A Little Cat Humor

All the more reason to buy your cat a MeowMice!

Spring is Springing

Like the playfulness of these two babies, Spring has definitely sprung in my corner of Northwest Ct.  Meow Mice's chief product tester, LK is diligently helping  me to spruce up my flower beds. Usually, LK's idea of assistance consists of her sitting in the middle of a perennial bed or using the freshly dug up soil, where I just planted my elephant ear bulbs as her outdoor litter box.  None the less she thinks she is indispensable.  Continue the celebration of spring with your own  kitties and reward them in exchange for a promise to stay out of your flower beds with their own fresh Spring Meow Mice,  .  Perhaps they will be too busy playing with their new Meow Mouse they won't notice they aren't "helping" in the garden.   Available at Meow Mice

LK's idea of gardening

Wine, Cheese, and Meow Mice, Anyone?

Wine Mice
Photo by Devin Miles Photography

These Meow Mice wine mice have scurried to a vineyard in Northwest Ct,
   If you would like to own one more  are available
Please email:  sales@meowmice.com

These catnip wine mice come in grape fabric or cork fabric. Only $4.49
 Sure to be a hit at your next wine tasting with your cat.
Wine and Cheese not included!

Lessons from Our Pets

Jack taking a water break while hiking.  Which pet lessons is Jack teaching?  Read below to find out

     In the spirit of the book, All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat, by Suzy Becker, I recently read an article in the Health Corner Section of the William Penn Life magazine, Jan. 2012 edition.  This article, titled " Pet Lessons"  by Debbie Wolfe, RN lists 13 lessons we can learn from our pets for us to lead happier, healthier lives.  These lessons are Forget Multitasking, Take Naps, Walk Every Day, Live in the Moment, Don't Hold a Grudge, Wag Your Tail (in people's case this means smile, put a spring in your step)  Maintain Curiosity, Be Silly, Play, Stretch Often (this is my personal favorite, since my dog, Jack is helping me to perfect my yoga downward dog!   Drink Water, Eat Fish, and If  You Love Someone Show It.  These ideas seem so simple and so true.  Once again our dogs and cats show us they are in the know when it comes to being happy and healthy.  They are truly our best friends!    Oh Yes, answer to photo caption....The lessons are Walk Every Day, Live in the Moment, Drink Water, Maintain Curiosity, Be Silly,  and yes if Jack, an Australian shepherd had a tail it would also be Wag Your Tail! 

 If you would like to read more please go to and read Debbie's entire article  Thank you, Debbie for your clever insights.

http://www.williampennlife.org/wplife/2012/Wm.Penn.Life.Jan.2012.pdf

Happy Thanksgiving!

Please be careful of turkey bones, table scraps, and other Thanksgiving goodies for your dogs and cats!  Please do not give your pets turkey bones!
Happy Thanksgiving from Meow Mice!

Keep Your Pets Cool!

LK with her Buddy, Jack

Our sweltering summer days are here in Ct. (at least for this week)  Below is some excellent advice from a Fidelco veterinarian, especially with our dog friends in mind.

"As you may know, dogs do not sweat like we do. They do have sweat glands, but only on their feet and not on the rest of their body. So they rely on panting, a method of breathing out excess heat, to cool down their bodies. This method is not as effective as sweating. So, as we head into the next couple of days where the heat index is fore casted to reach 105 degrees, I want to take the opportunity to provide guidance on how to best keep our dogs healthy and happy…

Three factors to keep in mind to prevent heat injuries are: shade, water and rest.

 

The shade is your best friend. A cool environment should always be available and animals should not be left outside for long periods during the day without lots of water and adequate shelter from the sun. Your vehicle is comparable to an oven in this weather, even in the shade, so bring your dogs inside.  Keep all pets indoors with very high temperatures outdoors.

 

Always keep a fresh, full bowl of water nearby. Always. Do not leave your dog's water bowl in the sun or it will heat up.

 

Limit exercise to the cooler parts of the day, such as early mornings and late evenings. The sun is the strongest midday anywhere between 10 am and 4 pm. If you plan on spending the day outdoors with your dog, try to find a nice spot that has a good-size shaded area and a nice refreshing breeze and utilize work/rest cycles, e.g., 25 minutes on then 15 minutes off.

 

Please take increased precautions with old, obese, or infirm dogs. They have a harder time regulating their body temperatures than younger, healthier dogs.

 

Heat injuries happen very fast and sometimes unexpectedly.. Heat stress, a.k.a. heat exhaustion, is a warning that the dog is becoming overheated. Heat stress progresses to heat stroke if the dog is left untreated. If your dog should show signs of serious distress from the heat it is best to cool them immediately with cool or tepid water rather than really cold water. If ice packs are available they can be applied to areas where circulation is very good, such as the armpits, groin area or neck. Blowing air over them with a fan as you cool them off with water can be helpful. As soon as they seem to be gaining some comfort proceed to your veterinarian immediately. Dogs who suffer from heat stroke can develop delayed complications that are really serious, including death, if they are not properly monitored and cared for.

Spending quality time with your dog on a hot summer day is loads of fun but potentially dangerous. If you are hot, chances are your dog is even hotter. Use common sense and be safe! Enjoy your summer and remember to keep your dog cool!"

Michael J. Bednar, DVM

Director of Animal Medicine

Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc.

Under the Watchful Eye!

Recently, I was putting the finishing touches on a new batch of Meow Mice and realized that Meow Mice's chief product tester, LK was undercover doing an impromptu inspection!  I offered LK  some catnip and the mice and catnip passed!  It wasn't really a bribe the quality of the catnip needs to be tested....my new catnip is now ORGANIC and approved by LK.  I'm sure your cat will love it, too. To find out go to www.meowmice.com

Okay, I'm not really here.  Just checking out the new catnip mice!

Looking Good!

Looking Sleepy!  The catnip and mice passed.  My work here is done!