Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my Mom Paula and to all of the other kitty moms!

                      Then:  1995                                        Now:  2010

Funny how my floof has gotten darker and mom's hair has gotten lighter.  I wonder how that happened.  Notice in both pictures, I am trying to get away from mom.  Even then, I didn't like the flashy box!

Mom Paula:  I want to take this opportunity to tell my mom, Faye, "Happy Mother's Day!"  You have always been my best friend.

My Mom is on the far right.  I am on the far left.  This was at the Carolina vs. Florida football game last year.  I love you Mom Faye.

Photo Hunt - Mother/Mom

I don't have any pictures of my mom kitty, but she was a beautiful seal point Himmie!  I do have a few pictures of my Mom and me!  Mom didn't want her picture taken because she's gained so much weight with all the medicine she's been on since the surgery, but I told her I love her no matter what she looks like.  Mom says that as long as I am in the picture, everyone will look at me and not her.  The only problem is I won't look at the camera and when I do, I have laser eyes.

Mom Paula:  What are you doing down there, Praline?

Mom, there is supposed to be a treat in your hands!!!

Not a very flattering picture of me, but you can see I have my treat in my mouth!

Happy Mom's Day, Mom.  Now, let me down!

Floofy Friday

I hope all of my furriends have a floofilicious Friday!

I'm a guest over at Romeo, the Cat's blog today for one of my wake up tactics!  Go over and see how I get my breakfast in the morning.

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for ear and chin scritches!  Mom says it has a great calming effect for her, but I know she does it to keep me happy!

Wordless Wednesday

Thanks, Ann!

Mom Paula:  Two of the "sweetest" things I know:  Praline and pralines!

Mom's Tranquilizer

Mom had a rough day yesterday with a headache and her shoulder hurting, so she stayed home.  I jumped up right beside her to comfort her while we were watching the Chipmunks, the Squeakwell.  Mom says I am her natural tranquilizer!

Now Mom, if you would just put a treat in those fingers!

Baby Fev-vers!

I have some special visitors on my front porch.  I kept hearing all of this noise outside and look what we found!

We have live baby fev-vers in our Gamecock bird house on the front porch.  Mom keeps her eyes open when she comes outside just in case the mom and dad fev-ver decide to attack her.

You may need to bigify to see the fev-ver's head!

The momma fev-ver is feeding the babies now!

You may ask why Mom put the birdhouse on the front porch so close to traffic.  She honestly bought the birdhouse for a decoration, having no idea that birds would actually build a nest in it.  We've had baby birds twice a year for the past three year in the house.  It must be the Gamecock on the house that attracts them.

Easy Like Sunday

Nothing like taking it easy lying in Mom's lap on a Sunday!

 Can you find my head?  I'm lying on my back in mom's lap.

Photo Hunters - Black

I just love my BLACK tent that my favorite mancat, Ginger Jasper sent me from across the pond.

National Hairball Awareness Day

April means more than just hairballs – spring cleaning tips & tricks.

I think Mom is doing a little spring cleaning around here!

We’re counting down the days until National Hairball Awareness Day (April 30th). Shedding peaks in the spring, causing increased hairballs, as well as fur tumbleweeds rolling across floors and lawns and furniture… Pet owners, both feline and canine, are looking for ways to battle the fuzz and capitalize on all that spring cleaning elbow grease. Rid your home of excess pet fur and keep a clean, healthy pet by following these simple tips from FURminator, Inc.

• Healthy Diet: Diet plays a key role in your pet's overall health. Feeding your pet a quality pet food with protein, vitamins and Omega-Fatty Acids will promote a healthy weight and topcoat and can help reduce shedding. My Mom has to get the pet store to order my foods!

• Scratch the Itch: Pets can itch because of fleas, dry skin or even a skin allergy, which can spread dander throughout the house. Whatever the cause, make sure to speak with your veterinarian to help your pets feel and look their best.   My mom always looks out for me!

• Love Your Pet, Hate the Shedding?: Use a professional style grooming tool, such as the new FURminator deLuxe deShedding Tool, which is guaranteed to work better than any brush, rake or comb available. The deLuxe deShedding Tools reduce the amount of fur left on floors, couches and clothes by nearly 90 percent. They also feature a FURejector button, making it faster to clean and remove loose hair from the tool.  We're working on getting one!

• Lessen Allergies & Sneezing: Create allergy-free areas for family members with pet allergies by restricting animals to certain rooms of your home and consider using allergen-resistant covers on mattresses and pillows. Regular grooming will also decrease the amount of airborne allergens and dander around the house.  Wait a minute - I'm not restricted from ANY room in the house!!!

• Pet Hair Removal: Upholstery is a pet hair magnet and removing fur can be tedious. Eliminate newly shed hair with a lint roller before fur works its way into fabric. If pets are allowed on the furniture, consider investing in furniture throws that can be laundered - this will keep your home looking and smelling better.  I refuse to lie on top of anything, but the bare furniture.

• Pet Crates: Pets prefer a clean, dry space to sleep in. A crate acts like their bedroom and provides a positive solution to house-training. Be sure to keep their "room" clean by washing blankets kept in the crate.  I sleep all over the house!

• Avoid the Outside Coming In: Keep a washable rug near the door your pet uses. Wipe off their paws so mud or dirt is not tracked onto floors. Consider using a bottle of the FURminator Waterless deShedding Shampoo & Conditioner to easily eliminate odor without bathing. Also, dispose of pet waste regularly to ensure it's not being tracked into the house. I don't go outside, so I guess this doesn't apply to me.

Come on, Mom!  It's time to get started with that Spring Cleaning!

Health and Aging Kitties

I wanted to help Romeo share this important information about hairballs and kitties.  I know about hairballs very well because my mom has had to rush me to the vet a few times in the past because I had a blockage.  I have so much floof that it's hard for my mom to keep me from ingesting too much.  I get brushed at least twice a day and sometimes more, but I still have a lot of floof.  One of these days, mom is going to get me the FURminator to see if it will help.  I bet I would have another kitty of floof if she ever used one on me.

A Closer Looks At Cats: 

Wellness, Aging, Instincts, and Hairballs

In observation of National Hairball Awareness Day (April 30^th), we’re taking a closer look at the cat: feline wellness, aging, instincts and the dreaded hairball!

*Provided by FURminator, Inc.

Did you know?:

• When a cat coughs up a hairball, it is actually choking. This hacking can be dangerous and can cause death in some cases. Cats will over-groom themselves, especially in the spring during peak shedding season. To reduce the amount of hair ingested, and the corresponding hack that follows, many veterinarians recommend the FURminator deLuxe deShedding Tool for cats; it’s a safe, natural and holistic way to lessen the amount of hair cats ingest.  (Wow!  I didn't know this.  No wonder it scares mom so much when she hears me in the hallway.  Mom, it's time for that FURminator!)

• Cats have primal instincts and the location of their water bowl can prove it. In the wild a cat would never drag its kill to a watering hole to eat and drink at the same time. House cats have inherited this same instinct. Owners should keep a cat’s water bowl in a separate location than their food bowl. Cats will drink more water (and this increase will help their system clean itself of ingested hair).  (Another interesting piece of information.  Mom started putting out a separate water bowl in her bedroom underneath the air condition vent.  She always thought I liked the water because it was cool, now we know the real reason.)

• A cat’s age can affect how they shed. As a kitten matures their coat changes in several ways - texture, thickness, curl and coloring. This transition may take up to two years depending on the breed. Once a kitten’s coat has matured they will begin to shed more by dropping their “kitten coat”. Consult with a veterinarian or groomer on when a cat’s grooming needs change.  (Mom used to take me to the groomers every six week during the first six years of my life.  I would get a bath and a good comb out.  The vet doesn't recommend baths for me now that I am a senior ladycat.) 

• Keep cats active to stay healthy; they’re athletes at heart. A healthy cat can jump as much as seven times its height and yet 21 percent of cats are considered obese or overweight by their veterinarians. Interactive toys with feathers on the end will encourage cats to leap, stretch and stay active. Keeping cats active will help them maintain a healthy skin and coat, as well as increase balance and coordination.  (I love fev-ver toys!  At almost 15 years of age, I still like to play.)

Wordless Wednesday - Playful Baby Praline

Tortie Tuesday - Baby Praline

Mom wasn't feeling too well after her doctor visit yesterday (another shot in her shoulder), so I thought I would share another Baby Praline picture (many of you may have already seen this one, but it's one of mom's favorites.) to show my original Tortie self.

National Kids and Pets Day

Happy National Kids and Pets Day!

I wanted to share pictures of Mom's favorite kids with some baby kitties.  Russell and William are my mom's nephews (children of her only sister, Dorenda) and Mom loves them very much.  These pictures were taken 10-14 years ago and the boys are now 26 and 21.

 Russell, William, and Sweet Praline in 1995

Russell, William and their kitties (circa 1998)

Easy Like Sunday

Kids and Pets Photo Entry

Jan's Funny Farm is sponsoring a Kids and Pets Photo Contest to help celebrate National Kids and Pets Day on April 26.  I started to submit an entry of me as a kitten with mom's nephews from 14 years ago, but then I remembered this special moment with my special friend, Cody.  Cody is the son of my mom's best friend, Janet and he has Down's Syndrome.  He always calls my mom his "girlfriend" and my mom just smiles every time he says it.  A few years ago, Cody and his mom came over to visit my mom after her foot surgery.  Mom reminded Cody to be very quiet when he came in the house because I am not used to little beans and don't like loud noises.

I have a ritual everytime I meet someone new.  You must put out your hand and let me smell it.  If I turn around and offer my backside to you, it's my way of saying that it's okay for you to pet me.  I must tell you that I don't always let people pet me.  In fact, if I walk away from you, I'll never accept you or come to you.  As you can see, I turned around immediately and let Cody pet me.  Don't you just LOVE the smile on his face.

The next thing that happened totally shocked my mom!  After Cody petted me, I turned around and licked his hand.  I've only licked two people's hands my entire life:  my mom and my mom's friend that took care of me as a kitten (who also rescues all types of animals).  Mom says I made Cody's day (and hers!).  I just smiled inside, knowing that I helped to make a special child's day even more special.  Mom says what makes this story even more amazing is that I've never let a child anywhere near me (other than when I was a kitten).  Do you have leaky eyes yet?

And for extra points, I still wanted to include a picture of me as a kitten with my mom's two nephews, who are her life (since she never had any children).  Russell is 26 years old now and William is 21.

Finally Friday

Finally Friday, which means time for mom to come home for the weekend and give me lots of scritches!

Thankful Thursday

Mom says that Thankful Thursday if for her today.  She is very thankful for my calming purrs.  She's had it a little rough lately with her shoulder and she says that coming home to me and my special purrs just relaxes her and helps her forget her pain for just a little bit.

When your kitty purrs to you, doesn't it break your heart that you can't purr back? ~Candea Core-Starke

Are we really sure the purring is coming from the kitty and not from our very own hearts? ~Emme Woodhull-Bäche, translated

If purring could be encapsulated, it'd be the most powerful anti-depressant on the pharmaceutical market. ~Alexis F. Hope

Wordless Wednesday

Treats on Tuesday

I just LOVE treats on Tuesday.  In fact, I love treats any day of the week, 24/7.  How about you?

Pee ess - My mom went back to the doctor today and he's scheduled another MRI on her shoulder.  He said she should be improving, not getting worse.  The MRI is Wednesday.  

We've been a little slack with visiting lately and hope to be back to full strength soon!