About Cats and Other Things

That’s another picture of the stray cat that I see now and then on my morning walks. I thought that stance was particularly mighty.

Last Monday night there were as many as 53 twisters that forecasters said may have touched down across eight states stretching eastward from Idaho and Colorado. Parts of Ohio near Dayton were hit the hardest with one person killed and a number were injured as the storms hit in the dark of night.

And still some people still deny that climate change is affecting our weather patterns.

Over the Memorial Day Holiday, Pete Buttigieg criticized our president for his avoidance of serving in the military during the Vietnam War era, saying that Trump used his privileged status to get four deferments while he was in college, followed by the medical deferment. Buttigieg had a lot more to say about Trump’s role as Commander in Chief, and it all can be read in the U.S. News & World Report

I didn’t know that Trump was considering pardoning service members who’ve been accused of war crimes until I read this quote from Buttigieg. “The idea that being sent to war turns you into a murderer is exactly the kind of thing that those of us who have served have been trying to beat back for more than a generation,” he said. “….For a president, especially a president who never served, to say he’s going to come in and overrule that system of military justice undermines the very foundations, legal and moral, of this country.”

Buttigieg also criticized the Trump administration’s decision to deploy more than 1,500 military personnel in the Middle East to deter Iran. Buttigieg told ABC, “Escalation is the last thing we need in the Middle East right now.”

A recent Litter-Robot blog piece was all about fostering cats and kittens. There was some interesting information there for anyone who is considering offering this valuable service. Fostering cats, and dogs, helps local shelters by freeing up space for other animals that might otherwise be euthanized or turned away by no-kill shelters.

Here’s some of the advice from the blog:

• Is your household appropriate for fostering? Do you have a space for foster animals that is safe and easy to clean? Is everyone you live with accepting of foster animals? Are you able to quarantine them from other animals if need be?
• Does your schedule allow for fostering? For instance, if you foster kittens, you may need to be available as often as every 2-3 hours. Will you be able to arrange care for foster animals when you are unavailable?
• Do you have the right tools and resources? Do you have a veterinarian, should a medical issue arise? If you work with a local shelter or rescue group, will they be available to provide support when you have questions? Will you have the funds to cover food and medical expenses, should the shelter not be able to reimburse you?

More cat-related information was recently shared on the Pretty Litter blog, this one about what cats can and should not eat. I think cat owners pretty much know that their feline friends are carnivores and rarely, if ever, eat vegetables or fruit. What I found enlightening from the blog post was the list of foods that cats should not eat:

• Grapes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Raisins
• Avocados
• Kelp
• Anything containing xylitol, an artificial sweetener
• Chocolate
• Sugary treats (Our feline friends don’t do well with carbs and sugar)
• Other foods that are typically cited as bad for your fur baby are alcohol and caffeinated drinks. No beer or coffee. Sorry, Fluffy.

Most of those hold true for dogs, too.

Another Litter-Robot blog shared five reasons that cats make good pets for kids. After:

• They teach kids to be courteous
• They teach kids to be patient
• they teach kids to be responsible
• they make great companions

came this surprising fact:

• Cats may boost children’s immune systems
  Not only are cats fastidiously hygienic, but they’re also doing their part to help you raise healthier kids. Recent studies have shown that having a cat or dog in the house during a baby’s first year of life can help improve the infant’s immune system, decrease the number of respiratory infections and colds, and guard against development of allergies and asthma later in life. We’ll take that!

I’m not sure I totally agree with that. We had a cat when our first two kids were babies and the kids developed significant allergies and asthma as toddlers. Still, I agree that cats are good companions for kids, and adults.

By the way. I am not an affiliate of either Pretty Litter of Litter Robot. I just enjoy reading their blogs. 🙂

That’s it for me for today folks. Do come back on Sunday if you can. I have a review of Waters Plantation by Myra Hargrave McIlvain. Until then, be safe. Be happy.