2008-11-13- Meeting a Mentor
This month I am off to Atlanta for the annual Cat Writers Conference. It’s always a wonderful opportunity to network, meet new people and catch up with old friends. But this conference is going to be extra special for me. Ever since I started writing about pets here in America, a certain Atlanta-based feline specialist has gone beyond the call of duty to help me with information for my articles. He is Dr. Drew Weigner the veterinarian-owner of a practice called The Cat Doctor. I am finally going to meet him and I am thrilled at the prospect. He has never been too busy to help me and I truly appreciate both his time and his expertise. Now I get to spend the evening in his company at the Awards Banquet. I have been nominated for a couple of awards too. That would certainly be the icing on the cake.2008-10-10- A Soup Kitchen For Dogs
I admit it; I am biased towards news items on MSNBC.com because I am privileged to write for the web site. But they truly have some great resources for pet-related features from around the world. I was fascinated to read about a soup kitchen that has opened in Berlin exclusively for dogs belonging to the homeless and unemployed. What a wonderful idea. I know people will criticize and say that there are humans without food too. I know that and I do care. But as I said, I am biased. Homeless people rely on their pets a lot. Probably more than those of us lucky enough to have a roof over our heads and a warm meal on the table will ever understand. Consequently I think this idea is truly a win-win situation. Here in America we have all kinds of health laws that prevent food from restaurants that is not used from being handed out to people. So much is thrown away as a result. Perhaps if people can’t benefit animals could. It’s worth investigating. It’s certainly worth a thought …2008-09-19- Perks
2008-09-08One of the perks of my job is getting to attend the pet trade shows. They are really a lot of fun – especially when like Superzoo 2008, they are hosted in Las Vegas.
It’s not only a wonderful opportunity to see the amazing plethora of new stuff and ideas about to flood the market, but it’s also an opportunity to catch up with old friends in the business and of course make new ones.
Two days before SuperZoo was about to start I was sitting with Artist Knox, the winner of Animal Planet’s Groomer Has It show and telling him all about what was in store for me over the next couple of days. He had his own agenda as he was off to Hershey, Pennsylvania for a Grooming Expo at which he was the star attraction.
“Ooh I wanna come to Vegas!” he announced. “I’ll drive up for the day and check it out before I fly to Hershey.”
I thought he was joking. But sure enough on the Tuesday morning, I was still in the hotel room futzing over what to wear when my phone rang.
“I’m here,” he announced.
So together we caught the monorail down to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
I didn’t get to see much of him after that. The moment he walked into the hall he was mobbed by fans.
But I did get to see a lot of new stuff. The highlight for me was a spunky Jack Russell named Jack who was at a booth demonstrating doggy treadmills. On command he’d jump on and run madly.
Later I noticed that the treadmill was designed with place for a water bowl and for treats. The latter was full. And that what his workout was all about!
Clever Dog.
My treat of the convention was actually escaping and going to the Wynn Las Vegas for their breakfast buffet. It was fabulous.
Admittedly I was also looking for a treadmill after that ….
2008-08-08- Best Friends
This month’s blog is undoubtedly the best happily ever after story there is. I found it on the Bestfriends Animal Sanctuary website. It’s a must read …
Minxy the cat was convinced that happy-ever-afters always happened to someone else. After all, in 10 years nobody had picked her. She figured they never would. Little did she know what was just around the corner. Lisa Davers of Orangevale, California, was cruising through the Best Friends website a year ago. While there, she saw Minxy for the first time. Lisa felt a little sad for this cat that had been waiting so long for a family. Still, she wasn't ready to adopt. Life went on. Back on the Best Friends website a year later, Lisa saw Minxy again and her heart really broke for the little cat. Lisa feared she was never going to be adopted, so she decided to do something about it. She brought the little fuzzball home! Minxy is a 21-year-old cat that lost her home 10 years ago when her original person developed health problems. A super-friendly girl, Minxy has been waiting ever since for somebody to love. And she finally found her! Since Minxy had not lived in a home for so long, Lisa thought she might take a little while adjusting, especially with her other cats. No way! Minxy was born to be spoiled. Not only did she settle right in and claim bed, lap, and other high privileges from the word go, but the other cats were clearly outmatched by the newcomer. They didn't stand a chance. When you think about it, it makes sense. After 10 years at Best Friends, Minxy earned a Ph.D. in living with other cats. She's only around six pounds, but this gal's got presence. Whenever one of the four other cats (all of them larger than Minxy) tries to push her around, she stops them with a single look. In fact, they often end up high-tailing it out of the room! Lisa knows she and Minxy may not have a lot of time together, so she's determined to enjoy every day. Congrats, Minxy! Try to go easy on those poor younger cats once in a while. Story by David Dickson Photo by Sarah Ause
There are more precious animals waiting for homes on the website
www.bestfriends.org
2008-07-09- Fabulous Felines
I simply couldn’t write a blog during the month of June. I seriously didn’t have time as the days were consumed with book edits for my new book Fabulous Felines: Health and Beauty Secrets for the Pampered Cat.
Back in January this year, when I finally pressed the “send” button 21 times and sent the chapters off to my Editor, it was with a huge sigh of relief. It was like finishing school. I packed away the research files and went on to other things. Then suddenly last month, those entire chapters popped up in my In-box again.
“Its edit time,” pronounced my editor. So it was back to the drawing board to attend to her questions and queries.
Whenever I finish a project, I go over it with a fine tooth comb many times before it’s committed to print or goes on the web. The responsibility for getting everything right is the same wherever it’s going to be published, but somehow, in book form, the responsibilities just seem greater.
Amidst all this, a sample of the cover arrived and I have to say I fell in love with it at first sight. It is picture purrfect and I can’t wait to see the actual book in stores.
But we are not quite there yet. The galley proofs still have to arrive for the final nit-picking before it actually goes to print.
Despite the work and the long hours of research, it was such a fun project to put together and I’m proud to say that it’s the first health and beauty lifestyle book for cats ever to be written. Why do cats need a beauty book you may ask – they are self-cleaning machines.
You are going to have to wait for the book coming this October to find out.
