Again, for the second day of 2009 I wanted to share another wonderful poem by my friend Bridget Hanley on Cats.  You can find more of Bridget's poetry on www.bridgethanley.com.

Cats

Five thousand years ago,
humans domesticated cats
by accident.  It just happened,
after years of putting out food
so cats would catch rats
near the granaries. 

Later, an Egyptian pharaoh coveted
all the cats in the land for his own use. 
But they were so plentiful and loved,
he could not gather them all.  Instead,
he deemed them demigods,
lower than he in status,
yet higher than a commoner. 
He decreed them to be his property
and allowed the people to care for these little gods.

Anyone who killed a cat was sentenced to death. 
If a house caught fire, cats were rescued first. 
When they died, people mourned in public
and shaved their eyebrows.

Mohamed was said to have loved his cats so much,
when one was sleeping on his arm, he cut off his sleeve
so he could move without disturbing it. Emperors
of China received them as sacred gifts. 

Despite such cherishment, in the Middle Ages
they were reviled as offspring of the devil
and carriers of the plague.  After much bad press
from churches in Europe, they came close
to extinction in the fourteen hundreds. 

But now those days are long past
and cats continue
to walk on soft paws
and let their glowing eyes look
directly into souls.

Pets Prodcuts Review - Catswell VitaKitty Chicken Brest treats

My cat Stinky is notoriously finicky when it comes to food, especially cat treats.  We've tried nearly every treat we run into, and always searching for more.  This week's trial was with a company I've reviewed before Catswell.  They have a unique treat that looks like small moist and meaty strips of succulent chicken Breast.  It goes by the name VitaKitty. 

I couldn't wait to try this treat, because its more than a treat, its a supplemented nutritional food item that is packed with flaxseed oil, vitamins and vitamin E to help maintain eyes, skin and coat.  The concept of combining reward with healthy nutrition always appeals to me.  To boot, I know the that Catswell assures that no hormones, antibiotics, fillers or byproducts are used.

Unfortunately, Stinky did not care for this treat.  I tried over three days, and each time he rejected it.  But hey, that is only my cat.  My dog Champ, he loved them.  Try them with your cat first.  Go to www.catswell.com for information and to order.  If you don't see them in your local store, contact the website and have a sample sent to you.  At $3.99 for 2oz, you want to be somewhat frugel.

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Pet Products Review - Jet Blue - Jet Paws Pet Airline Travel Program

If you've been reading my blog, you will have figured out by now my two passions in life are my pets and traveling.  I swear every single last dollar goes to either the pets or travel.  To combine the two is wonderful.  That's why I applaud Jet Blue.  They're making it easy, safe and rewarding to travel with your pet.

JetBlue Airways just today announced the Jet Paws program as an "in-cabin", yes "in cabin" program that lets you and your jetset small cat or dog travel in style. 

Best of all, your pet earns travel points.  So, now when my friend Soo Jin brings her Yorkie named Chanel to visit me in New York, both Soo Jin and Chanel earn points.  Who can pass up double miles???? Not me, it just makes dog-gone sense.  After all earning more points was the driving factor in which Jet Paws was built on.

Go to http://jetblue.com/jetpaws  for more information.  There you will find a comprehensive Pet Travel Guide along with a Pet Travel Checklist.  Read both! And while you're there, up load a picture of your pet for the JetBlue Pet Look-Alike photo contest. 

To complete the ensemble of travel, and luxury, Jet Blue is working with famous New York Post celebrity columnist Cindy Adams to design the Jet Paws travel carrier and ammenities kit. 

Please keep in mind that inorder for a program like Jet Paws to work Jet Blue has to set up some rules to make the experience for all travelers a smooth ride.

Here are some of the JetBlue limitations:

• JetBlue accepts up to four small cats or dogs in the cabin of the aircraft on both domestic and international flights.
• The combined weight of the pet and carrier may not exceed 20 pounds.
• Only one pet is allowed per customer and the pet carrier does count as one personal carry-on item.
• For the safety and comfort of all customers, pets must remain in the closed carrier at the airport and in-flight for the entire duration of the trip.
• To book a pet, customers must call the reservations team at 1-800-JETBLUE.

Happy travels!  Send me comments on how your trip went!  Pictures too!

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et Products Review - PAWZ, Natural Rubber, Waterproof Dog Boots

Well, its winter here on the east coast, and today, New York City had over 8 inches of snow.  My dog Champ simply loves the snow.  He plays and frolicks and digs.  He is truly at his happiest when he is in the snow.  But this does cause concern for me, because all of the harsh chemicals and salts that they put on our city streets are very unhealthy for dogs.

I've tried every boot imaginable, and the only one I've found that works is PAWS all natural rubber and water.  The PAWZ boots are like balloon bladders.  They simply slip over your dogs paws and away he goes.  They are such cute little booties.  They remind me of the rubber nose Rudolph wore to hide his nose.  People stop and stare they are so adorable.

PAWZ boots are disposable but can be used time and time again.  1 package will last a whole season.  Its nice when you can actually throw away a doggie boot rather than lose one.  PAWZ boots stay on.  The package comes with 12 boots. When one wears out, you simply toss it. Plus, they come in sizes, so you know the boots you buy actually do fit your dog.  Not to mention the snappy colors.

PAWZ are not just for winter, they protect angainst harmful elements all year long.  Here are some of the baddies they keep off your pets paws:
Ice, Lawn Chemicals, Salt, Liquid Chloride, Snow, Fire Ants, Pool Liner Tears, Mud, Clay, Pad Rashes, Post-Surgical Infection, Post-Grooming Dirt, Hot Pavement, and solves traction control problems.

My recommendation always keep a package of PAWZ dog boots in the house.  I bought my PAWZ at Spoil Brats in New York, but go to www.pawzdogboots.com for a retailer near you.

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Pet Products Review - Flush Puppies

Flush Puppies?  What are they? new shoes? a stuffed doll?  No! they are a genius new green product that I came across.  Started by 3 very smart University of Florida students, who all have concern, not just for the environment, but keeping their neighborhood and play areas clean and bacteria free, the Flush Puppies team created bags to pick up your dog's poop.  Sounds like your average sandwich bag, except Flush Puppies bags are completely water-soluble, so dog droppings can be flushed down the toilet.  While leaving dog poop on the ground, or even throwing it in the trash, can allow its harmful bacteria and parasites to seep into the groundwater, Flush Puppies gives dog-owners a cleaner option. Dog poop can now be processed the same way as human waste – by utilizing the toilet and sewage system,
not the landfill

Think about it, why should the poor sanitation guys have to deal with our dog's smelly poop all day? For their consideration here is a way to improve their lives.  Also, what if you're walking in a park or a more romote street, clean up after your dog, and bring it home.  Plus, its great for accidents in the house or your apartment building.  Every house should have a box of Flush Puppies.

Flush Puppies is a biodegradable, water soluble, uniquely flushable pet waste disposal bag. Designed for responsible dog owners and environmentally conscious consumers, Flush Puppies means a cleaner neighborhood and a leaner landfill is just one flush away. For more information, or to purchase the
bags, head to www.flushpuppies.com.

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