In Tough Times, Inspiration is Near

by Christine Michaels

During this election season, we are often reminded of tough economic times  in terms of job loss, struggles to pay bills, affording medical care...

As a victim of corporate layoffs more than once, the rollercoaster was no joyride, especially as a single female I never depended on anyone to survive. Like the Miami summers, I had periods of sun and prosperity followed by dark clouds and difficult times  Thankfully I have the most incredible mother who taught me that hard work, faith and appreciating the simple things in life, will lead you to greater things-- accomplishments you may not have imagined.

It's often those things which we take for granted or don't fully understand or appreciate that give us the strength and power to overcome obstacles. It happened for me and others.

What does this have to do with cats, you wonder? Good question. True stories of despair turned triumphant motivate and inspire us.  Therefore, I would like to recommend to pick up a special book  The Chronicles of Zee and Zoey.

This is the story of one woman, Deb Barnes, who lost her job. But her hardships were a string of them that started years before.  However, Deb found the silver lining in this dark period that propelled her to where she is today that she  is now a highly respected author and blogger.  It's just a matter of time before talk show giants like Ellen DeGeneres are knocking on her door.  Would this have happened had she not lost her job? Perhaps not. Her inspiration--her cats Zee and Zoey! Who would have thought!

Erma Bombeck meets Seinfeld Show

 The story itself is an inspirational and heartfelt account of  Deb's life with her furry felines, the invaluable lessons they taught her, and the love story between Zee and Zoey. Deb writes with the humorous style of the late Erma Bombeck, combined with the uncanny ability of Seinfeld Show – turning the everyday nothing’s of life into an incredible story about something! Discussing  real topics as divorce, moving, home renovations, and unemployment, anyone can relate to her trials and tribulation. 

Not to mention, the book comes beautifully wrapped with leopard tissue paper and a gorgeous bookmark that makes a great gift for any cat lover in your life.

 I highly recommend this book! And if you say you're not a cat person, you will love this book even more! Deb also had many dogs and you'll follow her journey from dog owner to Cat Woman! You will smile, cry and laugh and laugh some more. 

To order your copy of Zee and Zoey, click her. Enjoy!

Sweetie & Berrie

Two loving, black cats lost mother to ovarian cancer

Sweetie & Berrie are in empty house and need new home

"My mommy is gone. The house is empty.
My brother and I are alone and scared."

LOCATION: Miami, FL

UPDATE:  November 2012 Sweetie & Berrie have a new, loving home. A happy ending for two black cats.

Sweetie & Berrie are two black, declawed cats that lost their mother, Marlene Ristine,  to ovarian cancer. She learned about it in November of last year and after fighting a tough battle it metastitized to the liver and she recently passed away this month.

Sweetie & Berrie are by themselves in now in an empty house, without their mother, and without any furniture. Their anxiety is growing. Soon they will be without a home. A kind angel is visiting and feeding them daily but the house is now up for sale.  The clock is ticking for these two gorgeous black cats.

Sweetie is about 7-8 year old fluffy cat. She is a sweetheart and welcomes scratches on the head and will snuggle with you.

Sweetie waking up from nap in her favorite chair

Berrie is a 5-6 year old male who loves to be petted and to play like most active boys.  Especially with any toy with a string.

"Where is everything? Where's my mommy?"

Both cats have been around dogs in the past. Sweetie & Berrie are litter trained and declawed.  They are wonderful pets and companions.

Marlene was an active volunteer in many ways, after retiring as a nurse. She volunteered at the police department, for the March of Dimes and tirelessly helped the Cat Network. She rescued many cats and dogs and found them homes. Now it's time for the community to give back to Marlene.

Please share this posting with all your friends. To meet Sweetie & Berrie, please contact Eli Ristine at 305-978-0388 or 305-443-8473. 

20/20 Kitty Cam Segment

  20/20 segment "Kitty Cam" one-sided 

Falsely portrays pet cats as serial killers

 

This past Friday, 20/20 (an ABC news program) aired an hour long segment called "The Camera Doesn't Lie" with various topics. One segment was called "Kitty Cam" where cameras were affixed like collars to outdoor pet cats to track their activity. At first we thought this was going to be light-hearted and show cat musings and antics.  However, for cat educators like myself, the final report was far from comic relief. It highlighted cats as serial killers.

Sadly, the segment was grossly misleading. The reporter interviewed George Fenwick, the president of American Bird Conservancy (ABC). According to George Fenwick,  cats are responsible for the extinction of 33 bird species (but couldn't name two in prior interviews) and for killing 1.2 billion birds. Just last month that number was 500 million. George--why the big jump in one month? Maybe George has had one too many Cat Nip-tinis. (Or maybe he needs one!)

The program showed some cats attacking and killing birds. Yes cats are instinctive predators. But pet cats that are well fed killing mass birds? Not at all! What the program failed to clarify is that in one week, 55 cats  killed 5 birds.  ABC (the bird group) has yet to conduct and publish scientifically reliable studies about cat activity on the mass declining bird population. Other reliable studies have scientifically proven that declining bird populations are due to urbanization, pesticides, acid rain, pollution, and other causes.

Unfortunately, 20/20 failed to conduct any in-depth, professional research nor did they interview any cat experts. Therefore the story was one-sided and not well balanced.  Many of us work extremely hard to overturn misconceptions and educate the public about cats. But when segments like this are ill-reported, it sets us back. Therefore, we need your help.

Please sign this petition requesting ABC news to report the facts about cats and a well balanced report

Also, please share your concerns directly with ABC News through their online form.

Thank you for helping to educate residents across America and make a difference!

Here are helpful links on the subject:
Alley Cat Allies issued a press release on the 20/20 segment.

Peter Wolf (Cat Man) of VoxFelina is the outdoor cat expert when it comes to studies.Peter judiciously reads, studies, examines every study, press release, journal...every medium about outdoor cats.
  Aug 6, 2012 Kitty Cams and PR Scams
  Aug 7, 2012 Kitty Cams and PR Scams BINGO
  Aug 9, 2012 More Kitty Cams and PR Scams
 

Disabled Vet Passes Away

DISABLED VET PASSES AWAY

LEAVES SIX LOVING, AFFECTIONATE CATS

We often say, "I'd like to give back to the American men and women that serve in the military".  Indeed they give up so much and ask for nothing in return. How can you help? Well if you love pets, here's how.

Sadly a disabled veteran, Beverly,  has passed away. She had 12 cats and a service dog.  Therefore, as you can imagine, we are working hard to find homes for them. The good news is that six cats and the service dog have new homes. But now we need to find homes for the remaining six cats. Because Beverly was home all the time, the cats are very affectionate.

Below are the names of each cat and a description. They are current on all shots and are micro-chipped. The cats are located in ORLANDO, FLORIDA. Please contact Ruth Labrie, (407) 855-9417 or (407) 744-4189.

Please consider adopting an adult cat. There are many benefits: they don't tear up your home like kittens and you know their personality and temperament.

Joy and Jesse are sister and brother and were bottle fed by Beverly since they were kittens. They are very attached to one another and the goal is to keep them together. Both are very affectionate and want  lots of attention.

Joy- 5 years young; a gray tortoise shell

Jesse- (Joy's brother), 5 years young; all gray

Hope is 4 years young and loves to eat treats (as you can see below) and loves to play.

Hope, gorgeous black kitty

Morris is a handsome, white and orange cat. He's 2 years young and loves attention and to be groomed. His favorite activity is to play with running water.

Morris

Mr. Weebles is 3 years young and loves people, attention, and lots of affection. With a name like that, he could be your new butler!

Mr. Weebles

Onyx is another all black cat and he is 5 years young. He had throat surgery as a kitten and when he meows, it sounds like a whisper.  Onyx he's a big boy like Morris and they are best buddies and play together. 

Onyx

Thank you for taking the time to learn about these special cats. Veterans need our support even after they pass away. Let's help their families, fur families, just as they served our country.

International Cat Video Festival

Can you believe the first ever International Cat Video Festival was a worldwide sensation?! Of course we know! 

The camera just loves cats with their agility and flexibility prowess, endless antics, and extreme intelligence. It's no wonder they are a digital and cultural phenomena that is shared a million times over--more than celebrities. Sorry Justin Beiber.

Hosted in Minneapolis, MN at the Walker's Art Center, one of the nation’s most prominent institutions of contemporary art, this was the first cat film festival dedicated completely to cat videos.  The idea for the festival was born from an an associate at the museum, who suggested it early this year as a sort of joke. By spring her bosses came to believe that it would be a good fit with the Walker’s Open Field initiative, which calls for experimental public programming, often free, on the lawn. From its inception to its closing credits, this was an online meme made flesh (and fur).

The submission process went viral with 10,000 entries within a couple of months. Even the number of attendees doubled their projections and over 10,000 attendees packed the lawn of the museum, spilling over onto sidewalks across the street. 

As the panel of judges narrowed down their list of winners, they soon learned that some cat finalists had agents. Keyboard Cat and Nyan Cat are the more famous online cats. LilBub was surrounded by photographers and fans asking for pawtographs.

Who were some of the winners? No surprise that Maru, the cat from Japan, known for its affinity of cardboard boxes, walked away with a Golden Kitty award.

Below is the winner of the  People's Choice award  "Henri, Paw de Deux" 





Our friend and fellow cat-advocate, Katie and Glogirly (Katie is the Cat, Glogirly is her owner's nickname) received an honorable mention for Real Housecats Season 2; Episode 2 


Katie is a witty and sassy kitty. She's fast rising to cat stardom. Be sure to follow her and view her other videos! Katie--we hope you'll remember us average cats.

Meet Venus, two colored face

Meet Venus the cat! The two colored facial fur and eyes are real! This is NOT Photoshopped. She is a chimera--which does not refer to the type of cat but instead signifies a mutation of genes.

Since this photo appeared, commentators swore this photo was Photoshopped or altered. To prove Venus is a real cat the owner created a video.  See below!   In just a few days the number of hits on YouTube are close to 800,000 at the time of this posting.




Venus was a feral cat living on a farm. Neighbors were struck by her features and decided to adopt her and she blended in with the owner's other cats. We love happy endings.  

CLICK HERE to learn how you can help homeless cats! 

Here is a video of Venus and Christina's appearance of the Today Show. 

 

Shop Away to Help Homeless Pets

Retailers, shoppers & shelters UNITE to help homeless pets 

No more feeling guilty or powerless from reading the countless stories about sick or injured kitties: Sophie, a two pound kitten,  who's leg was amputated; Lion King who was starving to death because he could not eat food due to infected tooth and gums. Kittens and cats trapped inside a crumbling building, spaying/neutering a colony of harmless cats....The vet bills add up fast! Most of us are on a budget and have demanding schedules. So then you wonder, "How can I possibly help homeless pets?" Well just by shopping online at your favorite retailers, a percentage automatically goes to Riverfront Cats you can make a difference! It's that easy! Read on!!!

AMAZON --America's favorite online retailer

Amazon is the largest online retailer for everything from electronics, to home furnishings, to kitchen utensils to beauty and fashion must haves to pet food and supplies. Anytime you shop on Amazon for ANYTHING YOU NEED, by clicking on our Amazon link to the right and making that purchase, Riverfront Cats automatically receives a small percentage of your purchase every time!

ADOPT-a-SHELTER.com

If you shop at Barnes & Noble, Walmart, iTunes, Petco, PetSmart, Heels.com, Zazzle and hundreds of other online retailers. you can help. Visit AdoptaShelter and start shopping away and a small portion of your purchase is sent to Riverfront Cats. It's that simple!


Step 1: Click on the link above or here. You will be automatically taken to Adopt-a-Shelter page for Riverfront Cats.
Step 2: Shop away!

PET FOOD

For your first time purchase only on Mr. Chewy, they will donate $20 to Riverfront Cats! Chewy offers convenience!  If you're like us and visited your local pet food store only to find that they were out of one item, who has time to drive around town? Order everything online and get FREE SHIPPING for orders over $50.  But you have to click on the banner ad to the right. Please share this with other pet owners!

PET MEDS

No matter whether you have an indoor or outdoor pet, vitamins and medicines and prevention applications are important for a  healthy pet.  Whether you give your pet daily vitamins, or specific medicine for health condition or need to resupply flea/tick solution, by clicking on PetCareRx* banner to the right or below and ordering from the site, Riverfront Cats will automatically receive a small percentage for every order! They also offer free shipping on orders over $49.

 Remember to click on the links 
on this website to order. 
~ ~ ~

Be sure to bookmark this website.

Thank you for shopping here, 

thank you for caring! 

*PetCareRx is proud to have Riverfront Cats as a participant in the PetCareRx Affiliate Program. PetCareRx makes no endorsement, express or implied of our activities.  Thank you for shopping with an PetCareRx Affiliate

Jade

Introducing Jade! This vivacious two year old female was abandoned on front steps of someone's home. After taking her to the vet it was discovered she had given birth to kittens and was separated too early from her babies.  Caretakers call her Juno (after famous teenage character) or Jade due to her stunning green eyes. 

Jade has been waiting for a home for two years now! It's time for her furrever home.  Jade does best in a home where she's the only pet. Ideally someone who works from home or is retired and does not travel much. But these are not strict requirements.   She needs to be the center of your universe and return you will become her most cherished master or mistress! Jade will snuggle, play and give you unconditional love!

To meet Jade please contact Selina at 954-709-7326.

Eva Longoria Cat Lover

Another celeb is coming out of the cat closet. Well not really, it was never a secret for Eva Longoria whose had life long love for cats since she was a little girl.

Here is a link to her involvement in an ad campaign showing a single sexy woman coming home from work and starts dancing. Who is her  audience? A cat!

Here's to sexy cat ladies turning around the misconception of cat lovers!

Do you know of any other celebrities who are cat lovers? We know about Carrie Ann Inaba, Eva Longoria and Cee Lo Green.  Click on "Comment" and tell us who is your favorite celeb cat lover.

Charlie's New Home in Abu Dhabi

by Christine Michaels

And so we continue Charlie's magic carpet ride to Abu Dhabi, a series of posts that follows the journey of Charlie, a once abandoned cat in downtown Miami, and the exemplary steps by his pet guardians to ensure his safe transport to their new home in the Middle East. We left off in part two where Charlie was settling in the AVC Cattery.

Nina, his mother, visited Charlie daily as the cattery was located a few blocks from the hotel where Nina and Felipe resided until they found a permanent home. When I asked Nina about the staff and care of the cats in Abu Dhabi, her response was "Tony, the man in the photo below of Indian descent, has two cats of his own and he's really a cat lover. He and his staff check on the cats several times a day. They ensure the cats eat their food, and if not, then they switch their food to a brand the guardians have pre-approved. The cats are also weighed daily. The staff pet the cats and talk to them, it's amazing."

Tony with a client cat

Charlie resting on higher level in his three- story cage

Turns out Charlie took comfort in the over-sized but private compartments in the cattery.  So much so he met a feline named Belle and fell in love during his exploration time. That was fast! They sniffed, rubbed noses and purred. Perhaps his middle name should be anointed "Casanova".

The time came to move to their new condo. Like all cats, new surroundings generate consternation, like exposing oneself. Charlie searched frantically for a place to hide in a room piled with boxes. Let the Musical Hiding Game begin! First there was the oven...

"This is no good, they can see me!"

 Then he scrambled inside the dishwasher...

"Better but uncomfortable"

 And of course a favorite--the clothes closet.

"Ok--familiar scent, looks like a closet but it's not the Miami closet"

With time and at his own pace, Charlie explored his new home. (This is important during the transition to a new home. Never force a cat to come out from hiding or to lay on the sofa or on your lap. Your cat will know when the time is right.)

"Hmm I wonder what's there?"

"Will I fit here to hide?"

"That shelf is looking mighty purrfect for me to hide"

And finally, something familiar--a chair. When the furniture arrived from their home in Miami, Nina unwrapped the tall chairs and Charlie jumped with glee. "This has my scent! And my mommy and daddy's scent and our other home..."

Charlie napping in the living room on his favorite chair.
(He's also not hiding anymore)

Then there was the question of exercise.  Charlie used to jump on the bed and desk and office chair back in Miami. But with minimal furniture, Nina and Felipe were concerned that Charlie was lacking exercise. They were right. But the solution was an easy one. They purchased LACK shelves from the local IKEA. This accomplished two goals--maintaining a modern theme and ensuring Charlie had plenty of vertical space for exercise. Cat furniture is very limited in UAE so thankfully there was a familiar store.

Charlie inside IKEA bag

(Charlie napping on tall chair)
Shelves on wall are for Charlie's climbing pleasure

Charlie sitting on Nina's lap in new condo in Abu Dhabi

Charlie is bored with his new view--construction boom in Abu Dhabi

We are thrilled to share this story of Charlie's rescue and adoption and his big move half way around the world. It's a fine example of responsible pet parenting. Nina and Felipe spared no expense in ensuring the safe transport of their newest family addition. They took the time to do their homework, cross checking with officials and vets both in the US and UAE. 

But this is not the end of Charlie's story just this chapter. We will continue to provide updates on Charlie and eventually Riverfront Cats will celebrate this special adoption story with our Rags to Riches Contest. Stay tuned!