Blissed out Ringo

Thrifty Thursday: Two Christmas cat pins

Just in time for the upcoming Christmas season, I found two Christmas cat pins.

Gift kitty is metal.

This kitty is clay and I've seen this style of pin before, but sadly, there are no markings. Does anyone know the artist?

Chewy.com review: Miko canned cat food

We've had cats in our house a long time. Back when I was a kid, there weren't many choices in types of cat food. I remember brands like 9 Lives, Meow Mix, Tender Vittles, or Alley Cat.

These days there are TONS of food brands and types. I'm still finding new-to-us brands. Miko is one of them. We were asked to review Miko Seafood & Chicken variety pack of canned food for Chewy.com (#chewyinfluencer)

I poked around on Chewy's website to learn more about Miko's food. I liked what I saw. NO: grains, wheat, corn, soy, carrageenan, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. The ingredients lists are pretty basic and are primarily supplements/vitamins. This is a good thing IMO.

There was a Q&A section at the bottom of the Chewy page, and it said this food has 1% carbohydrate content. Thumbs up!

The variety pack has four flavors: chicken, mackerel & tuna, salmon, and tuna & tilapia. The food is flaked with gravy. This is mackerel & tuna:

Sadie and Lucy absolutely loved this food. The closed door behind Lucy is so Sadie would not  escape and try to eat others' portions.

Ringo and Benny picked at some of the flavors (chicken) and wouldn't eat others (salmon, mackerel & tuna), but they are both picky boys, especially Ringo.

I've been experimenting with this food, mixing it with other less-liked foods, and the girls still eat it up. The food reminds me of Tiki Cat food in flavors and consistency. It might also work well as a "topper" for some cats, or to keep on hand in case you need a "special" food to entice appetite.

Overall, we think this is a good food!

Disclaimer: We were given a pack of food in exchange for our honest review. The opinions here are our own.

With love from Lucy

Happy New Year and best wishes to all of our friends from Lucy and the rest of our gang. May your hearts be full of love and togetherness this year.

Benny and Black Friday shopping

Benny had a check up with the eye specialist on Black Friday morning.  He's been seeing this specialist for most of his life to manage his glaucoma and cataracts.

His condition remains stable--and he's become a bit of a celebrity since he's likely one of their longest and oldest patients. All is well and no changes! Hooray!

Because it was Black Friday, I wanted to stop at two pet stores. It dawned on me that I could bring Benny in with me, so that's what I did. We first stopped at Petco for half-price litter.

Mom, what is going on here? How much litter are you buying?

Do I get anything special?

Come on! How about one of those large containers of Temptations?

We went to another store for half-price food. He was so quiet that he wasn't even noticed until we were done checking out.

All in all, a successful day and trip. Benny slept quite a while after this adventure.

Mancat meeting in progress

Ringo: Yeah, so then I said, "Yes, I really do need to be on top of the fridge. . ."

HEY! This is a secret mancat meeting! No girls allowed! Sorry mom, but you ARE a girl, after all.

Music and Miko Cat Food 50% Off!

I love the quote by humanitarian and Noble Peace Prize winner, Albert Schweitzer, who said, "There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."  Thinking about that statement, I  think of the famous "cat music"!  Perhaps, one of the most famous is Edward Lear's verse, The Owl and the Pussy Cat, set to music by Stravinsky.   Rossini composed, "Duetto Buffo Dei Due Gatti" where two female singers vocalize solely on the word meow, and then, of course, Scarlatti's "Cat Fugue" that was inspired by his cat running over his piano keyboard.  And, let's not forget that modern classic, sung by Peggy Lee... The Siamese Cat Song!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlQYqQs0R3w.

As you can imagine, I decided to write this blog about Miko Cat Food that chewy.com sent me this month listening to music!  Miko Cat Food has been formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO standards using real flaked fish or poultry that are packed in a delicious, savory consomme.  The texture is flaky and the consomme smells great with the added benefit of providing more liquid to your cat's diet.

All About the Goodness

I decided to ask for the Miko Poultry and Seafood Variety Pack that comes in a case of 12 three-ounce cans that includes two cans each of chicken, chicken & turkey, chicken & vegetable, mackerel & tuna, tilapia & tuna, and salmon.  The real good news is this item sells for $14.99 and is currently 50% off the first time you buy it with a limit of one case per customer.  If you put this item on auto ship, you will receive an additional 5% off.

Key Benefits

• Each can is made from real chicken, turkey, or fish and provides your cat with the protein it needs to thrive.  Real protein is the #1 ingredient.
• The consomme is a flavorful real broth that adds liquid to your cat's diet helping to provide healthy hydration for your cat.
• Each can is packed with added vitamins, minerals, and taurine, an amino acid that is essential to feline heart and vision health.
• This is a grain free product that never contains wheat, corn, soy or carrageenan.

Reviews

According to the chewy.com website, this product is in the top percentage with 81% of the customers that bought this product giving it a five-star rating.  Many people note that this food does contain a lot of consomme; others say that it has a good consomme - meat ratio, and, 81%  say that their cats love it.  Of some concern, it is noted that this product is made in Thailand.  On the other hand, research shows that Thailand has very strict standards for pet food, having been to Thailand many times, this was not a concern for me.  And, best of all, my cats, especially Sabu loved this food.  He actually prefers a food with a consomme broth.

Happy Thanksgiving to all

To our US friends, a blessed and happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

I am sharing two old postcards a friend gave me. He somehow has found Thanksgiving postcards that include cats!

This one has a 1908 date and a 1909 postmark.

This has a 1912 postmark.

Just a calico and her computer

Sadie sneaks into the office and sits on Jim's work computer. . .

I like crossed paws

I like to cross my paws sometimes when I relax. Mom thinks it's so cute.

I'm not sure why it's so cute.

But it does make me sort of relaxed and sleepy. . .

How to keep your nose warm

Just use your tail and wrap it around your nose!

Thanksgiving Treats and the Popularity of Cats!

We all know there are two kinds of people in the world... cat people and dog people, I love both, but admittedly, I am more of a cat person.  In the U.S. slightly more households own dogs than own cats according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, but in raw numbers, cats outnumber dogs to the tune of two million.  Euromonitor found that at a state level in the U.S. cats outnumber dogs in the Northeast and Upper Midwest and that dogs are a favorite in the South and Southwest.  Our state of Connecticut is a cat state with 1.25 cats per household for every dog.

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is around the corner... with that in mind, www.chewy.com sent me the perfect treat for my gang of five so they can celebrate the holiday too.  I couldn't wait to try the special Temptation's Holiday Dinner that comes in luscious Turkey and Sweet potato flavor.  The 16-ounce handy plastic container that keeps these treats fresh is only available for a limited time.  I like the fact that they come in a stay fresh pack and when I shake the container, my cats come running!

Key Benefits

The best thing is that these treats will keep you from feeding your furry friends things that might be too rich for their systems and cause digestive problems. To order click here.

•  These colorful treats are festive and made with the irresistible flavor of turkey and sweet potatoes.
• They have a crispy outer shell that helps keep your cat's teeth clean by preventing the build-up of tartar.  
• The soft meaty center is a special surprise these "Temptation" treats offered.
• No worries about weight gain, these treats are less than two calories per treat (I wish a slice of pumpkin pie was too!!).
• The resealable fresh pack keeps these treats fresh and the container can be re-used for other goodies.

Reviews

The Temptations Thanksgiving Treats scored high on the chewy.com website with 4.6 out of five stars!  The reviews all mention that even though cats can be finicky,  just about every cat from sweet rescues to breed all had one thing in common, they loved these holiday treats and from the look of things here, so do my gang of five!

You must spoil me

Ever since his URI, Benny has gotten even more cuddly. He follows Jim or I from room to room and then waits for an open lap or cuddle space.

He is doing well and is back to his normal self.

Awaiting pets.

Not-so-thrify Thursday: Fleece jacket

Many years ago, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad used a tabby kitten in their advertising. The kitten's name was Chessie, and they used her for decades. (Over time, she had a mate and two kittens.)

Of course, the kitten has always caught my eye. I have a t-shirt. a night shirt, and playing cards. But when I saw this fleece jacket on clearance at a train show, I had to have it!

Update: I purchased this at Daylight Sales. I found a link to the jacket in their store.

My phone didn't want to capture the hot pink color of the jacket. The first photo is more true to color.

Plastic bags make nice places to rest

Plastic bags aren't all that common at our house. Sadie discovered one on the kitchen table and decided it made a nice bed.

Chewy.com review: Stella & Chewy's Lamb Liver freeze-dried treats

For some odd reason, we weren't receiving the Chewy Influencer emails (#chewyinfluencer) but we're back on track to have Chewy reviews again!

We chose  Stella & Chewy's Lamb Liver freeze-dried treats for our first review.

We like that these treats are one ingredient: lamb liver. And while they say they are dog treats, they are in smaller pieces and are easily broken in to even smaller bits for kitties.

The bag was easy to open with a little slider pull tab, Lucy was SO excited to eat these that I could hardly get photos.

 

Sadie also loved these and gobbled up all that I gave her.

The boys would not eat these, but they aren't much into freeze-dried anything, so I'm not that surprised.

There are other types available too, like beef hearts. A big thumbs up for a healthy, raw-based treat with no extra ingredients!

Disclaimer: We were given one package of treats to review in exchange for an honest review. The opinions here are our own.

Update on Butte County fires

Honey Run Covered Bridge remains.
Photo by Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle

If you ever visited the town of Paradise, California, then you are familiar with the Honey Run Covered Bridge. Built 123 years ago and listed on National Register of Historic Places, it was thought to be the last surviving structure of its kind in the United States: a three-span Pratt-style truss bridge. It has now been reduced to nothing more than smoldering ash. A looming symbol of the devastation and loss of life caused by the Camp Fire in Butte County.

As the smoke continues to impact the Bay Area, we have received many inquires as to the status of the shelter animal rescue efforts. If there is any good news in this tragic story, it is that there is a strong and well-organized animal disaster response team in the North Valley area. The shelter dogs and cats in Paradise have all been relocated safely.

Berkeley Humane did receive an initial request for supplies, such as pet food and travel carriers, which we delivered to the Chico area on Saturday. We stand at the ready to respond in a greater capacity if needed, but at this time there has not been an additional request for supplies nor a request to transport animals to the Bay Area. Local animal welfare volunteers are coordinating with the Office of Emergency Services, which is exactly how the response in a major emergency should work.

It is vital that individuals and small rescue groups do not self-deploy. This causes confusion and animals that may have had a chance to be reunited with their owners could be separated forever. It is also important to not start collecting and sending supplies that are not specifically requested. Donated items that are not needed can pile-up and become burdensome in a disaster area if they are not able to be put to good use.

If you do not have a disaster plan for your own family, we urge you to make one today. Click here for resources you need to get started.

We will keep you up to date when there are additional updates to Berkeley Humane’s disaster response to the fires on our Facebook page or via email (sign up for our email list here). 

In the meantime, please be safe and hug your pets just a little tighter today.


DON'T FORGET: We still have two wonderful dogs available for adoption from the Carr Fire rescue in August 2018: Jason and Lilian.

Women are thriving in canine science - tell a girl you know!

When we learned why girls aren't pursuing futures in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, we wanted to help.

At Do You Believe in Dog? we're enthusiastic about canine science for lots of reasons. Clearly - dogs are awesome. So is science! Since starting the blog in 2012, we've noticed that dogs offer a wonderful way to get others interested in science. People who might not have thought it was for them. Canine science is also fantastic because of its inherent diversity. 

Whether you are interested in evolutionary biology, statistics, genetics, human psychology, animal behaviour, wearable tech, nutrition, anatomy, ecology, urban design, communication, biochemistry, exercise physiology, animal-technology interactions, bio-monitoring, science communication or animal learning - canine science offers a way to be involved! 

To showcase how females are thriving in science, we reached out to a selection of the amazing group of woman succeeding in canine-related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) globally. 

They wanted to help too.

Thanks to their support, we'll be featuring one of these fabulous women each day on our social media channels in November, so be sure to keep track on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.

Here's why we're doing this...

Fewer girls than boys study and work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, and the gap between girls and boys is growing. Research into biological factors, including genetics, brain structure and development, neuroscience and hormones, shows that the gender gap in STEM is not the result of sex differences in these factors or related to any type of 'innate ability'. 

When young, girls and boys show the same level of interest and abilities in STEM. They may demonstrate different approaches to solving the same issue - exactly why we need both in these fields as diversity offers strength and flexibility in solving problems. Sadly, social, cultural and educational discrimination and biases are leading to girls losing interest in STEM. The ages between 10-15 have been identified as most critical, with many 15 year olds having already lost interest in STEM subjects. 

Several recent studies have explored this trend across Europe, the US, Canada and Australia, surveying tens of thousands of girls and women.

GIRLS CITED A LACK OF FEMALE ROLE MODELS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,  ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS AS A KEY REASON THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW A CAREER IN THE SECTOR

• Having visible female role models almost doubles the number of girls interested in STEM careers and helps them to picture themselves pursuing these fields. 

• There is a clear link between role models and an increased passion for science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, with more interest in careers in these fields, and greater self-confidence. 

• Perhaps surprisingly, celebrities are considered to be the least influential role models for driving girls’ interest in STEM, while women working in STEM fields are the top drivers, with the most impact.

• Increased interest in STEM isn’t limited to a single subject. On average, across maths, physics, biology, chemistry and computer science, having a STEM role model results in a 12 percent increase in interest.

• Equally as important, results show that if a girl has a role model for a particular subject area, such as maths, a corresponding positive effect is still seen across all other STEM fields.

Girls also become more interested in STEM once they’re able to conceive what they can do with these subjects in real life situations and how relevant they are to their future.

The women in canine science want to help inspire the next generation of girls to know that STEM is accessible, fun and waiting for them. And importantly - SO ARE THE DOGS!

Do You Believe in Dog? are honoured to help share insights to the exciting work in this field and the advice today's women would like to pass on to girls considering a future in STEM. 

So tell a girl you know that females are thriving in canine science. Today, please!

Mia and Julie

References:
Microsoft STEM White Paper Report
UNESCO Cracking the code: Girls’ and women’s education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
Accenture: Cracking the Gender Code Report
Canada Census in brief reports
Air4 Australia

© 2018  Do You Believe in Dog?