Please click on the link below this post to go to yesterday’s post and leave a comment. We are having a comment-a-thon to help C.J.’s, Lisbeth’s and my alma mater, Barn Cat Buddies, save kitties living at a steel mill. If you can, please share on your social media as well.
Many thanks, Astrid
This was not the post we planned for today, but some of our furry friends need your help. If you are regular followers, you know that Barn Cat Buddies is the alma mater of Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo. This is also the TNR/Rescue our humans support and for which they volunteer.
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We know most of our readers do not live in our area, but even if you can’t help physically, any amount of green papers would help. You can visit the Barn Cat Buddies web-site to donate. Barn Cat Buddies is a 501(c)3 organization, and all donations are tax deductible.
In an attempt to help these furiends, we are going to make this a comment-a-thon. Our mom will donate $1 for every comment left on this post prior to Sunday, July 10, at 5 p.m. ET. So please tell everyone you know to leave a comment as she is not putting a cap on the amount.
Thank you, friends!
Purrs and paw-pats, Barn Cat Buddies alumnae, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
We 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
Kitties 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.
The 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.
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.
To turn the sunset into art, I used Boost and HDR in Picasa and then added a Cloud overlay and frame using PicMonkey.
Here’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.
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.
Sunday 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.
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.
But, 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:
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.
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
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:
Mom asked if any of us would like to wear a red nose today to show our support. Giulietta volunteered.
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.
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
A while back our dad was asked to take the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS. He started shivering just thinking about it; even though, our mom offered to douse him while he was submersed in the heated swimming pool. Having a friend with ALS and being a generous sort, our dad made a donation to ALS. Right around the same time lots of our kitty furiends started taking the Mice Bucket Challenge on their blogs. We started batting that idea around at the same time we were batting all our mousies around the house. Mom didn’t know we were trying to hide them from her!
We decided we would let our humans dump a bucketful of mice on at least one of us and have a comment-a-thon so one of our readers (selected using Random.org) could choose a 501(c)(3) shelter or rescue to receive some green papers from Mom. But yesterday, we decided to give half the green papers raised to ALS. Here’s why…
We want to introduce you to our humans’ friend, Dock Atkinson. He and our dad used to play volleyball together before our dad became old and decrepit and Dock developed ALS (12 years ago). Yesterday Mom and Dad participated in the local ALS Walk on Dock’s Team. The hilly course was approximately 3.5 miles in length. The day was grey and rainy. By the time Mom and Dad finished the walk, they were soaked to the skin but still smiling as you can see.
Mom found and gathered up all our mice, including some she had squirreled away (wait, did somebody say squirrel?) for future gifts for us and our furiends. She told us that she was taking all those back when we completed the challenge. We didn’t think she’d know which ones they were and that we’d get to keep them, but darn if she didn’t pick them right out and the end, put them in a ziploc bag and right back into the catchall drawer.
Oh, yeah, for each comment we receive on this post between now and next Saturday, October 18, by 5 p.m. EDT, Mom is going to be putting up one-half green paper for ALS and the same amount for the winning shelter/rescue. If you have the time and inclination, purrlease share with all your Twitter and Facebook friends.
Finally for the first one to correctly guess how many mice were in our bucket, Mom will donate one green paper (for each mouse) plus one to the 501(c)(3) rescue/shelter of their choice. She is adding one buck to the amount as she realized she missed putting one of our mice in the bucket.
Now pull up a chair and watch our videos. We had three bucket dumps. Yep…three! Our Mom is an over-achiever! If you do not want to hear Mom’s whiney voice, turn down your volume.
We challenge any of our furiends who haven’t had a bucket of mice dumped on them to take the Mice Bucket Challenge and make a donation to your favorite rescue or shelter. And for all the humans, here is a tip on how to get your kitties interested and willing to pawticipate: Liberally sprinkle catnip atop all those mice! Our mommy is so sneaky!
If you have not entered a comment for an opportunity to win a copy of the book, Purr Therapy by Kathy McCoy, PhD, you can do so until 8 p.m. this evening by clicking here.
If you have a couple of extra green papers and haven’t had the opportunity to drop off a little something to help Mom Audra, Dezi and Lexi (Dezizworld) to replace some items damaged by two separate floodings to their apartment, purrlease click on the YouCaring badge in our sidebar. The fundraising effort has stalled out the last few days. They do have the new chair they needed so badly. Mom Audra ordered it special, and it has lots of bells and whistles to meet her specific needs. Click here to read all about it.
Finally, thank you to all who pawticipated in our Sunday Selfies Blog Hop. Keep in mind for next week that this offers an excellent opportunity to share about kitties and woofies awaiting adoption.
Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Join our two adventurous cartoon tabby cats on Tuesdays (alternating between The Cat on My Head and Friends Furever).
Winner of Multiple Certificates of Excellence from the Cat Writers’ Association & a 2024 CWA Muse Medallion for Part CCXXII – “National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day”.
