cat work, but she just needs to get over her hissing.  Great job, Blackbird and Chris!

After we got done visiting, Mommy took me to Columbia Sportswear in downtown Portland.  They were having a promotion for the Doggie Dash, which is coming up next month!  Mommy got some socks for 20% off, and I got to meet some people from the Oregon Humane Society.  Oh, and I got to ride in another elevator and lots of pets from the people who work there!

Therapy Cat Tales: NW Pet and Companion Fair 2014

Tabby writes:

I'm tired!!!  I was on an adventure yesterday and part of today!  Mommy and I did a talk/demonstration at the NW Pet and Companion Fair.  Well, Mommy did the talking and I sat on a chair and in my stroller and looked cute.  Does that count?  Everyone said it did.

We took a taxi over yesterday, but today Grandma drove us.  Nice!  I got to spend time with Grandma!  The taxi was fun, too, but I took a nap most of that ride because I was in my carrier.  When I ride with Grandma, I get to be on Mommy's lap, although still on harness and leash.

Yesterday, after we checked in, we went over to the stage to see where to check in there.  We finally found the people and got everything situated, but there were doggies on stage before us so I didn't check the stage out beforehand.  The doggies were demonstrating how to do clicker-training.  They already knew how to do it, though.  They were just showing off for the people.  I didn't think they were very interesting, but some of the dogs in the audience were paying attention.

Just as we were getting ready to go on stage, a lady asked someone else if she was named Mommy's name.  Mommy overheard her, and went to meet the lady.  She turned out to be our friend from Catster, Michelle!

Michelle and her brother are Bitu's purrents, and our family has known Bitu's family on Catster for years now!  It's always so nice to meet the people who belong to our online cat friends!  Mommy Erin's sister, Anna, took this picture on Michelle's iPad.  It was nice that Anna could come, too.  We ate lunch with Anna after our presentation and walked around the expo with her for a while.  She got her face painted like a cat, even!  Mommy was going to get her face painted, too, but there was too long a line.

We also did the fashion show/costume contest.  No, I didn't win anything, but that's fine.  There were a lot of dogs participating, but I wasn't the only non-canine entrant!  For once!!!  There was a bird named Athena, who blogs on tumblr, and a pig named Periwinkle, who has a Facebook page.  Athena and I didn't mind being right near each other!  Here's a slideshow of some of the costumes from the contest.

Personalize a photo slideshow

After the fashion show, we went around to more booths.  We got a huge bag of goodies from Pet Pros.  Thank you so much for all the yummy-looking food and treats!!!  Mommy had business cards made up for me, so she handed those out to the people we met and people who came to our presentations on both days.  I met a lot of new friends!  There were even people who want to know more about training their cats to be therapy cats like I am.  Plus, a few places that want us to visit people!

If you are one of the people we met at this event, feel free to contact us using the "PDX pride" profile link near the top of the right column on this blog or the message feature on my Facebook page.

This morning, we did our presentation again.  I was better about not sitting in my stroller the whole time.  I sat on a chair at the back of the stage, so Mommy picked the chair up and put it front-and-center.  Not what I had in mind, but that was ok for a while.  Then, I decided I wanted my stroller, which was off-stage.  I headed toward it, so Mommy picked that up and put me in it, then wheeled it to the middle of the stage and talked from behind it and the chair.  Everyone thought that was funny, but I was comfortable and was showing off that I had a safe space that I was trained to be in.  That was just fine with everyone!

The black cat that we saw last year was there again this year with her person.  Guess what?  Both of them want to be a feline-assisted therapy team, too!  They are going to meet us on Wednesday for our regular visit to H. to see what we do, and hopefully will get registered to visit different places, too!  Wouldn't that be cool?  Maybe we can even open up a Portland, OR, chapter of Love on a Leash!

Therapy Cat Tales from Yesterday

Tabby writes:

Hi everyone!  I'm back to visiting again!  We took a break for a couple months, because Mommy wasn't feeling well and we had Grandma moving in, but now we're back.  I'm sooooo happy!

We love overhearing conversations on the bus and MAX train when we ride.  It's fun how my presence on public transportation gets people talking about their own cats, even if it's not directly to us.  We heard one person who had always wanted an ocelot as a pet, but couldn't get a permit to own one because they are wild animals.  He got a Savannah instead, which is a domestic cat but has been bred from an African serval (wild animal) and a domestic cat.  We also heard about a long-haired black polydactyl cat that a homeless couple has.  They are trying to find a place to live and may have to give their cat up to be able to live in low-income housing.  Most low-income housing doesn't allow pets (other than emotional service animals, which need a doctor's note).  That would be sad if they had to give up their kitty!  I made them very happy by purring for them while they petted me.

We got on one MAX, but the driver told everyone that it wasn't in service, so everyone got off again.  Why did it even let us on if it wasn't going to take us anywhere?  We had to wait another half hour for the next one, because they weren't running on time.  That made us late, and I don't like to be off-schedule!  Kitties love schedules and patterns, and I'm no exception.

When we got to H., the people there were off-schedule, too!  They'd gone on a field trip for lunch to a restaurant and were just getting back, so we waited a few minutes before going up to visit them to let them settle.  I saw them going up, and said hi to one of my friends before she got in the elevator, but we waited until they were in their rooms before "officially" visiting them.  That confused me, because I could see they were going back home and wanted to follow them, but Mommy said we needed to wait.  I kept asking her with my paw when we were waiting, to let her know that I wanted to get going.

Finally, we went upstairs!  We went to see my friend A.M. the first thing, and she had the picture of her and me in a frame on her shelves!  I love her so much and always snuggle with her.  One of her friends was there, and asked her if I was the kitty she loves so much.  She just smiled and hugged me.  Purrs!

We went to see more of our regulars, and it was so great to see them again!  They missed me as much as I had missed them, and were glad to see me again.  Mommy's friend L. from her former church held me and hugged me, saying how nice a kitty I was.  I purred hard for her, too, because she's one of my favorites as well.  We met a new friend, C., who told us about her kitty.  She and her husband have a kitty they took in, but then the kitty showed up one day with a collar and tag.  It turned out to belong to their neighbors, who are backyard neighbors!  The cat doesn't like to be alone, so when its people aren't there it visits C. and her husband!  We also heard about a cat who didn't want to move when its people moved.  It was hand-raised from a kitten, but became an outside cat with the backyard and surrounding area as its territory.  When its people moved, they took it with them but didn't move far, so the kitty kept going back to its territory.  Its people made arrangements with the family who had bought the property, who agreed to adopt the cat and care for it.  It's so wonderful when that happens so the kitty can stay in its territory!  We had that happen with our feral Shadow at our old house.  We weren't able to take her with us when we moved, but we arranged with Spongebob's person that he would take care of Shadow since Sponge was best friends with her.  I also visited with someone who is going to go home in the next week but was so glad that I came to visit her.  I could tell that she wasn't feeling well in her stomach so I snuggled up really close to her on her lap right away.  She, Mommy, and R. (who takes us around to everyone) visited while I snuggled, and talked all about how we cats just know when we're needed and where.  Well, of course we do!  That's why I visit!

After we were done visiting at H., we went to C.  We don't really have a set schedule at C. yet, so the person we usually visit wasn't available to visit.  I was disappointed, but then we went to another floor and I got to visit with three ladies who work there!  That was fun, because I got to settle on the rug while Mommy talked with one of the ladies.  She was quite impressed with me, especially when I asked her to pet me, and took our contact information so that we could get a set schedule there.  Someone called the next day, but Mommy missed the call.  She'll call back and then we'll set up a definite time to go visit more people there!

If that weren't exciting enough, we came home to a big surprise!  Go to the Oregon Humane Society's Doggie Dash page at this link, scroll down to where it says "Doggie Dash Poster" and click on either size.  Tell me what you see!  We got it in postcard-flyer form in the mail, and were so surprised!  Yes, we are definitely planning on going this year.

PhotoHunt: Mellow & Tabby's Therapy Cat Tales

Tabby writes:

Wednesday was a very mellow day, because the snow had melted and the weather warmed up.  We were supposed to go visiting last week, but it was down to freezing by the time we would've been coming back home.  That's too cold for me to be outside!  I'm an inside kitty, so I don't have much of a winter coat!  My fur gets a little thicker for winter and I shed, but I don't grow the very thick coat like outside kitties do.

It was really raining on Wednesday, so Mommy brought my little umbrella along and I wore my raincoat.  I was all nice and warm then!  At one point, I wanted to crawl into my carrier bag instead, while we were going from one inside place to another inside place, but Mommy put my jacket on me instead.  I had fun watching everything go by then, and didn't worry that I was not in the bag.  I had a wet head, but the rest of my fur was dry.  My jacket doesn't have a hat or a hood, but it has a collar that I curl in if I need to.  Sometimes, I end up wearing the jacket over my head and looking out an armhole!

When we got to the Lloyd Center MAX stop and got off the MAX light rail train, we got a surprise!  Some things were lined up along the street, but they didn't look familiar.  I know what most cars look like, but these were shorter than cars and they had branches sticking out from the windows!  What were those?

Mommy laughed and told me they were cars, too, and they had reindeer antlers!  There were three of them lined up, plus some people in blue shirts advertising Car2Go.  One of the people was dressed as Santa, but I didn't get my picture taken with him.  He didn't want to pose with me.  They all wanted to pet me, though, and one of them asked a ton of questions about therapy cats!  I love being an ambassador kitty for all therapy cats!

H. had a decorated Christmas tree with lighted packages around the bottom of it, plus poinsettias on all the little tables in the lobby.  There were Christmas lights in some places, too.  I didn't get my picture taken with any of it, though, because we were running late and didn't want to keep my friends waiting longer than we needed to.  I didn't wear my "Santa Baby" dress like I normally do for my December visit, but I had the mini Christmas lights blinking around my stroller handle, so everyone loved those.  We visited with a lot of ladies named M.  Well, their real names were longer than that, and not all the same name that starts with M., but I can't tell you their real names.

One lady named A.M. loves holding me on her lap and snuggling with me while she talks with Mommy.  I watched her tv while she petted me and snuggled with me (and talked).  She kept saying she wished that she had a camera to take a picture of me.  She didn't have a camera, though, not even a disposable one (which she wants to get).  Our friend S., who walks around with us at H., has a cameraphone, so Mommy asked her if she would take a picture of A.M. and me.  S. said that of course she would!  A.M. almost cried, she was so happy!  She said that was the best Christmas present in the world!  I posed on the arm of the recliner and we both looked at S. for the picture.  It turned out really cute, and I wish I could share it with everyone!  A.M. is going to find a nice frame for it and put it on her table!  *purrs*

Another of my friends, one of the M.'s, talked about a kitty she had when she was young.  Her mom didn't especially like Kate the kitty because Kate was always pregnant or nursing kittens.  At that time, they didn't spay or neuter cats.  M.'s mom didn't let Kate in the house, but would pour some milk into a bowl and set it out for her and the kittens after she milked.  I think that M.'s mom must've liked Kate more than she let on, if she fed her!  M.'s mom was Norwegian, so M. knows some Norwegian.  She and Mommy had a conversation in Norwegian about Christmas and about how Mommy knew how to speak that language!  S. was present and couldn't understand a word of it, but I was listening and could understand a bit.  I used to go to classes, and I pay attention when Mommy teaches her internet class.  She speaks some of it to us around the house, too.  Daddy understands more than he lets on, but only says a few words of it.

My friend who used to be afraid of cats and now loves me was in her room, so we had a nice visit with her.  She's another M.  She, S., and Mommy had a great conversation about traditional Christmas food and desserts.  Mommy was telling about her family and about Great-Grandma coming out west from South Dakota after Great-Grandma married Great-Grandpa.  The rest of the family on that side lives in South Dakota still, and my great-uncle sends cookie boxes back to them every year as their Christmas gift.

This picture was taken at C., where we visit after we visit H.  I get to share this picture because there's no identifying information in it.  I love how their tree looks!  You can see the lights on my stroller in this picture, too, as well as my jacket.

The elevator at C. wasn't working properly.  One side of it was broken, and it was dinnertime, so everyone was using the other side or the service elevator.  We waited and waited for it!  Finally it came, then we got to visit P.  We had a great visit, then we rode the service elevator back downstairs again.  Mommy talked with a couple staff members at C., and we might have more people to visit with next time!  There isn't a regular scheduling person for outside visitors, but the different floors have schedules so we'll be on one of those schedules.

After we got done visiting, we went downtown Portland to see the big Christmas tree in Pioneer Courthouse Square.  We found a funny thing!  This is a bronze statue of a man holding an umbrella, but look what he's wearing!  If that's not mellow, we don't know what is!

Are you a photohunter?

Therapy Cat Tales from 10/16/13

Tabby writes:

Boo!  I know it's not quite Halloween yet, but since it was our last visit before Halloween we wore our candy-corn witch costumes for visiting today!  We made a lot of people smile and giggle at H., C., on the buses, on the MAX light-rail, and walking down the sidewalk.  Mommy says I brightened a lot of lives today, so I'm glad about that!

The basket behind me on the couch is a Hello Kitty trick-or-treat pail.  We were reverse trick-or-treating today, bringing pencils to our friends instead of getting treats.  I don't usually eat treats when offered them while visiting anyway, so I liked the idea of giving my friends their Halloween treats instead.

I usually sleep on the way there and the way back, and my costume felt like a little blankie, so I was nice and toasty-warm even though it was a bit chilly outside.  I wore my harness and leash under my costume, even though I don't usually need restraining.

I visited with around 20 residents at H. today!  That's a lot more than usual.  I kept finding empty beds and rooms, though.  Many of my friends were out on a field trip for apple-tasting.  Mommy and I visited for a long time with R. and M., two of my favorite friends.  M. always loves seeing my costumes, and was even more impressed that Mommy and I were matching!  She wanted to know every detail of our costumes and where we got them (Party City).  I was feeling snuggly while visiting with R., because she has a soft office chair like we have at home.  I lay in it, paws on her hand and my head on my paws, while she petted me and scritched my ears with her other hand.  I purred up a storm, and she could feel my purring even though she couldn't hear it.  She loved seeing my costume, and was quite impressed that I wear the hat!

We got stopped by many visitors, nursing staff, and physical therapists while walking in the hallways.  A couple people asked if they could take our picture, and Mommy had one of them take this picture of us as well.  I don't have the striped orange-and-white socks, but otherwise Mommy and I completely match!

After we had visited with my friends who were in their rooms, we went back downstairs to sign out.  All of a sudden, I was looking at my missing friends!  They had just come back from their apple-tasting outing and were coming through the doors!  We went right over to visit them and I got a lot more pets.  They all got pencils from us, too.  Everyone's hands smelled of apples!

Mommy turned in our visiting sheet, then showed off her book and our costumes to our supervisors.  The publicity lady for H. even took our picture for their Facebook page!

Next, we walked over to C.  Once again, everyone loved seeing our outfits, and we were a total hit in the elevator!  We visited with my new friend P. for a long time, and she wanted to know every detail of our outfits as well.  She and Mommy talked while I took a bit of a nap in the stroller.  P. had feral cats when she lived in California, and her daughter-in-law rescues feral kittens as well.  Mommy showed her the book, and she immediately bought it, asking us to donate some extra money she had to the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon as well!  We'll be sending that in along with a portion of the proceeds from each book we've sold so far so FCCO can help more kitties!

While we were waiting for the bus to go back home, a lady came up with her iPad and asked to take our picture!  Wow, I guess we were very popular today!  Another lady on the bus wanted to know all about my training and was very impressed that I ride so nicely in my carrier.  She and Mommy shared kitty pictures all the way from downtown Portland to Vancouver!

Be the Change!

Here at the PDX pride, we have many causes that are near and dear to our furry hearts.  Today is the Be the Change for Animals blog hop, and we encourage all our readers to go on over to their website and pawticipate.  Take a few minutes of your time to read and comment on your fellow bloggers' posts, see what you can do to be the change, and share your favorite posts with your followers.

So, without further ado, here are our top ways to support our favorite animal causes and charities.  Some of these cost money, but many do not.

1.  Blog about, talk about, feed, and create shelters for feral cats.  Mommy just published her children's book about this, and our friend Sparkle reviewed it as part of her post today.  Mommy's book website is linked on our sidebar and has more feral cat links.  The cats in the book are part of our feral family and our former foster family.  We currently have one semi-feral boy, Panther, whom we are fostering and continuing to socialize.

2.  Blog about, talk about, and foster abandoned cats or kittens.  Whether through a shelter network or unaffiliated, fostering is the second most important role in a stray or abandoned feline's life (the first being a forever home).  If fostering through a shelter or humane society network, many costs are reimbursed by the organization.  If fostering on your own, the costs are yours to carry.  Either way, the rewards are simply priceless as you see each cat or kitten blossom and trust humans, finally finding them forever homes of their own!  We are proud to be a foster family for two young cats right now (Dare and Panther), and have fostered for years.

3.  Walk, run, or bike for animals.  This option doesn't cost a thing other than the data plan on your smartphone.  It uses an app called CharityMiles to track your workout by GPS.  Sponsors donate money to a charity of your choice based on your workout miles, although the app tracks your time and route as well.  The animal-themed charities at this time are the ASPCA and the Nature Conservancy, although there are many non-animal-themed charities to choose from also.

4.  Catalogue birds and other wildlife as and where you see them.  This is another option that doesn't cost a thing other than your computer's internet connection or your phone's data plan, depending on which app you use.  The three apps that Mommy has installed on her phone are iNaturalist, BirdLog and Pocket Ranger.  BirdLog costs $9.99 per year, but uploads your data directly to the Audubon Society's eBird website for use by researchers all over the world.  Don't worry; it keeps your personal information safe!  iNaturalist is a free app and free website that makes it easy to take pictures and catalogue all kinds of wildlife and plant life.  However, you do need to take a picture of the organism in question when using the phone app for this one.  Pocket Ranger is a series of free phone apps for each state in the U.S.  Each app allows you to record wildlife within state parks and also takes you on guided tours.  There are challenges you can participate in as well.

5.  Volunteer with or without your pet.  Tabby and Mommy do this as an animal-assisted therapy/animal-assisted activities team.  They visit nursing homes to cheer up the residents, and also educate the public by demonstrating Tabby's feline therapy skills while riding the bus to and from their visits.  Volunteer opportunities are available in most communities throughout the world, with humane societies, rescue organizations, animal transport networks, and education organizations.  Be sure to ask around to see where your special skills could best be utilized.  Not every volunteer job is working directly with animals.  Some are in offices, as phone coordinators or phone triage personnel, donation pickup and delivery, or packing boxes for food banks that supply pet food to low-income families for their pets.

Whatever option you choose, being the change for animals ultimately benefits more than just one other being.  Being the change means that the whole world changes for that being, whether it is a human, animal, or whole community.  That being then changes others' lives, so more ripples of change and benefit are created!