All About Dogs |

April 20, 2018

How She Used a Slow Feed Dog Bowl to Train Her Dog

There’s more than one way to train your dog. Most of them involve food!

Gracie had adapted easily to the slow feed dog bowl Ellie bought her last fall to keep her from inhaling her meals.

This darling little white terrier had always gobbled her food. But now, forced to take her time and work her tongue around the mini-obstacle course built into her bowl, she seemed to take it in stride.

Last Christmas, Ellie found a way to use the bowl to help Gracie get used to her Christmas present. Ellie had knitted her a cute multi-colored vest and a multicolor hat with big pompoms. On Christmas morning, she presented the box to Gracie and let her have at it.

Frst, Gracie chewed through the ribbon. Then, after using her teeth and paws to pry the lid off the box, she pushed her nose down into the tissue paper.

Ellie reached in to grab the vest and hat before the dog destroyed them. “Look, Gracie! A new vest, just for you! And a snow hat!” Gracie sniffed her new outfit and turned away. Hmm, nothing good to eat there.

Gracie sat quietly while Ellie slipped the vest over her head and worked her forelegs into the sleeves. The dog clearly enjoyed the attention. But she was not going to sit still for the hat. No way! Every time Ellie managed to get it over her ears, Gracie would grab her head between her paws and pull it off.

Ellie led her to the mirror to look at herself. But Gracie showed no interest in viewing her newly attired reflection.

The following day, Ellie pulled out the vest and hat to put them on her dog. Again, Gracie was fine with the vest. But as soon as Ellie showed her the hat, Gracie ran and hid in the closet!

Ellie was crushed.

She had made the vest and hat (and two other dog outfits) thinking it would be fun to dress Gracie up for her lessons at the canine training center. But Gracie was having none of that hat. Being of the opinion that dog obedience training should be fun for the dog, Ellie did not want to force the hat onto Gracie’s head.

What would you have done?

Here are some options Ellie considered:

Giving up on the hat and being grateful that her dog was okay with the vest
Handing the vest and hat over to her sister’s schnauzer, who loves wearing clothes designed for dogs
Associating the hat with things Gracie already loved in hopes of winning her over.

One thing Gracie loved was DINNER. So Ellie began putting the vest and the hat on her just before mealtime, and then filling the slow feed dog bowl (the one she’d ordered because it reduced bloating by slowing down her eating) with the lamb dinner Gracie loved most.

Now Gracie had a choice. She could take the time to paw the hat off, or she could go for her dinner. What do you think she did?

Gracie is from one of the smartest dog breeds around. After her third meal wearing her hat, she had gotten used to the feel of it over her ears. In fact, she began coming to grab the vest and hat off the shelf herself and bringing them to Ellie to put them on her before dinner!

Now, how are you going to apply Ellie’s experience to t raining your dog? Brandon McMillan, host of the Lucky Dog TV show, has some wonderful videos to help you understand how to train your dog to do just about anything you’d want. I highly recommend this one.Pawsitively,
Chiwah Carol Slater
The Pet Story Passionista
Founder, PetWrites.com, AWriteToKnow.com, NewHealingSolutions.com
Support Desk: petwrites@gmail.com

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links, and (at no cost to you) I may receive a small commission on your purchase. For example, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Inspire with Your Pet Book |

April 20, 2018

| by Chiwah Slater

Can a Golden Retriever Rescue Dog Replace the One You Lost?

Meet Maizie, a Golden Retriever rescue dog. John found her at the shelter about three years ago, and fell in love with her.

But his wife, Carolyn, wasn’t eager to get another dog. They had lost their last dog, Papa, also a Golden, three years earlier to cancer.

“That was a real heartbreaker for me,” Carolyn says with a slow shake of her head. “It was a long and slow decline. Watching him go downhill tore us apart, both of us. It was almost a relief when he passed. I just didn’t want to set myself up to go through that again.”

Though Carolyn and John (not their real names) both felt the loss of Papa deeply, their grief took different forms. While Carolyn held back to protect herself from another such loss, John felt the need to be around dogs.

“That’s why I started visiting the shelters around town,” he says. “I didn’t really have any intention of bringing home a dog, especially a Golden Retriever rescue dog, give how upset Carolyn still seemed to be over the loss of Papa. But I needed to be around dogs. And I guess I have a ‘thing’ for Goldens.”

In the neighborhood shelter he found a few Goldens, and a Cocker Spaniel that took to him. But none of the dogs he found there touched him the way Maizie did.

“It was the way she looked at me,” he says. “The way she cocked her head and sort of smiled, and then came right up and laid her head in my hand, like she’d known me forever. She wasn’t the least bit shy. Not pushy, but like the minute she saw me she knew we were family. And I felt that way, too.”

John was itching to tell Carolyn about this Golden Retriever rescue dog, but he wasn’t sure how to do it. For two days he puzzled over it, struggling to find a way to say it that would open Carolyn up to the possibility of welcoming another dog into their life.

“Finally he just blurted it out over dinner,” Carolyn recalls with a chuckle.

“She wasn’t exactly receptive at first,” he says. “So I didn’t insist. I just told her about Maizie, and let it go at that. I didn’t mention it again.” He smiles. “I think it kind of worked on her, though. You know, she could feel what I was feeling, and she is a dog lover.”

Three days later, Carolyn surprised him by asking him to take her to the shelter to meet Maizie. Never having visited a shelter, she was taken aback by the number of caged animals she encountered there.

“Some of those dogs were so sad,” she says, looking back. “They take good care of them, walk them, play with them, but after that they go back to their cages, all alone. I told John I wanted to take them all home!”

Can you feel Carolyn’s sadness, her concern, her confusion? In her place, would you have let a new dog into your heart?

If you’ve ever been to a shelter, you know what she means. Here are a few facts to keep in mind if you’re considering bringing a new dog into your family from a shelter:

Shelter dogs are in dire need of loving homes. Millions are euthanized each year: 60% of shelter dogs and 70% of shelter cats. This is the cost of failure to spay and neuter, of bringing more animals into the world than we have homes for.
A shelter dog has already experienced significant loss in its life. If you’re going to adopt one, make a commitment to the dog. Welcome it into your family on a forever basis, come rain or come shine.
A shelter dog can be every bit as good a pet as a dog you would buy from a breeder. The main thing is to get to know the dog a little before you make your decision, to be sure the dog you’re taking home is the right one for you and your family.

When John introduced Carolyn to Maizie, she saw immediately what had made such a deep impression on her husband. Now, two years later, she looks back with a big smile on her face.

“We still have our memories of Papa,” she says. “Maizie was never a replacement for him. She’s her own self, with a very different personality. But she did a lot to heal our hearts, mine as well as John’s.”

Do you have special stories about life with your pet? Have you considered writing them up into a book? It would not only delight other pet lovers, but give you the satisfaction and status of being a published author as well. If that interests you at all, why not find out what it would take? Give us a call right now at 760-586-5392 for a free 15-minute consultation.

Pawsitively,
Chiwah Carol Slater
The Pet Story Passionista
Founder, PetWrites.com, AWriteToKnow.com, NewHealingSolutions.com
Support Desk: support@petwrites.com

Inspire with Your Pet Book |

April 13, 2018

| by Chiwah Slater

How Did This Heroic Golden Retriever Rescue His Brother After 2 Weeks Lost in the Wild?

When most people think “Golden Retriever rescue” they’re thinking of adopting a dog from a shelter. This story of Baxter and Bailey gives new meaning to the term. Real life magic!

This may be the Golden Retriever rescue story of the year. Although … back in July, we had another thrill when a Retriever named Autumn found his lost boy, Scotty, under the shade of an evergreen tree after having been missing all night long. If a dog is man’s best friend – an old adage every dog lover can attest to – then Golden Retrievers may be the best best friend you could ever have.

But sometimes a dog is another dog’s best friend. If you love rescue stories and love Golden Retrievers, read on for a rescue story that will warm your heart:

Dog Helps Save Brother After

Being Lost For 2 Weeks

On Cape Cod

A story straight out of a Disney movie. Two Golden Retrievers were lost in the woods, and trapped for two weeks before one of the dogs broke free and led others back to his brother.

(Photo from Penny Blackwell)

Baxter and Bailey were tied together with a double leash in front of their home on September 26th. Somehow they got loose and ran away.

Their owner, Penny Blackwell, was heartbroken. She put up flyers and begged for help on Facebook. The online posts went viral with friends and neighbors vowing to help. But two weeks passed and there was still no sign of Baxter or Bailey.

“I had pretty much given up hope that they were going to come home,” Penny said.

Then a message, while she was away on a business trip, Penny got a message she almost didn’t believe.

“My friend sent me a text message that said give me a call I think I have one of your dogs.”

Turns out a family who had seen the Facebook posts had found Baxter wandering near their house. Now he had a job, tracking down his brother.

Penny took Baxter back near the area where he’d been found.

“Baxter kind of led me off the side through the woods. I had twigs in my eyes and leaves in my hair,” Penny says. Baxter kept pulling Penny down the path until finally they came upon Bailey with his leash all wrapped up around some bushes.

“I could hardly get him untied because he was jumping on me and jumping on Baxter because he was so happy to see us.”

Penny thinks her goldens spent most of the two weeks trapped together, until Baxter broke free. Then she believes he kept going back to check on Bailey.

“I can’t imagine what they lived on. It rained a lot,” she said.

Just days after finding their way home, the two dogs are hungry. They each lost 8 to 10 pounds, but otherwise are in good health.

They are staying close and giving extra love to a thankful owner who never thought she’d see their faces again. “Baxter’s a hero for taking me there,” Penny says.

For the original of this story, by Lauren Leamanczyk of WBZ-TV, go to http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/10/10/dog-helps-save-brother-after-being-lost-for-2-weeks-on-cape-cod/

Now, wasn’t that everything I promised?

Golden Retrievers are known for their love and compassion, their fidelity to their friends. Both human and four-footed! If you looked long enough, you could probably even find a story about a Golden rescuing a bird. I haven’t looked that hard, but we did find a plethora of heart warming heroic Golden stories. We will have another one for you before this month is out.

Pawsitively,
Chiwah Carol Slater
The Pet Story Passionista
Founder, PetWrites.com, AWriteToKnow.com, NewHealingSolutions.com
Support Desk: support@petwrites.com

All About Dogs |

April 1, 2018

| by Chiwah Slater

Are All the Good Golden Retriever Names Already Taken?

Are all the good Golden Retriever names already taken?

This question came to Arnie as he reviewed lists of suggested Golden Retriever names. If people had already come up with all these names, how was a person to find a name that hadn’t already been taken?

He didn’t have a lot of time to mull it over. His new pup needed a name, now.

His father had called his pup “Pup” for nearly a year, and then settled on “Aerie.” It was a nice name. The wait hadn’t been a registry issue, but only because his dad hadn’t bothered to register him.

The real problem? Both man and dog had had a tough time making the switch.

Arnie didn’t want to make that mistake.

He pored through lists of names, hoping one would strike a creative thought. And some of them did. But when he searched them out, he found they’d already been used.

Are you looking for an original kennel name for your Golden?

Here are some things to consider:

• An original name based on your dog’s color is going to be the hardest to come up with.
• Likewise, people have been giving their Goldens names based in the history of the breed for a long time. So if you want a name with breed significance, you’re going to have to dig deep.
• On the other hand, it shouldn’t be hard to find a name in either of these two categories by using two words. “Claire Luca” (two words for light), for example, or “King Arthur” (Arthur being the English translation of the Celtic ‘Artair,’ meaning ‘Bear’).
• Remember, a dog’s kennel name doesn’t have to be its call name. King Arthur might be called Artie, a lot less formal sounding than the kennel name, and Claire Luca might be called Clara, Luca, or even Blondie. The most important thing in choosing a call name is that it strikes a warm note in your heart. Your feeling about the name will affect your feelings about the dog, and you want it to start its life on the best possible footing.

Whether you keep the dog or not, it’s going to need some basic training. Relax, I’m not going to tell you to enroll in a dog training class or hire a trainer. There are some excellent books that will show you different approaches to how to train your dog. You’ve likely seen Brandon McMillan’s Lucky Dog TV show, so you know what a pro the guy is, how kind and gentle … and effective. Let him show you fast, easy ways to get your dog training done.

Pawsitively,
Chiwah Carol Slater
The Pet Story Passionista
Founder, PetWrites.com, AWriteToKnow.com, NewHealingSolutions.com
Support Desk: petwrites@gmail.com

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links, and (at no cost to you) I may receive a small commission on your purchase. For example, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Inspire with Your Pet Book |

October 1, 2017

| by Chiwah Slater

Need Some Tips to Get Your Teacup Chihuahua Ready for Halloween?

With Trick-Or-Treat just around the corner, the ghostie-goblin spirit has claimed Camille’s heart. Halloween is her favorite day of the year. What clever disguise should she outfit her tiny teacup Chihuahua Millie in this year?

So many creative costumes! Camille (not her real name) and her 5-year-old daughter have been having major fun playing with ideas. Last year, they both went as a pink piggies. Camille carried her little dog in a pack on her back, in her own piggy costume. The Three Little Pigs!

What a cute trio they were! Three cute little pink snouts and curly tails that wiggled when they walked.

The idea of the threesome took hold. This year, Camille’s daughter is dressing up as a dancing bear! So … lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Camille is going as a musical lion, complete with ukelele, and her teacup Chihuahua will be a flying tiger, with barnstormer goggles and tiger suit!

Camille went online to buy the doggie outfit you see pictured below, along with a tiger-esque doggie face mask.

After three years of dog Halloween costumes and elf costumes at Christmas, Millie took the tiger suit and the goggles on top of her head in stride. But the mask? No way! She pawed and clawed it to shreds to get it off her face. Camille bought a second one, thinking Millie would get used to it. But the dog refused to let her put it on.

Camille tried treats, hugs, everything she could think of to get Millie to submit to the mask, all to no avail.

What would you have done? And, more to the point, what are you going to do to help your little pooch be ready for Trick-or-Treat, whether he or she stays inside with you or goes out door-to-door?

Here are some tried-and-true tips:

Seeing you in a strange get-up for the first time can be frightening to your pooch. Try on your costume in the presence of your pet to help her accept you in your strange get-up.
You need to get your pet in the mood for the wild and crazy flavor of Halloween. Start walking him around the neighborhood as your neighbors begin putting up their Halloween decorations.
If your dog is up to it and you take her out for the festivities, make sure she is snugged away safely in a backpack and can’t jump out. Otherwise, tiny Halloween dogs could easily get stepped on in the hustle to the door!
And, for safety’s sake, it’s a good idea not to let your dog greet the kids who come to your door. The excitement and strange costumes can be confusing and overwhelming, and your pooch could react in unexpected ways.
Also for safety’s sake, keep the Trick or Treat candy up out of your pet’s reach. Your pet might get curious, and you don’t want him suffering from the toxicity of chocolate, which can cause a serious and even fatal reaction in a dog.

Now, are you ready? Have you got your costume picked out, and one for your dog? Take plenty of pictures!

Next question: What do you do with your pictures – and your story – once Hallowe’en is over? Share them, of course! If you’re just in it for the fun, sharing your story and your photos will rock your spirit.

(If you’re doing business online, your photos and your story are a great lead-in to any post about your business. Why? Because nearly everyone loves pet stories and pet pictures, especially cute pictures of pets decked out for Hallowe’en!)

Have you considered writing your pet stories up into a book? It would not only delight other pet lovers, but give you the satisfaction and status of being a published author as well. If that interests you at all, why not find out what it would take? Give us a call right now at 760-586-5392 for a free 15-minute consultation.

Pawsitively,
Chiwah Carol Slater
The Pet Story Passionista
Founder, PetWrites.com, AWriteToKnow.com, NewHealingSolutions.com
Support Desk: support@petwrites.com

Pets Are Good for Business |

October 17, 2015

| by Chiwah Slater

How Are Animal Stories Relevant to Life … and Business?

How are animal stories relevant to life … and business?

One of my primary passions in life is animal stories. Duh! I guess you figured that out, right? Well, within that passion, I super-enjoy helping people find meanings in animal behaviors that they can use as metaphors for whatever point they want to get across to their audience. And I find it especially juicy when the metaphors relate to business.

Every once in a while I find a delightful example of someone who has done this. Today, I am delighted to share with you a 6-minute audio I downloaded from a radio show I subscribe to. You’re not going to get just one great example, but two!

The show is Traffic Masters, hosted by my business mentors, Gina Gaudio-Graves and Jack Humphrey, on BlogTalk Radio (blogtalkradio.com). It’s an hour-long show, and I excerpted these 6 minutes out of the episode recorded March 30, 2015. Jack is chatting with guest Tom Bell.

Jack is a business wizard, and Tom is the creator of many marketing and traffic strategies Internet marketers today take for granted. But my motivation for offering you this recording has nothing to do with business or online marketing/website traffic. I just want you to see these two examples of how they make use of their own animal stories to show how much we and our furry friends have in common.

To understand the first story (Jack’s), you need to know that Jack is a wilderness tracker. He knows everything there is to know about wild animals. Here he tells a story of something he and a team of animal lovers did to give wild animals a way to cross a highway without getting killed.

Second, it will help if you think of a “funnel” as a way to attract people with an item people want and funnel them to other items they need.

I should tell you that Jack and Tom are dedicated first and foremost to serving their audiences. They are as far from sales hype as you can get.

Finally, the woman who joins in at the end is Jan Riley, an expert interviewer who does her own segments on the radio show. Her comments at the end sort of sum it all up for us.

Here you go!

If you are not able to play the audio here, you can find it here.

I hope you enjoyed the audio recording.

Who else do you know of who uses animal stories as metaphors for human behavior? I do hope you will leave a comment and let me know! I’d love to feature them here in this blog. And I’ll gladly credit you as the one who introduced me to them.

For more specific information about using the magic of story to make your brand irresistible to your target audience, you can sign up to receive Insider Tips. When you do, you’ll begin receiving occasional Insider Tips by email, with strategies the influencers in your market are using to maximize engagement and conversions. And you’ll never have to grovel for business or worry about traffic and conversions again.

In addition to your Insider Tips, you’ll also learn about our upcoming workshops, hangouts, radio shows, podcasts—whatever we’ve got going on that will help you improve engagement and conversions by strengthening communication in your company.

To your storytelling success,
Chiwah Carol Slater
The Pet Story Passionista
Founder, PetWrites.com, AWriteToKnow.com
Support Desk: https://petwrites.com/support

Pets Are Good for Business |

July 9, 2013

| by Chiwah Slater

How Can a Cat’s Bad Habits Boost Your Internet Business Marketing?

Pet lovers understand that having a pet changes everything. But when Elizabeth got Leontine at the pet rescue adoption center, she had no idea that sweet little kitty was going to make such an impact on her business!

Leontine was an adorable kitten. But it didn’t take her long to let Elizabeth know that, tiny as she was, she was in command.

You know what I mean?

When Elizabeth cooked, Leontine wanted to prowl the countertops. If Elizabeth went out, the kitten gave her such a hard time when she returned that she began loading her into a portable kennel and taking her along, just about everywhere.

And when Elizabeth worked on the computer, there was Leontine, doing her best to cover the keyboard with her growing tiger-striped body.

Ach! What was she to do with her? Annoying though her bad habits were, taking her back to the pet rescue adoption center was out of the question.

Elizabeth did finally manage to teach her to stay off the kitchen countertops. How? Jumping onto them led to big squirts of water from the dreaded spritzer.

But it occurred to Elizabeth that squirting the kitten when she stretched out on the computer keyboard could lead to costly repairs.

Continually blocking Leontine’s approaches to the keyboard with a stern “No!” did nothing to deter her. Elizabeth finally began closing the door to her office whenever she was going to work on the computer. This made her feel bad, though. Leontine would sit at the door and mew, sometimes for half an hour before giving up and going to find some other entertainment.

Then the light went on, figuratively speaking. This view of Internet business expert Ken Krell hosting a social media webinar started Elizabeth thinking there might be a place for her cat in her computer room after all! Sometimes. When the situation warranted.

That’s Ken’s own black cat, Mollie. He mentions her often in his webinars, and from time to time you see her tail waving over his keyboard. Is she an interference? Not at all. If anything, she lends a homey and heartwarming feeling to Ken’s teaching.

So what did seeing this do for Elizabeth? She was overjoyed at the thought that Leontine’s attraction to the keyboard might actually become an asset!

So, there you go – lemons into lemonade. Cat marching or lying on keyboard becomes a show stopper you can use to generate new business!

Pawsitively,
Chiwah Carol Slater
Founder, PetWrites.com, AWriteToKnow.com, NewHealingSolutions.com
Support Desk: support@petwrites.com

All About Cats |

November 6, 2012

| by Chiwah Slater

Where Can You Find Great Cat Trees for Big Cats?

Sharma and Dharma are gorgeous Siberian cats. Fully grown, these two are not little kitties. Sharma, the lady of the cathouse, weighs in at 11 pounds, and Dharma, her fella, is a hefty 18. In their ten years of life they have destroyed quite a variety of cat trees.

Therein lies the challenge. These cats are athletic, and like to jump, which has taken its toll on the indoor trees and gyms Suki and Larry have bought for them.

“We are so tired of replacing cat furniture that ends up in shambles,” Suki says, stroking the neck of the big guy sitting on the couch beside her. “When the cats were small, we bought them a regular cat tree. That worked fine, for a while.

“But by the time they were 18 months old, their poor bodies just would not fit on those awful square platforms! And the condo was good for absolutely nothing. So out the door it went.

“On its heels came a larger cat tree, supposedly designed with big cats in mind. But if that was so, they must have been air cats. The first day we put it up, it became obvious that it would not support the weight of this pair of Siberians.”

And on and on.

When the top platform on their most recent cat gym began to fall apart, Suki and Larry (not their real names) were at their wits’ end.

“See this couch?” Suki asks, spreading an arm to make it clear she’s talking about the gorgeous designer sofa she and Dharma are seated on. “It’s new. Why? Because we gave up on cat trees, but we kept the cats. And they have to have a place to scratch. So … so much for our living room furniture. We paid a pretty penny for this set, and we don’t want it ending up in shreds like the previous one.”

What are they going to do now?

“This can’t go on,” she says. “I’m considering having a custom cat tree made. That’s probably our best option.”

What would YOU do?

Here’s what I found when shopping for cat trees:

Even if the ads say they’re for larger cats, most commercially available cat trees “for large cats” are really designed to accommodate several average-size cats rather than large cats. And they can take up quite a bit of space in your living room.
Most require assembly, which can be simple or next to impossible. Check out the assembly instructions before you buy.
Large cat trees run the gamut in price, from just under $100 to $2,000. The picture shown here is from angelicalcat.com, and they want $733 plus freight for this one. Pricey, yes. But Dharma could fit in its 26-inch tunnel and on the 20-inch oval bed, and it does look strong enough to hold the weight.

Hey, you got a big cat? Well, you might try building your own cat tree—but please, only if you’re experienced at that sort of thing. You don’t want a mega kitty falling out on its face! But take heart. I’ve found a super cat tree for your big meow, at the low end of the pricing spectrum. And it’s big, sturdy, and nice looking. Check it out!

Pawsitively,
Chiwah Carol Slater
The Pet Story Passionista
Founder, PetWrites.com, AWriteToKnow.com, NewHealingSolutions.com
Support Desk: https://petwrites.com/support

All About Cats |

July 7, 2012

| by Chiwah Slater

What’s a Good Formula for Feeding Orphaned Kittens?

Sarita hadn’t even realized how lonely she was. She had chosen to live alone since her husband’s death two years earlier. She spent the afternoons sitting on the porch, watching the roses and hydrangeas bloom. Her mind wandered constantly, reliving old times.

She had never been a cat person, never thought about feeding orphaned kittens. But there they were, five of them, dirty and crying, piled one on top of the other under the mulberry tree when she went out to pick up the morning newspaper. They were hungry. What was she to do?

Carrying them into the house, she asked herself what she was going to do. She knew nothing about cats. These had to be very young kittens. They were so tiny she could hold all of them on her flattened palms.

She put out a bowl of milk and carried it over to them and set it down. Then she brought her chair nearer and sat and watched, fascinated. They didn’t seem to know what to do with the milk. One of them stepped into it and sat down.

Oh dear.

Should she try to bottle-feed them? Where would she find a bottle small enough to drip milk into their little mouths?

She called a friend who had a cat and asked for advice. The friend advised feeding a supplement formula, but of course Sarita didn’t have any on hand. So her friend came over and brought the makings of a formula, and showed Sarita how to hold the kittens and feed them with an eyedropper, and then how to “burp” them and rub their hind ends with a tissue to stimulate defecation.

Sarita realized that afternoon that for the first time since Sam had passed, she hadn’t felt lonely all day. Feeding orphaned kittens was the best therapy she had found. She spent the rest of the day watching them sleep, feeding at intervals as her friend had advised.

Have orphaned kittens shown up at your home? Here is a recipe for an excellent formula you can make at home:

Kitten Supplement Formula
Emergency Food for Newborn Kittens and Convalescent Cats

By Franny Syufy, About.com Guide

Popularly known as “Kitty Glop” among breeders, it is packed with nutrition for orphaned kittens, nursing mother cats and their babies, cats recuperating from illness, and older cats who need nutritional supplementing or who have difficulty eating because of dental or gum problems.

Some recipes call for canned goats milk; if you have it readily available it’s fine, otherwise canned ¹evaporated cows’ milk works well. The recipe sets up to a gelatin-like consistency in the refrigerator, and can be stored there for up to two weeks. It can also be frozen in an ice tray for convenience in serving. To serve, warm to room temperature. Do not pour back unused portions into the mix.

    •   12oz of water
   •   1 envelope Knox Gelatin
   •   1 12oz can of whole evaporated milk (not skim)
   •   2 tablespoons mayonnaise
   •   2 tablespoons plain yogurt, not nonfat

Boil the water, add the gelatin – stir well. Add the following ingredients in order, mixing well after each addition:

   •   1/2 of the canned milk
   •   mayonnaise and yogurt
   •   the rest of the milk

Variations include the addition of kitty vitamins, acidophalus, and/or pureed baby food meat such as lamb, chicken, or beef. I have seen variations with two egg yolks added, but I would caution against this, due to the risk of salmonella with raw eggs. For very easy mixing, you can use a blender at low speed, but I also like a bowl with a wire whisk.

¹Many older cats have difficulty digesting cows’ milk. The acidophalus may help with this, but you might want to try mixing a very small amount to test on your older kitty first.

This recipe and feeding advice were originally published on: http://cats.about.com/cs/kittencare/a/kittyglop.htm

Taking care of someone smaller and weaker than you gives a feeling of satisfaction that has healed many a broken heart and returned lost souls to the world. This was the effect that caring for those kittens had on Sarita’s life. She kept all three kittens for two months, then found homes for two of them. One of them still lives with her, and she credits it with giving her her life back.

For more information on feeding orphaned kittens and solving a multitude of other problems that arise with unexpected pet situations, CLICK HERE to become a Pet Writes member. It’s FREE. You’ll receive a helpful free gift when you join, and an ongoing wealth of compelling pet stories and solutions to your pet challenges.

Pawsitively,
Chiwah Carol Slater
The Pet Story Passionista
Word Weaver Chiwah
Founder, PetWrites.com, WordWeaver4U.com

Image credit: evdoha / 123RF Stock Photo

All About Cats |

June 23, 2012

| by Chiwah Slater

Want to Get Creative with Cat Names?

Zoe’s cat just had kittens. They’re pedigreed, and Zoe (not her real name) plans to sell them. But for now, they’re just too cute for words. She needs to come up with some cat names.

‘Tiger’, ‘Tigger’, ‘Socks’, ‘Boots’ … all too mundane for Zoe. She watches the kittens to see if their behavior will suggest a name. The littlest one is a cry baby, whimper whimper whimper. ‘Cria’! A well deserved moniker.

Then there’s the one with four white socks, very prim and proper as she nurses. ‘Socks’? No. ‘Socks Fifth Avenue’! Perfect.

And the boy cat with the white breast. ‘Blaze’? No, that’s a name for a horse! ‘Chesta’? Yeah. Chesta the Cat. She can see him now in her mind’s eye, all grown up, puffing out that chest as he puts the make on some young kit.

Coming up with cat names is good exercise for the imagination. Zoe realizes her names may be temporary. The people who claim these kittens will have their own ideas. On the other hand, the names may stick. So she does her best to choose fitting ones.

That’s all right. For now, she gets to play the name game!

The largest kitten keeps teasing the others to get them to play. She bats a paw here, slides her nose under a belly there. Gently, though. ‘Teasle’!

Okay, there are two more. Twins, look-alikes. Each has white front paws. She can barely tell them apart, except that one likes to move forward while the other’s always backing up. How about back-to-back names, like ‘Mitten Kitten’ and ‘Kitten Mitten’? That way, even if one were to forget which was which, they would probably still respond!

There are many ways to name a cat. How will you name your cat? If you’ve enjoyed reading this little story, maybe you’ll be inspired to share your own naming adventure. People love quirky stories about how cats got their names.

The same creativity that goes into choosing cat names can serve you well in your business, too. Join Pet Writes, and we’ll show you how you can use all kinds of lessons you can learn from your cat to make your business stronger. Click on the link in this paragraph and get in now as a Founding Member! You’ll receive not only our FREE membership, but also a FREE upgrade to our Gold Membership level! This offer will only be available for a short while, so click on the link in this paragraph to take advantage of it today.

If you have naming stories, why not share them? Who knows? Your cat names stories could make your rich, or famous, or fulfilled. Become a Pet Writes Member and find out how. It’s FREE. And FUN.

Looking forward to helping your stories about cat names to boost your business and your life,
Chiwah Carol Slater
The Pet Story Passionista
Word Weaver Chiwah
Founder, PetWrites.com, WordWeaver4U.com