May 2015

FRANK HOSTS SUNDAY SELFIES

You probably are asking yourselves, “Who the heck is Frank and what is he doing at BlogPaws?”

Did you think BlogPaws is only for cats, pups, ferrets and other animals with paws? If so, you’d be wrong. Piggies and duckies and even camels attend BlogPaws. That’s right…camels! And here is Frank* to prove it.

 

Frank the camel quest hosts Sunday Selfies

 

Okay…really! How naive are you? Frank is actually standing in front of a pyramid in Giza, Egypt. Our dad helped him take this selfie before anyone even knew what a selfie was.

Yet again, our goal is to point out that all anipals are welcome to take part in our Sunday Selfies Blog Hop. It is not just for kitties. If you have been hesitant about joining in on the fun, make this Sunday the one when you snap and submit your very first Sunday Selfie. It is quick and easy, and you have the remainder of the day to get your Easy on.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

p.s. Mom will have at least one more report from BlogPaws on Tuesday for those of you living vicariously through the photos.

* His actual given name.

Cat4-001

 



FRIDAY AT BLOGPAWS: THE KITTEN EDITION

Get Ready to Squeeee!

Today I had planned to tell you a bit about the Keynote Address and a couple of the great sessions I attended here at BlogPaws. But I know you would rather see kittens. These are three of the five “Fiesta” foster kittens from Random Felines: Taquito, Salsa and Queso. Taquito is the grey tabby female. Queso and Salsa are the male ginger kitties. They are eight weeks old today.

 

kitten

 kitten

 

Foster mom, Jeanne, often brings some of her current fosters to events like BlogPaws in order to help socialize them. And those of us in attendance, who are missing our kitties we left at home, get our kitten “fix.”

Caturday Art Blog Hop

I am entering Athena and Marie’s Caturday Art Blog Hop with these kitten collages. To enter and/or view all the submissions, click on their badge.

Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

Cat4-001That day of the week is almost here again. The one when you need to put on your best smile and groom your fur, feathers, shell, etc. Then snap a selfie and share it with all your friends. You might even make some new friends, which is always fun. You can expect a guest host again tomorrow. So even if you decide not to join in with a submission, you definitely need to drop in to see who it is. I’ll give you one hint: His name is Frank.

p.s. The lady photobombing Taquito in the second collage is Paula, Truffle and Brulee’s mom from Sweet Purrfections.

THURSDAY AT BLOGPAWS

I couldn’t think of anything better for a Friendship Friday post than photos of friends at BlogPaws. Here are a few from Thursday.

 

BlogPaws

Top: Lobby Floor
Middle: Sophie – Kitty Cat Chronicles
Bottom: Sophie – Critters in the Cottage, Sue – The Island Cats, me

 

BlogPaws

Clockwise beginning in upper left corner: Coco – Coco the Couture Cat; Sophie, me, Linda – Savannah’s Paw Tracks; Leo – a vendor’s terrier; Yappy Hour cocktail reception

 

BlogPaws

L to R: Summer Samba – Sparkle Cat; Emily and Sophie – Kitty Cat Chronicles

 

I was super excited to meet Cathy Keisha’s mom, TW (Patty) and Lola, the Rescued Cat’s mom, Dawn. People are still arriving. Tomorrow I hope to see more old friends and make some new ones as well. I am participating in Create With Joy’s Friendship Friday Blog Hop.

 

ON THE WAY TO BLOGPAWS

I am known far and wide for my ability to procrastinate. In fact, those who know me well would probably say I am the Queen of Procrastination.  But then I have had lots of practice. I was the kid in school who always had to stay up all night to finish a project I’d been assigned six weeks earlier. And then there was the instance 42 years ago when I was hemming my wedding dress on the airplane on my way from Missouri to California to get married.

This penchant for putting things off always drove me to jobs with deadlines. I just cannot seem to accomplish anything without that deadline staring me down.

Getting ready for BlogPaws was no exception. Here I am in the process of putting together 30 kitty goody bags on the way to Nashville. Good thing Tom came along and drove, or I’d be working on these after we arrived.

 

BLOGPAWS

Plush Calista Jo acts as quality control inspector to make certain each bag has the same number of items.

 

BLOGPAWS

The two Sophies.

While waiting to check in, I saw Kitty Cat Chronicles‘ Emily (Astrid’s boyfriend Sampy’s mom). She brought with her Sampy’s sweet fursib, Sophie, the CH kitty. And their roommate is Mom Sophie from Critters in the Cottage.

Both Sophies are sweet and beautiful, but I am thinking no one will mix them up. Only one of them purrs.

I’ve already seen several other friends and will not procrastinate when it comes to sharing more photos tomorrow from the first day of the conference.

 

COMMENT-A-THON WRAP-UP

We are sending out a huge, heartfelt thank you to all those who commented on one or both of our recent comment-a-thon posts. We had really hoped to pick a lot more green papers out of mom’s pocket, but we know that any donation, no matter how small, will be appreciated by these worthy organizations.

red nose day

We received 42 comments on our Red Nose Day campaign post. This would equal a $21 donation, but Mom has agreed to round it up to $25.

 Don't Fry Day

We received 46 comments on our Don’t Fry Day post. This would equal a $23 donation to the Animal Cancer Foundation, but it too will be rounded up to $25.

Savannah’s (Savannah’s Paw Tracks) mom, Linda, will be making a matching contribution to the Animal Cancer Foundation. She plans to make her donation in honor of Harvey Button (Dash Kitten) who recently underwent surgery to remove his ear tips and cryosurgery on his nose due to his squamous cell carcinoma. We will make our donation in his honor as well.

Thank you again to all those who made these donations possible.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

CHICKEN CHARLIE’S SELFIES

We were curious if last week’s guest host, Lizzie Lizard, tasted like chicken. This week, we are sure our guest does. Back off Ashton and Waffles! This guy isn’t your dinner.

Chickens wander everywhere on Tortola, including the beach. Who knew that kitten season is also baby chick season? All over the island, hens could be seen with flocks of minuscule chicks following along behind them.

Several chickens befriended us at the beach and would gather around each day. Charlie, who is our featured host today, had the most glorious tail feathers when we met him. One morning he greeted us sans feathers but one. He had a couple rival roosters on the beach, and we don’t know if it happened in a squabble or if a dog might have gotten him.

Here are Charlie’s selfies.

 

chicken selfies

 

Bet you are wondering how our humans convinced Charlie to take those selfies. Let’s just say, Mom had him eating out of her hand. And we have the photographic proof.

 

chicken feeding

 

The humans were not surprised that the chickens liked corn nuts. That they liked Cheerios was a big shock. Charlie liked them so much and ate them so quickly, Mom noticed him belching.

Cat4-001We are looking forward to seeing everyone’s selfies this week. We did get around to visit all of our entrants last Sunday, and we promise to do so again this week. Please understand that it may take us a few days. We are so appreciative of those who participate in and promote our blog hop. You are the best friends Kitties Blue could ever hope to have!

We encourage you to get the link below and post the hop on your blog. We only ask that you include a link to The Cat on My Head and/or display our badge.

Have a terrific Easy Sunday and a happy Memorial Day.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

P.S. with regard to our Comment-a-thons:

 

red nose dayKitties Blue are currently holding two comment-a-thons. For each one, Mom will donate 50 cents per comment (no maximum) to these very good causes. The first is for the Red Nose Day campaign.

Don't Fry DayThe second is for Don’t Fry Day. That contribution will be going to Animal Cancer Foundation. We are excited to let you know that Mom Linda (Savannah’s Paw Tracks) has offered to match our donation to Animal Cancer Foundation in honor of Harvey Button (Dash Kitten). Harvey recently had to have his ear tips surgically removed due to squamous cell carcinoma. Thank you Mom Linda, Savvy and TKS.

Once posted, you will be able to see Harvey’s selfie here, but please visit his blog through the link above and give him your purrs and prayers.

Click the links in the above paragraphs if you haven’t yet left comments.



TORTOLA SUNSET CATURDAY ART

After looking through my recent photos of Kitties Blue, I came to the conclusion that I didn’t have anything I could turn into interesting art. So I have selected another photo from our recent trip to Tortola, BVI. The original sunset photo (shown below) was taken from Bananakeet above Cane Garden Bay.

 

sunset

 

To turn the sunset into art, I used Boost and HDR in Picasa and then added a Cloud overlay and frame using PicMonkey.

sunsetHere’s the original sunset photo. I am entering Athena and Marie’s Caturday Art Blog Hop. To see the other submissions or enter one of your own, click on their badge.

Comment-a-thons

Kitties Blue are currently holding two comment-a-thons. For each one, I will donate 50 cents per comment (no maximum) to these very good causes. The first is for the Red Nose Day campaign. The second is for Don’t Fry Day. That contribution will be going to Animal Cancer Foundation. Click the links in this paragraph if you haven’t yet left comments.

Cat4-001Sunday Selfies Blog Hop 

It’s that time again. Time for you all to take your paws and snap a selfie for our blog hop. Tomorrow The Cat on My Head will feature another guest host. Kitties Blue are not overly happy about this, but at the same time, they don’t mind being left alone to have an easy Sunday. As usual, we’ll go live at 12:01 a.m.

We really hope to see some new participants so tell all your friends to snap some selfies and join us. All anipals are welcome not just those of the feline persuasion.

 

DON’T FRY DAY COMMENT-A-THON

Don't Fry Day

Today Kitties Blue are supporting another very important event: Don’t Fry Day.

When our mom was a young girl she had several very bad sunburns. She was not a sun worshiper. She found lying and baking in the sun boring. In the 50s and 60s, parents didn’t understand the damage the sun was wreaking on their children’s skin or that they would pay for it later in life.

Since high school, Mom has tried to be very protective of her skin by staying in the shade and wearing sun block/screen. Even though she does this now, the damage was done. She’s had basel cell carcinoma. Additionally, in 1997, she lost her two best friends to malignant melanoma.

Madison Don't Fry DayBut, as we stated in yesterday’s teaser, skin cancer is not only a disease affecting humans. Animals are susceptible as well, especially those with white fur and pink noses as well as hairless breeds. Mom and Dad learned about this first hand with our angel brother, Madison.

When our humans adopted Madison as a stray, they’d never had an all-white kitty and had no idea that their sun lover was at danger. Then one summer, they noticed that the tips of Madison’s ears were crusty. Being good kitty parents, Madison was whisked off to the vet. That is when they learned about feline solar dermatitis.

As Madison’s ears were covered with fur, Mom and Dad never even considered that Madison could get a sunburn. But that’s exactly what was happening every summer. Madison had solar dermatitis caused by long-term exposure to sunlight and UV rays. This often clears up over the summer, as it did with Madison. Continued exposure, however, can lead to cancer of the outer layer of the epidermis (skin). This outer layer is made up of cells called squamous epithelium.

A squamous cell carcinoma is a type of cancer that originates in the squamous epithelium. It may appear to be a white plaque or a raised bump on the skin. Often the raised area will become necrotic in the center and develop an ulcer, which may bleed. This cancer is fast growing, invasive and usually malignant. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical as this cancer can easily metastasize to your cat’s organs.

Older cats with white or light-colored fur and living at high altitudes are most susceptible. The most common locations for tumors are the front of the nose, eyelids, lips, and ear tips, but lesions or growths can be found anywhere on your cat’s body.

The course of treatment will depend on the size and number of tumor(s). When lesions are diagnosed early before turning to cancer, it is possible to treat with topical medications. If only a small tumor is found and it has not spread to your cat’s organs, three methods exist for removing it:

  • Cryosurgery (freezing)
  • Light (photodynamic) therapy
  • Surgery

Larger tumors will need to be removed surgically and skin grafting may be required. Some tumors may require amputation of ear tips, part of the nose or other body parts depending on the location of the tumor(s). Chemotherapy and radiation also may be required if the tumor cannot be removed completely.

Recurrence is possible making regular veterinarian exams critically important. A full recovery is dependent on size and location of the tumor(s).

To prevent development of solar dermatitis and squamous cell carcinoma, limit your cat’s exposure to direct sunlight between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you do allow your cat outside during daylight hours, a waterproof sunscreen should be applied to the cat’s ears and nose.

For additional information regarding diagnosis and treatment, visit Vetstream.com and/or PetMD.com, the sources for this post.

Comment-a-thon

For Don’t Fry Day, Mom will donate 50 cents to the Animal Cancer Foundation (with no maximum) for each comment on this post received prior to 12:01 a.m. EDT Monday. So please spread the word among your friends. The more comments, the greater the donation.

Also, please don’t forget to comment on yesterday’s post: Red Nose Day Commentathon. Mom will donate 50 cents per comment (no maximum) made prior to 12:01 a.m. EDT Sunday to the Red Nose Day campaign.

Thanks for helping us Pay It Forward!

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

 

 

RED NOSE DAY COMMENTATHON

red nose day

Kitties Blue are thankful to have a good home filled with love, good noms and treats and excellent medical care. Whenever we can, we try to pay it forward. So we are supporting Red Nose Day with a comment-a-thon.

The funds raised during the Red Nose Day campaign will be given to a variety of nonprofit organizations that transform children’s lives. Donations will be distributed among twelve organizations working in the US and abroad. Half the funds will be spentin the US on projects close to home. The other half will be spent in some of the poorest communities in the world in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

These are the twelve charity partners:

  •  Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides access to safe, enriching after school and summer programs.
  •  Charity: water provides clean and safe drinking water for people in developing nations.
  •  Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance provides life-saving vaccines for children in poor countries.
  •  LIFT provides essential support to parents seeking jobs, housing and education.
  •  National Council of La Raza provides opportunities for Latino children and families.
  •  National Urban League provides equity and excellence in education for every child.
  •  Oxfam America provides lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice.
  •  Save the Children provides what children need to succeed—health, education and protection.
  •  Children’s Health Fund provides doctor visits for children in homeless shelters.
  •  Feeding America network provides meals for millions of children at risk of hunger.
  •  The Global Fund provides treatment to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child.
  •  United Way creates worldwide change one community at a time, driving social impact at scale.

Mom asked if any of us would like to wear a red nose today to show our support. Giulietta volunteered.

red nose day

The Red Nose Day Slogan:

We believe in a just world free from poverty
and use the power of entertainment to
create positive change in the world.

Red Nose Day’s inaugural live, three-hour, entertainment TV special will be broadcast on NBC at 8 p.m. EDT tonight. It will feature actors, comedians and musicians as well as original sketch comedy, parodies and musical performances. If we can wrestle the remote away from Mauricio (see yesterday’s post), we’ll all be watching.

Mom will donate 50 cents to the Red Nose Day campaign (with no maximum) for each comment received prior to 12:01 a.m. EDT Sunday. So please spread the word among your friends. The more comments, the greater the donation.

Don’t Fry Day

And please come back tomorrow for Don’t Fry Day. Don’t Fry Day is intended to encourage sun safety awareness. Mom has had basel cell carcinoma and has lost two friends to malignant melanoma. But skin cancer is not confined to humans. Solar dermatitis in animals is a serious medical condition and can progress to squamous cell carcinoma. If you follow Dash Kitten, you know that Harvey recently had surgery to remove the tips of ears due to squamous cell carcinoma.

We will talk more about feline solar dermatitis, skin cancer and preventative measures tomorrow as well as have another comment-a-thon with 50 cents per comment going to the Animal Cancer Foundation.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo