An Experiment

Hello all!
I know, I know, its been a LONG time since I've posted. But now I have something really interesting to post about!
We have another stray. LOL. Yes, they just show up. And no I did not write letters to all the strays inviting them to come live with me nor did I pray every night for another cat, "with long hair this time since they are my favorite" as my DH accused. She just showed up, was super friendly, and you all know I am a sucker!
So meet the Orphan Cat (OC for short!)She's a beauty, no? The sad part is she has been declawed and left outside to fend for herself with very little means of protecting herself. I am against declawing in the first place. I think with the right training, cats can live in a house and not be destructive with their claws. They just need a place to scratch and consistent behavior modification (in our case, a spray bottle). And as a cat owner, we must have patience. Its a virtue.
So back to the experiment! Since I recently got a job (yay!) my first paycheck will be partly spent on getting Miss OC to the vet, tested and vaccinated. Then she will slowly (hopefully) become part of my household. I've had her for a month. We've sent out emails and asked around, but no one is interested in her. Sad.
I talked to an AWESOME cat rescue from around my area and they were SUPER nice about giving me advice on breaking OC's outside habit as well as integrating her into my cat family.
Here is the experiment part. Three weeks of not letting her go out. Cold turkey. With the aid of some herbal drops. I'll let you know how it goes.
Just curious, has anyone used any of the calming agents sold at Foster and Smith or another vet supply? Has anyone tried Comfort Zone? I'm going to need some of these tools when we begin Operation Integration in a week or two. Where are the best prices? What are the best products? What have you had success with?
Thanks for your help!

Buttercup's Flowers

Baby Pictures

Oscar, when we brought him home from Wal-Mart at 6 weeks old. He still makes that face!

Buttercup, back when we were convinced she was a boy, 4 weeks old

Mr. Sam when he was still "small"

My Little Bear when she was rescued, 5 years ago!

Win an awesome stamp set!

My Creative Heart: Freebie!

My fabulous upline for Close to My Heart is doing a giveaway on her blog - be sure to clickity on the above to check it out!

Its the simple things

My cats enjoy the simple life...one of there favorite things to play with is tissue paper. They love to attack it, lay on it, crawl under it and chase it when you crinkle it into a ball. When I received an awesome pay-it-forward package from Mommy, I'm Home a few weeks ago, there was tissue paper. The following is what ensued:Oscar assessing his toy. Everyone better understand, he gets his turn first.

Note the "this is mine" look in Oscar's eyes. Buttercup (Left) is glad to be getting an edge to lay on.
A few minutes later, Bunnie gets her chance. I made her a cape and she seemed to enjoy that.
Then Bunnie attacked the cape, removed her "cape", pounced on it and told it who was the boss. Note the open mouth here. She's one tough cookie.

Hope you all find amusement from the little things today!

Thanks from Little Bear

Meows and purrs, this is Little Bear. I love my box, Jessica from PUDGET. Thank you for this wonderful box. I love boxes! Sending purrs and headbutts your way...Love Little Bear

Thousand Word Thursday

Camping. Bunnie Style.

A break from the cats to bring you...A GIVEAWAY!

That's right! I said a giveaway! UPrinting.com is offering one of my readers a 16"x20" poster print! If you aren't familiar with UPrinting.com, you need to check them out! They offer several kinds of printing services including printing posters, brochures, labels etc. And for posters, you can print any amount you need be it a single copy or in bulk! The bulk posters would be a great way to get your info out there if you are a small business owner, or even an independent consultant for a scrapbooking company(...ooh! That's me!) Although I think if I were to get a poster, it would be of some beach, somewhere.

So how do you win yourself an awesome poster print? Easy!
1. Leave a comment telling me how you would creatively use your print. What design or print would you have immortalized at 16"x20"? This is the initial entry so you must do this to be entered.
2. For another entry you can write your own post linking back to this giveaway and also to UPrinting.com. Leave me a comment with a link so I know you did this.

One lucky duck winner will be chosen to receive the 16"x20" poster print on Saturday, May 23rd. The contest however will close at midnight EST on Friday the 22nd. International readers, please note, you may enter this contest however your shipping is not free. You must pay to have the poster shipped to you. No worries to US and Canada - Shipping is covered to you.

Thousand Word Thursday: Ignor the dust bunnies

We came home the other day to find Bunnie playing under our buffet table. Little did we know she was actually tightly wedged under there, completely and utterly stuck! I have never seen this happen before, nor do I understand how she got in this predicament. But at least I found where all the toys were hiding!

Hi! Btw, think I could get some halp here?

Featured Shelter: Orphans of the Storm

Orphans of the Storm is a shelter located in Kittaning, PA. I had heard of them before, since I tend to frequent PetFinder and look at all the animals that need homes, just in case I see that perfect dog for me. They were at our local PetsMart a few weeks ago with the cutest animals. One was a 5 month old male Beagle and the other was a one year old cocker spaniel. They also had two adorable orange tabby kittens (and you know how I am a sucker for orange kitties!). This shelter is proof that there you can find particular "breeds". They always have a wide variety and sizes of cats and dogs needing homes.
Here is what they say about their shelter:

Orphans of the Storm, Inc. has been matching stray and unwanted pets with new families since 1969. We are a no-kill animal shelter located in Kittanning, Pa.
We also offer low-cost spay and neuter program for low-income individuals, humane educational programs, and a weekly pet therapy program at local hospitals.

At Orphans we have a dream! To keep our animals happy and healthy until they find that special home, we are raising money for:

A new cat room addition so that can isolate new cats from our long term healthy residents, and give kittens their own space,
Cage units,
A new outdoor enclosed exercise area for our kitties,
A grooming room/storage room,
A spay and neuter room to make it easier for our pets to have surgery done and reduce the stress involved in the process.

Orphans of the Storm provides adoption services to help you find the pet who will fit into your lifestyle.

Your new pet will be up-to-date on vaccinations including an 8-way distemper, rabies, & bordatella. All pets are started on Revolution monthly heartworm, flea and tick prevention and come with 2 months of free pet health insurance . Our animals are all avid (micro-chipped) and have a lifetime registration.

Here are a few of the adorable pets that are currently listed on PetFinder. (And remember, not all animals get listed, so if you are looking for a particular breed/age/sex/color, always call and ask)

Zack - I met this handsome gentleman at PetsMart. He is a gorgeous dog...and yes I would adopt him if my hubs wasn't such a "Meanie"! Zack LOVES going for walkies and doesn't seem to mind other dogs.

Morocco is a true beauty. She is a 4 year old Siamese. Siamese are supposedly the smartest cat breed. I had a teacher who actually had her two Siamese cats toilet trained, so they must be pretty smart! Morocco's story: I lived with another cat my whole life and my owner died and no family wanted both of us.....I am very lonely without my family.....I am quite the talker and am used to being spoiled and treated like a kid

For more wonderful animals hoping to find forever homes please visit their PetFinder listing here. You never know when you might find a new furry friend!

Self-scooping litter box FAIL!

I've been wanting to tell this story, but had to kinda "cool down" and find the humor in it first. I'm there now. So here goes:

I have 4 cats. They poop. A lot. I have 4 litter boxes, strategically placed downstairs so that if they all have to "go" at the same time, they can.
One of these boxes was donated by my parents. It is the Littermaid self-scooping litter box. Here is why they donated it to me: SAM. He is large like a horse and therefore poops like one. The motor in this litter box had to work SO HARD to scoop Sam's stuff that it would actually fling it out onto the floor, where Sam would resume "burying" it in the carpet. I know, funny, right? Oh and I will add that the reason the litter box was upstairs is because Sam was afraid of the basement (where all the litterboxes are). And now you know why his nick-name is Baby Huey.So I have been enjoying the heck outta this litter box. It never flinged poop at my house! Whenl we returned from our cruise, Someone, and I'm not accusing any individual for this may have been a group effort (but I think it was Oscar), pooed SO much on the scooping mechanism that it became plastered in place and the motor burned up. What posseses a cat to poo on the side of something? How is that even possible?
So alas, it was with great sadness that I threw out the unfixable scooper and bought a new box (at 20% off!). And the side pooing has not stopped! In fact, last week someone left a trail from in the box, on the lip of the opening, and then one right in front. What the crap, cats?!?
*sigh*

Featured Shelter

I consider all of my cats to be "rescued" in one way or another though only two of them were officially adopted through a shelter. There are so many cats and dogs out there that need awesome people to give them what they deserve: a forever home. In an effort to help out, since I am no longer able to foster, I would like to feature a shelter every week or so, as well as a few of their adoptable animals. If you have a shelter or animal you would like to see featured, just contact me and let me know. I'd be glad to do a post.

So the first featured shelter I'd like to introduce is Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley. They are located in New Kensington, Pennsylvania and they are a small no-kill shelter. I fostered several litters of kittens from APAV and the volunteers there are wonderful.
Here are some cuties in need of a home. Know of any?

Poor Leo suffered an eye injury, and when it didn't heal and developed minor complications, his owner wanted him euthanized. Saved by the vet in charge, Leo is recovering nicely from his injury and now finds himself homeless. Leo is just a youngster, roughly 1 1/2 years old.

Marissa's sleek, shiny black coat is eye-catching indeed! Yet, black cats are the least likely to be adopted. Who knows why. It certainly makes no sense in Marissa's case! She is friendly, affectionate, and playful, and would fit in well in any pet-loving household. Marissa is getting tired of living at the shelter, and needs to be adopted soon.

Meet Letterman: Male - Solid Grey – 2 yrs.- Neutered
This boy is a real comedian, just like his namesake! He sleeps on his back like a dog, and his leg even shakes when he dreams. He also loves to be petted, and rolls around in comical way. He arrived at the shelter completely non-plussed, which is very unusual for a cat. With his easy-going, roll-with-the punches attitude, he would fit into most any pet-loving home.

Something interesting about APAV is they are known as Pit Bull alley. Why they get so many stray Pitt Bulls is beyond me, but in any case they do. These dogs get a bad rap when with the proper homes and owners they are perfect little angels. I have a friend with a pitt mix and she is a sweetie!

Hector is a one and a half year old male pit bull mix.

Volunteer Comments:
When Hector first came into the shelter, I thought he was scared because he was so quiet and didn't bark, jump, and go crazy like his kennel mates to be let out. But that is just him. He is very calm, pretty quiet, and sometimes a little bit shy, but he is very loving and just wants love and attention. He loves his walks, and loves to be petted and get love. He also likes to sit on the picnic table and give kisses. I think anyone would be lucky to adopt him; he will make a great pet.

Great dog. Very friendly. I believe he knows sit and paw (not positive though). Loves to give kisses! I would love to have him as my own.

Roper is a two and a half-year-old male pit bull mix. Roper and a companion, Allie, were abandoned on a wintry day, tied to a post in an Alley. Roper is much more outgoing than Allie with a very bouncy and energetic personality. This adult male would benefit from a strong, alpha-type owner.
Dog Walker Comments - Roper is a very sweet, energetic dog. He was exceptionally good for his bath. He can pull while walking, but he will stop when told to. Although he seems a bit hyper, I believe he will make a good pet for someone.

Thinking of adopting a rescued Pit Bull? Here are some informative websites that should help!
www.pbrc.net
www.badrap.org
www.hugabull.com

Pass the kleenex! I didn't realize that even looking through the shelter's list to post about them would be so touching and difficult for me. Please remember to spay and neuter your pets to help cut down on the stray problem. Also if you aren't able to take another pet, please consider helping your favorite shelter in other ways. Volunteer if you can. You don't have to have contact with the animals if that is too hard. You can help them with paperwork or help them fundraise. They are always glad for anything you are able to do.

Remember that by adopting a homeless pet, you are saving a life!

Info on animals listed here is directly from the shelters PetFinder site. For more info please contact the shelter. Thanks!

Spring Cleaning

Meows and purrs to the bloggy world! Its me, Oscar here to let all the kitty readers in on a little fun secret: it is time for the humans to do some Spring Cleaning! For those of you who aren't familiar with this practice it is the purrfect time for us clever felines to get into a little extra mischief. It is also the time to hoard all the things you don't want washed and/or tossed! The Keeper of the Cans began (KotC) her Spring Cleaning this weekend. Here are some signs that Spring Cleaning is near:
1. KotC started looking more anxoious and worried each time she looked in the pantry.
2. Boxes fell on the KotC's head when she opened the cupboard.
3. KotC starred at the cupboards and pantry for large amounts of time while scratching her head.

If you are able to catch these warning signs you will then see the following happen:
1. Large black bags were filled and left all over the kitchen, which Buttercup got yelled at when she started to lick them. I'm am scratching my whiskers as to why she licks all plastic in the first place.
2. My paper bags which I had formed into a nest disappeared from the pantry floor.
3. New hiding places were opened. And a warning for all of you. No matter how excited you may be to explore these new hide outs, don't ever let the humans catch you in a compromising position. Little Bear crawled in the spinning cupboard undetected and got to explore for ten whole minutes. I, on the other hand, got caught looking like this:I just hate it when they get pictures of me looking curious and adorable. I am a man ya know! And a handsome one at that!

So fellow felines you have been warned. Enjoy your time on that favorite paper bag of yours for soon it may be gone!

We LOVE Greenies!

Buttercup munching on her Greenies!

My cats are all purrs and meows about Greenies. And I love them because they are only 1 calorie for each piece AND they are great for their teeth! Since my 4 crazies are all different sizes, though mostly chubby, I feel like feeding them a few of these treats once or twice a week is ok.Oscar begging for a Greenie. Yes, he begs for these things!

Have you tried Greenies yet? They make them in several flavors for cats and dogs. Go HERE for a free sample!

I did this post because I think Greenies are an awesome treat for my cats. I do not get paid or compensated in any way by Greenies or anyone else. I doubt if the makers of Greenies even know that this post exists

Uncle Sam

Sam is my parents cat, therefore making him an "Uncle" to my furkids. Sammie is a big beautiful Polydactyl kitty, meaning he has extra toes! At the last vet visit Sam weighted over 20 pounds so now he is on a diet that consists of almost exclusively canned food. Oddly enough, the canned food does something for a cat's metabolism to help them lose weight. Don't you wish there was chocolate that did that for people? Here's an aerial view so you can see just how big Sammie is. He takes up a nice chunck of that rug. Can you see his "thumb"?

A not so wordless Wednesday

When my family first saw the litter of 7 kittens (and mom) that I was fostering they said that this one was "homely". And that was reason enough for me to keep her. My little princess Buttercup arrived with a dirty nose and teensy mew and my heart melted. I was hooked. And through all of her little quirks I still am.

Who me? *blush*

One reason that I am enjoying blogging so much is the interaction I have had with other bloggers and readers. And I am so honored and excited to share my first award for Life with 4 Purrs:
Thanks so much to Anya and Kareltje for passing this award on to me. The "kids" are so proud! Oscar is even meowing his thanks and appreciation. Oh. Wait. No. That means he wants some food.
For some more furry friend fun, go check out Anya's blog. She is from the Netherlands! How cool is that!?!
And my friend Shelley's blog too. She has the sweetest ragdoll kitty ever! (Hi Muffin!)
And we all share one thing in common, we are all the World's Best Cat Mom!
>^..^<

The Easter Bunny left this for You!

Hilarious Cat Cartoons

I was doing my usual blog browsing when I saw this post at EightyMPHMom which then inspired me to watch the other Simon's cat videos. Have you seen them?
I can relate to all of them in some way or another, but the one that made me laugh the most was this one!

But I swear if any of my cats point to their mouths with their paw I am running far far away!

Thousand Word Thursday

"We are all packed! By the way, where are we going?"

Double Duty

Apparently the Roomba/Scooba is not only for cleaning your floors, it doubles as a kitty transportation device!




And please don't forget to enter my birthday giveaway at my other blog here!

Thousand Word Thurday

Sometimes it is hard for my IRL friends and family to believe the stories I tell them about Buttercup since no one ever sees her (with the exception of my mom I think!) She is the shyest little girl when strangers appear. I don't know why she is like that. But without further ado, here is my eccentric little princess Buttercup:







This habit can get a little annoying, especially when you walk through the kitchen and step in a puddle, but it is getting better. We have changed to bowls that do not tip over, so at least some of the water remains in the dish. She used to do this with the water bowl that had the huge reservoir bottle on it. She'd push it with her head until the bottle would come off spilling a gallon of water all over the floor. Now that was a mess to clean up.

WW: Cuddle Friends

The Guardian

Remember the box from CTMH? Little Bear has made it her job to protect it at all times and get some belly rubs for being so cute about it.

Do they get along?

A few people have asked if my cats all get along. Here is the answer.
Buttercup and Bunnie cuddling yesterday:And them about three seconds later:
But seriously, they all do get along fairly well. The exception now is with Little Bear and Bunnie. Since Bunnie is getting older I think she is vying for a higher level in the household pecking order. Plus she is about 9 months old which makes her like an adolescent. One second she is sweet and then she is a rascal! Notice she is the instigator in the photo above. And 99% of the time, she is the instigator in all play fights (or real ones). She just really likes to try and get Bear riled up. She hisses at her when she passes and will even swat! Little Bear takes little notice of her behavior, but I know if things get out of hand, Bear will be more than happy to set Bunnie straight. Afterall, this was her home first!

One Word Wednesday

SUN!!!

Buttercup is usually coiled in a tight ball while sleeping, but apparently when the sun is out she does this goddess-like pose.

Let me introduce meow-self...

I am Oscar P. Fleas. What does the "P" stand for you ask? Pumpkin. Not one of my prouder moments letting the humans talk me into that name. But at least they usually just call me Oscar. Yes, I was named after the furry green guy from Sesame Street. Because, supposedly, I looked grouchy when I was disturbed from my naps as a kitten. Let me just add, wouldn't you be grouchy too? The human I refer to as The Provider of My Food (POMF) is running this new blog and wanted one of us (her four cats) to give a little introduction about ourselves and what we will be posting about. I immediately volunteered. After all, I have many roles here including being the head of the welcoming committee. So I, Oscar of the house of four purrs, welcome you, reader, to our newly established blog. May you find many posts to scratch on...oh not that kind of post? Well what good is this thing then?...ahem....make yourself at home. And now, my human would like to say a few words.

Thanks Oscar. What a lovely intro. I know you love me for more than just providing your food. But we can reveal your softer side in a later post. Welcome to my blog about cats. Mostly the four I own, but I know there will be a few appearances by some cousins and maybe even friends. And so we are all on the same page, here are my four purr-babies in order of age:

Little Bear has been with us almost 5 years.
We got Oscar (as seen at top of post) in October of 2005, he will be four in August.

Buttercup was from a litter of seven that I fostered the 2007. We had to keep her. Ok, I had to keep her.
And Bunnie was my last foster in 2008. She will be one in May.

So there you have the cast of "characters" that will be telling their tales on Life with 4 Purrs. I hope you will share some of your pet stories with us as well. Thanks for stopping and see you soon.

PS Oscar requests that you bring catnip!