Simple AND Fun: Watch Cat Videos, Help Fight Cancer

I'm not a crazy cat lady, but I do like watching cat videos. They're relaxing, non-dramatic, and just plain funny.  Plus, since I have a cat, I know how felines inherently believe they're cool ALL THE TIME!

Yea.  Real cool Cosy!

 

Recently, I discovered a website that lets you watch cat videos while raising money for a good cause:

Cats Vs.Cancer

Here's how it works: whenever you click on the site, the non-profit group makes money. Instead of pocketing the money, like most sites, catsvscancer gives to charities which help fight cancer.  Hear from co-founders Tom O'Connor and Eddie Pena here.

The videos are adorable, like the ones on other animal sites, but when you watch them on this site, you're generating donations for charities like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Susan G. Komen, and The American Cancer Society. 

I've book-marked catsvscancer on my phone and at the end of the day, my daughter and I have a blast watching them. We're proud that just by being entertained, we're able to help charities.

Click on the link, laugh at the cuteness of the felines, and remember that you're doing something good for someone with cancer. 

And, as always.... 

Thank you for visiting my website!

 

In Honor Of National Pet Day: 5 Tips For Choosing The RIGHT Pet For Your Family

It's National Pet Day and while everyone is focusing, rightly so, on pet adoptions, the first thing you REALLY need to consider when thinking about a pet is:

HOW DO YOU FIND THE RIGHT PET? 

We wanted a dog, but a cat fits our lifestyle better.

Here are some tips:

1. Consider the time you have to devote to and take care of a pet.  Are both adults working? Are the kids old enough to responsibly care for one? This will help you determine if you need a low-maintenance animal (like a fish or cat) or can handle one that requires more care (like dogs or large birds).
   
   
2. Think about health issues. Sure, you might want a rabbit, but if someone in the family is allergic, you can rule that one out. 
   
   
3. Take into account where you live. Do you live in a high-rise in the city or have you got some land. You don't want to cram a large dog into small living quarters. Do you live in condo where pets may be frowned upon? 
   
   
4. Discuss any fears family members might have. I love snakes but am afraid of the live crickets I'd have to feed them, plus my husband fears these reptiles, so snakes are not welcome in my home.
   
   

5. 

   LOVE guinea pigs, but I'm allergic.  No piggies for us.

   Hold a family meeting to discuss the plan, stressing that finding the RIGHT pet can take quite a bit of time.  This is not a decision to be made lightly.  Plan on visiting a number of pet stores and/or shelters to find the right fit for your family.   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Once you think you've narrowed down the type of pet you want, research it, speak with people who have that pet, grill the salespeople at your local pet store (if they carry that animal) or at your local shelter.

It's better to know as much as you can, so you make the RIGHT decision.

What kind of pet do YOU have?  And if you don't, what kind would you like if you could have ANY animal?

I would LOVE a hedgehog!

10 Little Known Facts About Cats

Cosy

I was never a cat person. The ones I'd encountered were far too moody and unreliable for my liking. Nevertheless, after the passing of our beagle, Bailey, and a good 5 years for my husband to get over the death of his doggie friend, I was desperate for a pet. I wanted something that would like me even when the kids did not. After much research, I realized that a cat fit our busy schedule far better than a canine. Fate, and our local shelter, eventually led us to a fetching, licking bundle of fur we named Cosy. So, in honor of my “furry baby,” I found some fun, little-known facts about these fascinating felines:

 
1. A cat’s hearing is better than a dog’s. 
   
   
2. A cat rubs against people not only to be affectionate but also to mark out its territory with scent glands around its face. The tail area and paws also carry the cat’s scent. What I find fascinating, however, is that Cosy has marked out this laptop as well as many other household objects.
   
   
3. Much like fingerprints, the ridges on a cat's nosepad are unique.
   
   
4. It is a myth that cats are color blind. Studies have shown that felines can see blue, green, and red.
    
5. Indoor cats usually live longer than most dogs. And, while an average life span might be 12 to 14 years, many are reaching 20 years or more. Compare this to the average life span of an outdoor cat which is eight years. 
   
   
6. That “sandpaper feel” of a cat's tongue is actually caused by papillae, tiny elevated backward hooks, that help hold prey.
   
   
7. Among the foods that should not be given to a feline are: onions, garlic, green tomatoes, raw potatoes, chocolate, grapes, and raisins. And although milk is not toxic, it can cause an upset tummy and gas. Tylenol and aspirin are extremely toxic to cats, as are many common houseplants (for a list of these, click here).
   
   
8. Cats respond most readily to names which end in the “ee” sound.
   
   
9. Cats cannot see directly under their noses. That's why they can't seem to find a treat you've dropped on the floor
   .
10. The claws on the cat’s back paws aren’t as sharp as the claws on the front paws because the back claws don’t retract and become worn.

I would still say I'm a dog person, more than a cat aficionado. But to some degree, like people, animals are individuals. We need to have an open mind about each and every one. 

Sources for this article included: http://visual.ly/strange-facts-about-cats, http://facts.randomhistory.com/interesting-facts-about-cats.html, and http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/02/22/12-uncommon-cat-facts.aspx. 

~~

Thank you for reading! Please follow me on:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/IsItHotInHereMM

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/isithotinheremm

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Is-It-Hot-In-Here-Menopause-Motherhood-More

Bloglovin: http://bloglovin.com/isithotinheremenopausemotherhoodmore

The Geek Parent: www.thegeekparent.com
Mom's Crayon: http://momscrayon.blogspot.com
And on Jersey Mom's Blog (www.jerseymomsblog.com) where I'm listed under Moms Crayon.