Lincoln State Cat Club

Fond of Ferals?

2008-05-20T14:55:00.001-06:00

The Pet Blog has a great post on where to find help with trap/neuter/release programs for dealing with feral cat populations. Read the whole thing!

Giggle of the Day

2008-04-29T12:02:00.000-06:00

see more crazy cat pics

Warning!

2008-04-25T16:13:00.001-06:00

Make sure you hide the Gorilla glue from your kids and your pets. Yikes!

It Takes All Kinds

2008-04-22T12:09:00.003-06:00

I find this form of pet memorial more than a little bit odd. There's something for everyone, I guess.

Given my 'druthers, however, I'd be more likely to take the $75 dollars and drop it on any one of the friends of Lincoln State Cat Club over in the blogroll to the left...

Who Knew...

2008-04-22T12:08:00.000-06:00

... that His Holiness is a cat lover? Sweet.

America Overrun By Cats?

2008-04-17T14:34:00.002-06:00

According to this Fox News article,

U.S. streets could soon be overrun with cats if communities fail to get a handle on growing feline populations, a veterinary medicine researcher says.
The problem is growing numbers of not just strays, but also other free-roaming pet cats. The strays are likely to go unneutered or unspayed, and therefore to reproduce like mad.

On top of that, though, more than 38 million households own an estimated 88 million cats — that's about one cat for every 3.5 Americans.

Those that aren't "fixed" often can and do still wander freely outdoors or get lost and make kittens.

• Click here to visit FOXNews.com's Natural Science Center.

Fertile female cats produce an average of two litters of four to six kittens per year. As a result, up to 5 million U.S. cats are euthanized in shelters each year, according to estimates by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

If you have a problem with feral cat colonies in your area, search out a Trap/Neuter/Release program to help alleviate the problem.

Here are Lord's tips for owners nationwide: Make sure pet cats, along with those you feed but don't own, are spayed and neutered. Be willing to support ways to work with local government, veterinary groups and shelters to figure out how to address the problem of free-roaming cats.

"It gets very emotional, but I think groups have to work together to recognize there is not one solution that is going to work in every community," Lord told LiveScience.

"Some of it is elevating the status of cats," she said.

They are less likely to be tagged or carry other ID markers.

They are hardly ever reunified with owners, if lost, and "they get less veterinary care, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association," she said. "Vet visits for cats is lower than that for dogs, the frequency of going. Is that because they are healthier? I'm not sure we can make that assumption."

Spay. Neuter. Keep your cat inside. It's the healthiest thing for them AND for you.

For Grins and Giggles

2008-04-16T10:31:00.001-06:00

An Engineer's Guide to Cats:

Too funny!

From the Bookshelf

2008-04-11T15:58:00.004-06:00

I just received an email from Quasi, announcing his new book, "The World Is Your Litter Box." Order your copy here.

Quasi assures me your cat will thank you!

Vendors

2008-03-18T13:04:00.003-06:00

The 2008 Lincoln State show was a Royal Canin lead show.

They provided loads of educational materials...

... swag bags for breeders containing diet scale, kitten information packets for new owners and more...

... a symposium on feline nutrition (with a four-book set of feline encyclopedias for participants!)...

... and goodies for your best feline friend, too.

Lincoln State Cat Club was proud to be chosen to be a Royal Canin lead show, and we hope to partner with them next year, too.

Tidbits From Around the Net

2008-03-18T12:57:00.002-06:00

Interested in the problem of feral cats? Here's a blog dedicated entirely to news surrounding the issue. Whether feral cats are part of your problem or you want to be a part of their solution, this is the place to check frequently.

(h/t Pet's Garden Blog.)
_____

The Pet Blog has an excellent post on puppy mills here. Keep in mind that each and ever word written there applies equally to kitten mills.

An appealing face makes an impulse purchase of a pet an easy thing to do. Be smarter than that. Do your homework.

Cool Training Tool?

2008-03-10T15:12:00.002-06:00

Here's an interesting cat training tool. I'd be interested in feedback from anyone who's used ssscat.

Scenes from the Show - 2008

2008-03-07T16:49:00.003-06:00

Lovely calico Selkirk Rex.

A gorgeous Ragdoll.

Show Manager Gene Baturin with Russian Blue "Buck."

In Memorium

2008-03-06T10:07:00.001-06:00

Grand Champion Galidorn's Marilyn Monrex of Woodsprite

May 5, 1991 - March 5, 2008

After almost seventeen years, my favorite traveling companion and best bed buddy left me for the final journey she had to do on her own, and crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I've been through a lot of changes in 17 years. The Divine Miss Marilyn has been my only constant.

She wasn't the kitten I was supposed to get. Good friend Deborah Kane of Galidorn Devon Rex offered me a lovely calico kitten to use as a foundation for my own breeding program. (CH) Galidorn's Barbara Gordon of Woodsprite ("Babs") was cute, spunky and personable... BUT... when I laid eyes on her litter sister, The Divine Miss Marilyn, I was completely, truly, hopelessly smitten.

Yes, I took both girls home. Marilyn, however, was the only cat or kitten I ever promised would never leave my home.

Equal parts ditziness and intense concentration, one minute she'd look at you like she'd never seen you before, and the next she'd be on your chest, patting at your face trying to get your attention. No matter how many times you could set her down, she'd pop right back up and persistently push her way into your attention. Then, when she'd had enough, she'd wander off, but toss questions and comments over her shoulder as she ambled from room to room.

Like all true divas, the Divine Miss Marilyn had a full actress's range of volume, tone, and vibrato -- everything from whispered "meffs" to sweet-voiced queries to full-throated, Marlena Dietrich moans, to outboard motor purrs that could be heard across the room.

I kept my promise.

I miss her terribly already. I wish I could do this tribute better. Maybe later, when it doesn't hurt this much.
_____

If any of you are in the memorial spirit, I would request that donations go the Morris Animal Foundation.

Morris Animal Foundation

2008-03-03T15:14:00.001-06:00

PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR YOUR PETS, KEY INFORMATION EVERY PET OWNER SHOULD KNOW –LIVE WEBCAST TO PET OWNERS, MARCH 13, 8:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. (EST) VIA MORRIS ANIMAL FOUNDATION

World-Renowned Pain Management Expert Robin Downing, DVM, Will Conduct Webcast For Pet Owners, Covering All Aspects Related to Pets and Pain

DENVER, March 3, 2008: Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) will sponsor a live webcast for pet owners on pain management for their pets on March 13, 2008, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). The live webcast will cover all aspects of pain management, including common causes of pain, overlooked hidden causes of pain, anticipating and avoiding pain in your pets, communicating with your veterinarian and how to ask the right questions. Participate in the webcast at: www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org/livechat. In addition, a webcast on pet pain directed to veterinarians takes place from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST. Both webcasts will be available indefinitely for global audiences on a non-live basis at the webcast address.

Leading this webcast will be Robin Downing, DVM, a MAF Trustee and one of the world's leading experts on pain in animals. In 2005, Dr. Downing became the third veterinarian in the world to acquire diplomate credential from the American Academy of Pain Management. As of today, fewer than a dozen veterinarians worldwide hold this credential. Dr. Downing is founder and past president of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management and was co-chair of the task force that authored the "2007 AAHA/AAFP Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats." In 2006 she opened The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management, LLC, the only comprehensive pain management and pain prevention practice for pets in Northern Colorado. Contributing to the discussion will be Patricia Olson, DVM, Ph.D., president and CEO of Morris Animal Foundation. For more information, contact: Michael Burke, mburke@morrisanimalfoundation.org.

About Morris Animal Foundation: Morris Animal Foundation, established in 1948, is dedicated to funding research that protects, treats and cures companion animals and wildlife. MAF has been at the forefront of funding breakthrough research studies benefiting animals in some 100 countries, spanning all seven continents on Earth. MAF has its headquarters in Denver, Colorado. The Foundation has funded nearly 1,400 humane animal health studies with funds totaling more than $51 million. One hundred percent of annual donations go to fund health study programs. For more information, call (800) 243-2345, or visit www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org.

Scenes from the Show - 2008

2008-02-29T16:35:00.003-06:00

What's got these kids so rapt?

Funny looking cats that they can actually pet...

... and cuddle with!

Breed booths -- the Cornish Rex one was particularly popular.
_____

Don't forget The Friday Ark is up over at The Modulator. In addition:

Carnival of the Cats which goes up every Sunday
- the 206th edition, 2/24, is up at House of (Mostly) Black Cats
- The 207th edition, 3/2, will be hosted at Momma Grace & Company
Weekend Cat Blogging which goes up every weekend

The 142nd edition, 2/23-2/24, is up at Bad Kitty Cats
The 143rd edition, 3/1-2, will be hosted by Mind of Mog

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos which goes up every weekend

The 33rd edition, 2/24, is up at Mind of Mog
The 34th edition, 3/2, will be hosted by Tusedo Gang Hideout

Vendors

2008-02-25T17:31:00.006-06:00

I just added links to all our marvelous vendors to the blogroll, and will feature photos of all of them throughout the year.

These cool beds come from Teri's Catz & More. They practically flew out the door!

See what you missed?

Carnival Time!

2008-02-22T15:33:00.001-06:00

The Friday Ark is up at the Modulator. Loads and loads of critter goodness.

Also don't forget:

Carnival of the Cats which goes up every Sunday
- the 205th edition, 2/17, is up at Mind of Mog
- The 206th edition, 2/24, will be hosted at House of (Mostly) Black Cats
Weekend Cat Blogging which goes up every weekend

The 141st edition, 2/16-2/17, is up at Life From A Cat's Perpective
The 142nd edition, 2/23-24, will be hosted by Bad Kitty Cats

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos which goes up every weekend

The 32nd edition, 2/17, is up at Bad Kitty Cats Journal
The 33rd edition, 2/24, will be hosted by Mind of Mog

From the Daily Southtown

2008-02-22T15:26:00.000-06:00

Cat lovers pack Oak Lawn Pavilion

February 21, 2008

By Nathaniel Zimmer, Staff Writer

Nearly 1,700 feline fanciers walked through the doors of the Oak Lawn Pavilion over the weekend to contemplate the kitties gathered for the Lincoln State Cat Club's 48th annual All Breed Cat Show.

More than 160 cats representing 21 breeds were entered in the show, which has been held at the pavilion the past three years running. Visitors got a look at long-tailed Maine coons, the nearly tailless Japanese Bobtail, the curly-coated Selkirk Rex and the big-eared Abyssinian, familiar from Egyptian art.

Hairless Sphynxs, wild-looking but thoroughly domesticated spotted Ocicats and ultra-fluffy Persians were among the most popular cats with the crowds.

Not every cat on hand was a purebred: one competition category is reserved for ordinary mixed-breed house cats, so long as they're neutered if over eight months old, have their claws and are "well-groomed, healthy and don't eat the judge," said Dayle Marsh, vice president of the club and a breeder of Russian Blues.

Veterinarians were present to answer questions. Breeders advertised their work from booths. A raffle and silent auction raised money.

"We're more than just a cat show," Marsh said. "Our bylaws basically state that we are to promote the purebred cat and to educate the public on proper cat care and welfare. Basically our cat show is a means of doing that."

Proceeds from past shows have helped to fund studies of feline respiratory diseases, asthma, heart ailments and, most recently, the mapping of the feline genome, according to Marsh.

Unlike in a dog show, there is no single best-in-show winner at cat shows like Lincoln's, which is licensed by the national Cat Fanciers' Association. Instead, each judge picks their own top kitty. A female Russian Blue and a chocolate-spotted Ocicat were among those that took a top prize.

And while canine shows feature a trot around the ring, less amenable felines are simply lifted from their cages and evaluated by a judge on a range of qualities, with points being allotted for everything from eye-shape to paw-pad color.

Marsh said one thing unites cat lovers. "We're all crazy," she laughed. "Not all the cats are in cages."

Nathaniel Zimmer can be reached at (708) 633-5994 or nzimmer@southtownstar.com.

Scenes from the Show - 2008

2008-02-22T14:40:00.005-06:00

Lovely, lovely Tonkinese!

You don't find this eye color...

... in any other breed!

(Click on photos to embiggen.)
_____

P.S. -- Click here to help provide free food and care for rescued cats and dogs. Stop by daily. Every click counts!

(Via Grouchy Old Cripple.)

It's Coming!

2008-02-18T17:00:00.000-06:00

Lincoln State Cat Club's 48th Annual Allbreed Cat Show takes place February 16th and 17th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Oak Lawn Pavilion. Click here for $1 off the regular $7 admission.

What'll you see at the cat show?

Judging!

Cat goodies for your home...

... for your cat...

... for gifts!

Feline agility trials.

Breed booths offering loads of information about...

... different breeds' personalities and grooming requirements.

More judging!

Join us, won't you?

PSA

2008-02-12T14:10:00.000-06:00

Received today from Morris Animal Foundation:

The Blue Buffalo Foundation for Cancer Research – Sponsors Six Morris Animal Foundation Cancer Studies

Media Contact:
Michael Burke, Morris Animal Foundation
303-790-2345
mburke@morrisanimalfoundation.org

Denver, February 12, 2008:The Blue Buffalo Foundation for Cancer Research, www.petcancerawareness.com, a Connecticut-based organization dedicated to raising awareness for canine and feline cancer, has made a generous donation to Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) in the nonprofit's global effort to cure canine cancer and prevent feline cancer. The Blue Buffalo Foundation has provided financial sponsorship for two important feline cancer research studies and four important canine cancer research studies. The MAF Canine Cancer Campaign is seeking to prevent canine cancer, while immediately seeking treatment advancements to help dogs suffering from cancer today. Learn more and donate to the campaign at www.CureCanineCancer.org or www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org.

"When our beloved dog Blue had his last bout with cancer, we realized there was a need to direct more resources toward animal cancer research and prevention," states David Petrie, co-founder and president of The Blue Buffalo Foundation. "We started the Blue Buffalo Co. (www.bluebuff.com), a healthy and holistic natural food for dogs and cats, and then created our charitable arm, the Blue Buffalo Foundation for Cancer Research. We felt that the thorough and selective process Morris Animal Foundation has in place to choose and oversee health studies, in combination with their proven commitment to animal health, made them an ideal and like-minded partner for us."

Petrie believes that supporting canine and feline cancer research is an investment in the future of all animals, and his Foundation will continue to support Morris Animal Foundation in this important work. For a complete list of studies or to find out how to sponsor a study, please visit www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org/studies or call 800-243-2345.

About Morris Animal Foundation: Morris Animal Foundation, established in 1948, is dedicated to funding research that protects, treats and cures companion animals and wildlife. MAF has been at the forefront of funding breakthrough research studies benefiting animals in some 100 countries, spanning all seven continents on earth. MAF has its headquarters in Denver, Colorado. The Foundation has funded nearly 1,400 humane animal health studies with funds totaling more than $51 million. One hundred percent of annual donations go to fund health study programs. For more information, call (800) 243-2345, or visit www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org.

This and That

2008-02-01T15:42:00.000-06:00

There were a couple of neat cat stories over at the Pet Blog:

This cool study tracing the origins of domestic cats via DNA testing... and,
This fun story about one seriously crazy cat!

Chicago's Most Beautiful Cat?

2008-01-28T16:58:00.000-06:00

The Chicago Tribune is hosting Chicago's Most Beautiful Cat Contest.

We here at Lincoln State Cat Club know better, however. The most beautiful cats in Chicago will be found here on the third Saturday and Sunday of every February.

Come join us and see!

That Was Fun!

2008-01-21T15:57:00.000-06:00

Play this game to help feed sheltered cats and dogs. For every question you answer correctly, they'll donate kibbles of food to help feed abandoned pets. The more you play, the more shelter pets they can feed!

Spread the word, won't you?

(Via Julie at The Pet Blog.)

Cats, Cats and More Cats

2008-01-21T15:55:00.000-06:00

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos Tummy Time is being held over at Mind of Mog.

Tons and tons of feline goodness!

2008-01-16T16:28:00.000-06:00

From today's Chicago Tribune:

Up a tree over dead cat's health plan

David Lazarus

Consumer Confidential
January 16, 2008
When Sarah Harper took her cat, Pete, to Banfield, the Pet Hospital, she was encouraged to sign up for one of the company's "optimum wellness plans."

For an enrollment fee of $69.95 and $16.95 in monthly payments, Harper was told, Pete would receive regular vaccinations and exams, as well as discounts on a variety of medical services from the nation's largest chain of veterinary facilities.

"They were talking about 'wellness' and 'healthcare,' " she said. "It seemed like insurance."

It wasn't.

Pete developed epilepsy last year and had to be put to sleep (as they say) in October. Harper subsequently contacted Banfield to terminate Pete's wellness plan. She said she was told she couldn't cancel because she'd agreed to a one-year contract.

So Harper, 29, a Chicago schoolteacher, is now paying $16.95 a month for a dead cat's healthcare.

"Pete was our little guy," she said, the tears starting to flow. "Charging for his healthcare after he's dead? That's just evil."

Banfield says it's all spelled out in the fine print.

"This is an issue we run into once in a while, when a client hasn't read the contract," said Kathy Baumgardner, a Banfield spokeswoman.

Banfield has 655 facilities nationwide, mostly attached to PetSmart pet-supply outlets. The company says it sees an average of 375,000 pets monthly, with about 2 million animals covered by wellness plans.

Banfield sees its wellness plans as a way for pet owners to manage the fixed costs of regular checkups and routine treatments. Payments can be made annually, but the company says most people opt for monthly installments.

"A lot of people couldn't afford everything a pet needs," said Karen Johnson, a vet who also serves as Banfield's vice president and client advocate. "A wellness plan spreads the cost over 12 months of payments."

That sounds straightforward enough, and Banfield's media kit states prominently that "wellness plans are not insurance policies." The materials that consumers see aren't as forthright.

The brochure for Banfield's plans describes the service as "the best preventive care your pet needs to maximize its life."

It lists a wide array of tests and procedures covered by the various plans, which range in price from $11.95 to $29.95 a month. By enrolling, it says, "your pet is on its way to a happier, healthier and longer life!"

There's also no explicit declaration in the customer contract that a wellness plan isn't insurance. But the fine print does make clear that pet owners are on the hook even if a pet goes to that big kennel in the sky.

It says monthly payments could be required "if the total amount of services rendered by Provider prior to cancellation (valued at Provider's full retail prices) exceed the sum of monthly installments retained or recovered by Provider."

That sort of language may sail over the heads of many people.

ConsumerAffairs.com, a popular consumer-advocacy website, includes numerous complaints about Banfield, ranging from overcharging to alleged malpractice. Other sites make clear that the company's wellness plans are often mistaken for insurance.

"My pet was put to sleep due to a terminal illness, and Banfield said I would have to continue to pay the premiums until the end of the contract," one person posted on complaintsboard.com. "Death was not a good reason to discontinue paying the wellness premium."

"SAME THING HERE!" another person replied. "Our puppy got really sick and could not fight the sickness off and passed away the same month we got the wellness plan. They would not let us cancel, or even change the plan to our other dog. We are still paying insurance for a dog we don't have!!!"

Banfield's Johnson said the company was aware of the online complaints.

"It's unfortunate that those are out there," she said. "We have 2 million pets on wellness plans. We take good care of them."

Harper said she received little sympathy when she first contacted Banfield after Pete's death.

"I told them my cat had died and they said I couldn't terminate the contract," she recalled. "I said that my cat was dead and didn't need a wellness plan anymore. They said only that I'd signed a legally binding contract."

At my request, Harper called Banfield back the other day and asked more specifically about why she was still being charged. This time, she was informed that the monthly fees were covering more than $350 in veterinary bills run up during Pete's illness.

"Now I see it's just a payment plan, like buying a car," Harper told me. "That's not how it was originally presented."

She and other pet owners might want to look into the real deal. The country's largest provider of pet coverage is Veterinary Pet Insurance, based in Brea. The company insures about 460,000 pets.

Brian Iannessa, a spokesman for VPI, said policies typically cost $25 to $30 a month -- about the same as a comprehensive Banfield wellness plan -- and reimbursed expenses for most tests and treatments.

If your pet dies, the coverage ends. Period.

"You would notify us that your pet is deceased, and the policy would be terminated a day later," Iannessa said.

Also, unlike Banfield's wellness plans, VPI and similar providers are regulated by the California Department of Insurance.

I related to Iannessa what happened to Harper and the payments she's still making for a dead cat.

There was a brief silence as he considered the situation.

"I can see how that would seem heartless in some pet owners' eyes," Iannessa replied.

Contract terms notwithstanding, it's hard to see it otherwise.

Consumer Confidential runs Wednesdays and Sundays. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.
Copyright © 2008, The Los Angeles Times

Say What?

2007-12-06T14:57:00.000-06:00

Someone is having WAY too much fun with PhotoShop:

Click here to see 'em all.

Cats & Diabetes

2007-12-03T10:55:00.000-06:00

From today's Chicago Tribune:

Cat diabetes growing problem

By Jennifer Mann

McClatchy Newspapers

8:21 AM CST, December 3, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
We're all aware of the alarm sounding and hand-wringing over the ever-increasing numbers of children and adults diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

But we are not alone. The epidemic of diabetes is increasingly afflicting the kitties curled up on our overlarge laps as we have allowed our tabbies to get tubby.

While there is not full agreement as to the causes, in general experts say the soaring rates of diabetes in the pet population -- and cats in particular -- mimic the reasons that it has become epidemic in the people population: increasingly sedentary lifestyles coupled with copious consumption of highly refined foods.

Francis Kallfelz, a professor of veterinary nutrition at Cornell University, confirms that obesity in the pet population is burgeoning.

"The literature shows that there is a huge incidence of overweightness in our pet population that's getting to be a bigger and bigger problem," Kallfelz said. "Just like it is in the case of human beings."

While there is a debate on the cause of the rising numbers of cats with diabetes, one theory gaining traction is that much of the dry cat food is too high in carbohydrates and too low in protein.

University of Missouri-Kansas City biology professor Karen Bame was shocked when she found out her beloved black cat, Rachel, was diabetic.

Her cat's veterinarian, Eliza Sundahl, sat her down and explained that cats, as carnivores, need diets high in protein. "It sort of blew me away because I teach biochemistry, and I had just gotten through with a lecture with my students about diabetes in people and how they should stay away from proteins," Bame said.

But people and cats have vastly different physiologies. People (and dogs) are omnivores -- they'll eat animals and plants. Cats are carnivores, and, left to their own devices, eat other animals.

Bame switched Rachel from a high-carbohydrate kibble food to high-protein canned food. Four months after the switch, 15-pound Rachel went from 3 units of insulin a day to 1 1/2. And while not exactly svelte, she is a much healthier 11 pounds.

"When we first changed her food, she was not terribly happy," Bame said. "Now I buy organic food at Wild Oats that smells horrible. Rachel loves it."

Elizabeth Hodgkins, a vet in Yorba Linda, Calif., falls firmly in the camp of diet as the key to preventing and treating cat diabetes. She administers the www.yourdiabeticcat.com Web site and is the author of the recently published book, "Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life."

Hodgkins, who worked eight years in the pet food industry, thinks feeding cats dry kibbles is analogous to filling children's cereal bowls with sugarfrosted flakes.

She is trying to change attitudes among her colleagues, who she thinks are compassionate pet lovers but fall prey to habits. She contends that treating diabetic cats without making a switch in diets defeats the purpose.

"It's akin to treating a child for lead poisoning while continuing to feed them paint chips," Hodgkins said.

Hodgkins changed her outlook on pet food 10 years ago after her cat, Punkin, became diabetic and she took a close look at what she had been feeding him. Shortly after switching her kitty to a high-protein canned food, her cat was cured of diabetes, she said.

"How in the world did intelligent people miss this?" she asked. "I don't have a good answer for that, because I was part of that group of intelligent people."

Some in the $11 billion U.S. pet food industry have taken notice of the trend.

Deborah Greco, a senior research scientist for Purina, started researching the diabetic diet connection in the late 1990s, eventually helping create a food with a nutritional makeup that mimicked cats eating mice.

The food, which was introduced in 2001 and dubbed "Catkins" by many, is 3 percent carbohydrate, 55 to 60 percent protein and the rest fat.

"All I can say is I keep an individual file of people who have called and e-mailed me thanking me for saving their cats," Greco said.

Kallfelz "wholeheartedly and respectfully" disagrees with the premise that high-carb dry food is the culprit.

"I have seen no published evidence to the effect that feeding cats dry foods is a risk factor for diabetes. To make the leap of faith ... that dry food is causing the problem is not a rational leap of faith," said Kallfelz, a member of the National Pet Food Commission. The commission was formed this year by the trade association, the Pet Food Institute, after the widespread recall of pet food thought to be tainted by ingredients imported from China.

Kallfelz pointed to a recent study from Utrecht University's Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals in the Netherlands, concluding that indoor confinement and inactivity were the biggest contributors to cat diabetes.

Bame's veterinarian Sundahl thinks both viewpoints have validity. She thinks cats need to follow the same medical advice often given their owners -- watch their diet and get more exercise. She is a proponent of getting our fat, lazy cats off the couch.

Our cats would be better served, she said, if we got them up and about, advice she had for her receptionist, Pat Landwehr, whose tuxedo kitty Sparkle is overweight and has diabetes.

Sundahl recommends pet owners move their cat's food bowl every two or three days. Make it hunt in the house. More important, she said, understand and control portions.

Before society turned cats into house-bound pets to protect them from the dangers of the outdoors, they roamed neighborhoods in the cover of dark. Sundahl said that for every 30 to 40 attempts at catching prey, cats scored four or five times. Not only did that supplement their diet, it gave them exercise.

"That's a lot of activity," Sundahl said. "Now, our cats lay on the couch, know where the food bowl is, saunter over, eat and saunter back."

PSA

2007-11-16T16:22:00.001-06:00

PET HEALTH MANUAL, WRITTEN IN EVERYDAY LANGUAGE, AVAILABLE WITH DONATION TO MORRIS ANIMAL FOUNDATION – A PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA

The Merck/Merial Manual For Pet Health, Home Edition is the Complete Health Resource for Your Dog, Cat,Horse and Other Pets – Written in Plain Language

Media Contact:
Michael Burke, Morris Animal Foundation
303-790-2345
mburke@morrisanimalfoundation.org

Denver, Nov. 14, 2007: Here is the perfect gift idea that will not only be invaluable to the pet owner/animal lover on your gift list but also will directly benefit the health of companion animals and wildlife. Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) is offering the new Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health on its Web site: www.morrisanimalfoundation.org. For a minimum $100 donation, MAF will send a complimentary copy of this complete new pet health guide, written in everyday language, to you or the person you identify. This complete pet health resource covers dogs, cats, horses and many other pets. Place your holiday gift order for the pet health manual at www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/merck_book_form as soon as possible for receipt by Christmas. Shipping will take a minimum of seven to 10 days from date of order.

###

About Morris Animal Foundation: Morris Animal Foundation, established in 1948, is dedicated to funding research that protects, treats and cures companion animals and wildlife. MAF has been at the forefront of funding breakthrough research studies benefiting animals in some 100 countries, spanning all seven continents on earth. MAF has its headquarters in Denver, Colorado. The Foundation has funded nearly 1,400 humane animal health studies with funds totaling more than $51 million. One hundred percent of annual donations go to fund health study programs. For more information, call (800) 243-2345, or visit www.morrisanimalfoundation.org.

Friday Cat Blogging

2007-09-07T15:20:00.001-06:00

The Friday Ark is up at the Modulator. Remember to submit your links to the Carnival of the Cats which goes up every Sunday and the 180th edition, 9/3, is up at This Blog Is Full of Crap . The 181st edition will be hosted on 9/9 by Mind of Mog. There are more weekly cats at Weekend Cat Blogging #118 hosted on 9/8-9 by What Did You Eat?

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Have a great weekend, all!

Tummy Tuesdays

2007-08-28T15:02:00.000-06:00

More big cat tummy from Turpentine Creek!
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For more feline tummy goodness (a lot more than you'll see here!), go visit Lisa Violet's place.

Feline Health News

2007-08-28T14:45:00.001-06:00

New Study Reveals Pathology of Feline

Heartworm Disease; Proves Existence of HARD

Auburn, Ala., August 6, 2007 – A landmark study that shows conclusively that heartworms do not need to reach maturity to cause pathology in cats has answered many of the questions surrounding feline heartworm and greatly extended scientific knowledge about the long-misunderstood disease.

Recent efforts by researchers at Auburn University bear out a hypothesis developed through earlier research and confirm fundamental differences in the way heartworms affect cats and dogs. In so doing, these reinforce an emerging consensus that feline heartworm is more insidious than previously thought and underscore the importance of prevention...To read more, visit http://www.knowheartworms.org/newstudyproveshard.asp

(A tip of the cap to Good News For Pets!)

Tummy Tuesdays

2007-08-21T15:00:00.001-06:00

This happy cougar from Turpentine Creek exposes his lovely tummy for maximum sun worship. I hope he's one of the ones who recently got a new habitat!
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For more kitty tummy goodness, head on over to LisaViolet's joint.

Tummy Tuesdays

2007-08-07T15:49:00.000-06:00

Benjamin's brother Raleigh is showing his stuff for Tummy Tuesday! For more yummy tummy goodness, head on over to Lisa Violet's joint and see who else has joined in the fun!

Touched by a Feline Angel?

2007-07-26T14:03:00.000-06:00

''Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one,'' said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.

Go read the whole thing. What a neat story!

iCats?

2007-07-26T13:59:00.000-06:00

Scientists in the Netherlands are endowing a robotic cat with a set of logical rules for emotions. They believe that by introducing emotional variables to the decision-making process, they should be able to create more-natural human and computer interactions.

Call me crazy, but the phrase logical rules for emotions strikes me as an oxymoron.
That does not look like a cat.
I'd rather have interactions with my own very real cat, thank you very much.

Tummy Tuesdays

2007-07-24T10:23:00.000-06:00

Benjamin also provided this week's photo for Tummy Tuesday:

That's one impressive fluffy tummy!
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For more feline tummy goodness, head on over to LisaViolet's joint.

Take the LOLcat Test!

2007-07-23T10:06:00.000-06:00

The Divine Miss Marilyn (a/k/a GRC Galidorn's Marilyn Monrex of Woodsprite) took this test:

Your Score: Cheezburger cat

54% Affectionate, 53% Excitable, 75% Hungry

Sure, you deserve one. You helped popularized lolcats from a running gag to an online sensation. Now mainstream media writes asinine columns on this 'phenomenon', students write theses on the topic, programming languages adopt the grammar, and losers write tests about them on dating sites. Now take your cheezburger and never touch the internets again.

To see all possible results, checka dis.

Link: The Which Lolcat Are You? Test written by GumOtaku on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

She waives politely to SFP at Pages Turned.

Friday Cat Blogging

2007-07-20T13:22:00.001-06:00

Friend of Lincoln State Cat Club Dana Glock sent this photo of Benjamin, the household pet she showed for the first time last February, lounging around at home. Gorgeous boy, isn't he?

Are you an exhibitor or a guest at our annual show and want to show off your beautiful cats? Send photos to catministrator-at-gmail-dot-com. We'd love to showcase them for you!
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In the meantime, don't forget to visit the Friday Ark. Carnival of the Cats goes up every Sunday and the 173rd edition, 7/15, is up at 100 Word Stories Podcast . The 174th edition will be hosted on 7/22 by This Blog Is Full of Crap. There are more weekly cats at Weekend Cat Blogging #111 hosted on 7/21-7/22 by Paulchen's FoodBlog?!

Morris Animal Foundation

2007-07-13T07:28:00.000-06:00

Lincoln State Cat Club proudly supports Morris Animal Foundation. In the latest news from MAF:

Morris Animal Foundation’s VETERINARY STUDENT SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Advancing animal medicine tomorrow depends upon the students in veterinary school today. In 2006 Morris Animal Foundation launched the Veterinary Student Scholars Program. By giving students the opportunity to work on research projects early in their careers, we hope to encourage them to consider a career in research. At our annual meeting in June 2007, 23 student scholars presented their projects. Though originally two prizes of $5,000 were to be given, the projects were so outstanding that an anonymous donor came forward to allow MAF to give out six prizes. Prizes of $500, $1,000 and $5,000 were given to the top three students in the companion animal and wildlife categories.

Congratulations to our 2006 Winners:
The top prize in companion animals, The Ballard Award, went to Steven Friedenberg, a student at Cornell University. Under the mentorship of Dr. Rory Todhunter, Steven studied canine hip dysplasia and identified a potential genetic marker that may be linked to this disease.

The top prize in wildlife, The Ballard Award, went to Sophie E. Knafo, a student at Tufts University who was mentored by Dr. Gretchen Kaufman. Gretchen spent the summer in northern Kenya studying disease transmission from domestic livestock to the endangered Grevy’s zebra.

Second place in companion animals went to Cherlene Delgado at the University of Missouri for her work on treating feline asthma. Third place for companion animals went to Ashley Hill at Mississippi State University for her project on hyperelastosis cutis, a genetic disease of quarter horses.

Larry JB Minter at North Carolina State University received second place in wildlife for his project on cryopreserving (freezing) genetic material for use in assisted reproduction of wild species. Third place went to Laura Stokes-Greene at the Ohio State University for her work in studying infectious disease risks to the highly endangered Sumatran rhinoceros.

Morris Animal Foundation applauds each of the students who participated in the Veterinary Student Scholars program. Their commitment and passion will surely make the world a better place for all animals.

Please follow the link below to the Morris Animal Foundation 2006 Veterinary Student Scholars page on our website.

http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/2006_vss

More information about the Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Student Scholars program is available on our website, http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/scientists
Applications for next year’s awards will be due February 2008.

Join Morris Animal Foundation's online community forum for animal lovers at www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org.

Tootin' the Horn

2007-07-12T09:27:00.001-06:00

The first time I clapped eyes on Kenny and Willie (yes, Willie is the tiger equivalent of a person with Down Syndrome) at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, there were living in a cage with not a lot more than concrete and steel mesh.

Not anymore.

If this video of them taking their first steps into their new habitat doesn't bring a tear to your eye or a lump to your throat, nothing will.

Kudos to the all the folks at Turpentine Creek. Job well done.

Tummy Tuesdays

2007-07-10T08:47:00.001-06:00

Bev Frenzel sends photos of the latest batch of Injoi Oriental Shorthair kittens:

Whaddaya mean we don't all fit in here?

Well, heck -- if you'd have told me Tummy Tuesday was coming, I might have shown a little more belly!

Hey! No peeking at my tummy through the mesh!
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It's Tummy Tuesday over at Lisa Violet's place.

Also, don't forget to check out the Friday Ark at the Modulator, and Carnival of the Cats at Mind of Mog. If that doesn't fill your weekly quota of feline bloggy goodness, I don't know what will!

Declawing

2007-07-05T10:54:00.000-06:00

Last Friday a California appeals court ruled that cities can legally prohibit cat declawing without violating state law.

Read the whole thing.

Feline Roots

2007-07-02T11:59:00.000-06:00

Member Bev Frenzel of Injoi Orientals sent this interesting article on the derivation of today's domestic cats:

Cats' ancestry was traced to five types of wild cats, but that doesn't mean they were domesticated five times, Driscoll said. Rather, these five types managed to interbreed at various times, with the result being Felis silvestris lybica, which appears to be the ancestor of modern house cats.

Go read the whole thing.

Public Service Announcement

2007-06-15T11:51:00.000-06:00

Rachel Lucas has a post up about why all cats should be indoor cats. Admittedly the language is a little colorful -- but she's absolutely right. In fact, the only way your cat should be an outdoor cat is if you live in the country and it is a working animal such as a barn cat... OR... if you do something like this.

There are any number of cat fencing options:

Cat Fence-In
PetSafe has a wide variety of containment options
Affordable Cat Fence
Purr...Fect Fence

Was your pet affected by the Menu Foods tainted pet foods? If so, you may want to join in the class action suit filed against Menu Foods.
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P.S. -- Whatever you do, don't do this. That's disgusting. Stupid, too.

Oooooooooh!

2007-03-27T12:36:00.000-06:00

The Chicago Tribune has a piece on an Italian tour for cat lovers:

Going astray in Italy on a tour for cat lovers

By Mim Swartz
Universal Press Syndicate
Published March 25, 2007

Marco, a large brown tabby cat, stately sits on his haunches outside Venice's Ospedale Civile, welcoming all who come to visit loved ones at this hospital. Is that a smirk on his face, or do I imagine a smug smile when I notice a sign on the door showing a dog in a circle with the slash symbol through it?

Marco is the hospital's official greeter. "It gives people hope when they see him," says Gabriella Sanna, secretary of Dingo, a non-profit organization that helps care for some 500 stray cats in Venice and its islands.

Venice is but one Italian city where numerous gattare (cat ladies) take care of homeless felines and is the first stop on our 12-day "Cats and Culture" tour from Venice to Rome in October's perfect weather.

Venetians' affection for cats dates back centuries because of the feline affinity for rodents. Special Venetian cats even were bred in the 13th Century to go after rats carrying the black plague.

About 40 cats -- gatti, in Italian -- live at Venice's main hospital, which dates from the 15th Century. "The hospital has many mice, so the cats are welcome here," Sanna says.

We start to go inside and I hear a "meow." It's not Marco. I look around. "Oh, that's my camera," says Tammy Greer of Denver, who had just switched on her Pentax. "I bought a new digital camera for this trip, and that sound was one of the options. I thought it would be fun to set it on meow."

How weird is that? And how weird are we? Most of our friends think we are slightly nuts: 10 American women and one spouse, each shelling out $4,000 or more to travel thousands of miles to look at abandoned and stray cats in Italy. Some participants left behind husbands and boyfriends because this wasn't their kind of trip.

We are "ailurophiles," people who are fond of cats. We own almost 50 cats among us, including the 19 cats Donna Stanley has at her Hayward, Calif., home. Even our Italian tour guide, Silvana Sirotic, is a cat person. She has nine cats and has helped neuter 40 strays in the town outside Rome where she lives.

Halfway through the trip, Stanley makes a profound observation: "It's funny. We're 3,000 miles from home, but it seems like we're with family."

Holly Wilson Greene of San Leandro, Calif., is here because she wants to see more of Italy and says if cats are involved, "all the better."

"Besides, I thought maybe I could find a young 'broken' Italian cat, one I could adopt. Two years ago I brought a young blind cat to California from Madrid. I thought another European cat might understand my Spanish guy better than my other broken American cats," says Greene, who has worked in sports medicine and now is studying to become an animal massage therapist.

Greer -- the one with the meow camera -- had never been to Italy.

"Friends laughed and said there probably would be a bunch of crazy cat people on the tour," Greer says. "I wouldn't want to go on a normal tour, with couples and a big bus. I thought this would have a whole different aspect and that I would see things you normally wouldn't see."

Perhaps we are crazy cat people, some of us wearing cat socks, cat earrings and cat nightshirts and carrying luggage with cat I.D. tags. We bring toys and holistic antibiotics for the cats we visit. Of course, we have cat T-shirts: "Books. Cats. Life is good" and "If you can't talk to your cat about catnip, who will?"

And along the way, we buy even more cat stuff: ceramic wall plaques that facetiously warn, "Attenti al Gatto" ("Beware of the Cat"), and a large, can't-live-without tapestry handbag with the face of a cat complete with beaded whiskers.

True, most people don't go to Italy for cats. They go for food, wine, art history and churches. Not that we don't like food (or wine). We set out on a search for the best Italian ice cream and, by the third day, someone suggests the tour's name be changed to "Giatti, Gelato and Culture."

Plus, we do see lots of art and churches along the way -- in magical Venice, with its canals and gondolas; in Padua, home of Europe's second-oldest university; in Florence, the picturesque jewel of Tuscany; in medieval Arezzo, with its Etruscan ruins; in cliff-top Orvieto, reached by elevator, an Italian version of Greece's Santorini without the sea; and in Rome, where some of us catch a glimpse of Pope Benedict XVI celebrating mass in St. Peter's Basilica for a cardinal who had died.

But back to cats. It's not that we can't find strays in our own cities. However, Italy's attitude toward cats is intriguing, with its 1991 law making it illegal to kill healthy stray cats and dogs. Feral and stray cats have the right to remain "free living" and they cannot be removed from the places they have chosen to live.

Elsewhere, sanctuaries have been set up to care for abandoned cats, sometimes dumped when their owners go on vacation, or when a competing baby is born into the family, or when the owners die or become too old to look after their pets.

So, whose idea is this crazy cat tour? Susan Wheeler of San Francisco organized the first tour in 2004 and plans another this October. Wheeler became involved with the respected Torre Argentina cat sanctuary when she lived in Rome in the 1990s and later formed Friends of Roman Cats in San Francisco, of which she is president.

The organization provides money to help spay and neuter homeless Italian cats and sends humane cat traps to Italy that are used to catch homeless cats for spay/neuter. The group also hopes to promote in the United States the no-kill policy and Italy's acceptance of cats.

Acceptance is what we find at the cat places we visit.

"It is wonderful to see people who love cats," says 82-year-old Adela Petrucci, who takes care of the dozen or so cats that live among the tombstones in the cemetery behind the Church of San Miniato a Monte in Florence. "Everyone loves dogs, but it takes a special person to love a cat."

While the cemetery cats roam freely, those in the sanctuaries are more restricted, although they have varying degrees of spaciousness. Some facilities are better than others, but each has caring volunteers, although not enough to give the cats the attention they demand. The most modern is Cinni Rifugio Per Gatti outside Arezzo, where Anglo-Italian vet Dr. Malcolm Holliday spent 14 years and about $500,000 of his own money building this sanctuary.

We get teary-eyed at places like the Dingo sanctuary on Venice's Lido island, where a black-and-white cat plays -- and wants to stay -- inside a carrying case that is being readied for another cat a couple is adopting, and at the Bagno a Ripoli sanctuary in the Tuscan countryside outside Florence, where the entrance sign reads, in Italian, "In memory of Titta and all other cats with no names and with no love."

We have laughs in the Boboli Gardens behind Pitti Palace in Florence, when we follow Tea Vianllo on her cat-feeding rounds, which she has done since 1985. She knows where each cat hides.

She lugs backpacks filled with various food for the 70 stray cats, sometimes cooking special dishes to cater to their whims. She pours them bottled water, of course. Our final cat sanctuary in Rome, Torre Argentina, gives preference to cats that are sick, old or disabled when accepting new animals or promoting adoptions.

Some 250 cats have found refuge from Rome's chaos and traffic below street level among the ruins of four temples, dating from the 4th to 1st Centuries B.C. This also is the site where it is believed Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in 44 B.C.

The shelter is in a cavelike building next to the ruins. It is here where Holly Greene finds Belfagor, a blind cat -- one of several -- and a potential companion for her "Spanish guy."

"I hope to go back to Rome this spring and get him," she says. "The tour turned out to be better than all my expectations. I would do it again, regardless of the cost."

- - -

IF YOU GO

THE TOUR

Friends of Roman Cats plans another "Cats and Culture" tour in October. The date and price are not yet set.

Our tour, last Oct. 5-17, cost $2,825 each, not including airfare, plus a $110-per-person tax-deductible donation to Friends of Roman Cats, which was distributed to the cat sanctuaries we visited. (The sanctuaries get little, if any, funding from government entities.) The hotels were three-star and very nice. Some meals are included; gratuities to the Italian guide, bus driver and local guides in various cities are not included.

Contact Susan Wheeler, president of Friends of Roman Cats, Box 12571, San Francisco, CA 94112; 415-334- 8036.

To see the 2006 itinerary, go to www.friendsofromancats .org.

Some of the cat organizations in Italy have Web sites:

Torre Argentina cat sanctuary in Rome: www.romancats .com.

Pyramid cat shelter in Rome: www.igattidellapiramide.it.

-- M.S.

Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

Tempting! Very tempting.

Friday Cat Blogging

2007-03-23T12:42:00.000-06:00

Top 10 finalists getting their rosettes signed by Judge Mary Auth.

Cat-tested and approved cat trees for sale!

Breathtakingly beautiful!
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Don't forget to stop by...

the Friday Ark at the Modulator;
the Carnival of the Cats, hosted by Scribblings this Sunday evening;
Weekend Cat Blogging at I Got Two Shoes; and,
the Cat Blogosphere.

PSA

2007-03-23T12:41:00.001-06:00

Aloysious reports that seventy-two more pets have died from tainted pet food.

The cause is poison. There's more info here.

If you feed a sliced food in gravy to your cat or dog and you haven't already gone to the Menu Foods website to make sure the stuff on your shelf is not affected, do it right now.

Here's more info, received in an email from the CEO of PetSmart:

Dear Valued PetSmart customer:

As you have probably heard, Menu Foods, a national manufacturer of pet foods, issued a voluntary recall of canned and pouched wet dog and cat food manufactured in two of its facilities between December 2006 and March 2007. Again, this is a recall of a specific type of wet pet food made by Menu Foods. Other wet pet foods and all dry pet food and treats are not impacted by this recall.

Menu Foods initiated the recall after receiving reports that some of its foods may be the cause of reported illnesses and kidney failure in dogs and cats. Menu Foods distributes these products to supermarkets, mass merchandisers and pet specialty stores, including PetSmart®, under a variety of brand names.

Click here to see a complete list of PetSmart products that are part of the recall, as well as their respective UPCs (also referred to as the bar code). The bar code can be found on the product label; the UPC is under the series of bars. As a reminder, the items listed are the only items that PetSmart carries that have been affected by the recall.

In the meantime, we have pulled all recalled products from our store shelves and have a process in place to help ensure they're not restocked or distributed in any way. The brands and products currently on our shelves are considered safe.

If you have purchased any of the recalled items, you should discontinue use immediately. We recommend you contact your vet if you have any concerns that your pet may have been affected. Symptoms may include:

Vomiting (this is usually the first sign)
Refusal to eat
Fatigue
Abnormal increase in water consumption
Abnormal increase in urination

If you're interested in finding out more about what kinds of tests vets recommend to make a diagnosis, click here.

Additionally, if you are looking for a recommendation for your unique pet food needs, please visit our Smart Nutrition Selector on our website. Or, if you need additional assistance while in the store, feel free to ask an associate. If you know of any other pet parents that are in search of more information, please share this with them.

If you have food that is a part of the recall, you can bring it back to PetSmart for a complete refund. Or, we'll exchange your items with any dry food or alternative canned or foiled pouched wet foods that we have in stock.

Please remember, this recall affects only specific wet pet food items. All dry pet food and treats are not impacted by this recall.

We also encourage customers with concerns or questions to contact any of the companies listed below:

Authority – 1-866-738-7375
Award – 1-866-738-7375
Eukanuba – 1-800-882-1591 (www.eukanuba.com)
Grreat Choice – 1-866-738-7375
Hills/Science Diet – 1-800-445-5777 (www.hillspet.com)
Iams – 1-800-882-1591 (www.iams.com)
Menu Foods – 1-866-463-6738 (www.menufoods.com)
Mighty Dog – 1-800-778-7462 (www.purina.com)
Mixables – 1-303-768-8400 (www.varietypetfoods.com)
Nutro – 1-800-833-5330 (www.nutroproducts.com)
Sophisticat – 1-866-738-7375

At PetSmart, we're very concerned pet parents too, and we will do everything in our power to help. Please visit PetSmart.com for the most up-to-date information. If you have any additional questions about the Menu Foods recall, please call our Customer Service line at 1-866-738-7375.

Sincerely,

Philip L. Francis
Chairman & CEO, PetSmart, Inc.

What a mess.

PSA

2007-03-19T12:50:00.001-06:00

If you are a dog or cat owner, please stop and read this important dog food/cat food recall announcement.

Dogs and cats are dying from this. Don't let this happen to your animal because you didn't take a few seconds to read on!

Here's the AP article that came out Saturday:

Dog, Cat Food Recalled After Pet Deaths

Saturday March 17, 7:32 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A major manufacturer of pet foods sold throughout North America under dozens of store names is recalling millions of containers of its products while working to determine what caused kidney failure and some deaths of cats and dogs.

Menu Foods said Saturday it is recalling dog food sold under 46 brands and cat food sold under 37 brands and distributed throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. The pet foods were sold by major retailers, including Wal-Mart, Kroger and Safeway.

A complete list of the recalled products along with product codes, descriptions and production dates is available from the Menu Foods website, . Consumers with questions can also call (866) 895-2708. http://www.menufoods.com/recall

"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.

An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.

The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6.

The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Co., Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson said.

The company said it makes pet food for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Procter & Gamble Co.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.

Menu Foods' three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food made at company plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., Henderson said.

Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness.

"To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product," Henderson said.

The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said.

Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario, Canada.

Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian equivalent of $26 million to $34 million.

Yikes!

Breed Booths

2007-03-09T16:08:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite parts of this show is that there are breed booths where you can get lots of information on a wide variety of breeds. Here are just a few from the 2007 show:

Burmese

Siamese

Egyptian Mau

Cornish Rex

I think the coolest part of the breed booths is that you can actually touch the cats -- not necessarily true of other cats in the show. And you can ask any dumb question you want. People who opt to do a breed booth really do want to educate you!

More Exhibitors

2007-03-02T14:23:00.000-06:00

We looooooove our exhibitors!

Yep. That's a Turkish Angora. Nope. They're not always white. Surprise!

One of the hardest working fund raisers in CFA's Midwest Region, Beth Cassely, and a couple of her lovely Tonkinese.

Club member and entry clerk, Stan, with his beautiful Russian Blue.

Why is this woman smiling? Because her Havana Brown boy just became a Grand Champion!
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Here's the usual good stuff:

The Friday Ark
Get your submissions in to the Carnival of the Cats by 6:00 p.m. Sunday evening*
The Carnival will be hosted this week at Tacjammer.
Furry Friday and Friday Cat Blogging Flickr Groups

We Get Publicity!

2007-03-01T16:25:00.000-06:00

This article just appeared in The Reporter, with the following text:

The Lincoln State Cat Club attracted many a feline lover to its cat show held last weekend at the Community Pavilion, 9401 Oak Park Avenue in Oak Lawn. Vendors sold pet items, pet shelters provided information, cat enthusiasts showcased specific breeds and cat owners entered their felines in judged competitions during the event.

Elle Harper, 3, of Chicago's Mount Greenwood community, gets close and comfy with Doofus, a friendly 3-year-old hairless Majikmoon Sphynx, top.

Barbara Klesman, of Orland Park, shows off 3-year-old Sophie, one of three Seal Point Siamese cats she brought to the show, above left.

Norm Auspitz examines 5-month-old Yanni, a golden Aussie, before awarding prizes to a field of competing cats, above right.

Sometimes the reporters don't know a lot about the subject they're writing about (not at all uncommon when they have to cover a cat show). That "golden Aussie"? It's really an Ocicat, and from the looks of him, the color is actually "tawny," not golden.

That's okay. It's the pictures that get the attention, after all. A big, big "Thank You!" to the Maura Vizza and the rest good folks at The Reporter.

(News content published by The Reporter. Copyright 2007)

Exhibitors

2007-02-26T16:10:00.000-06:00

A brown patched tabby and white American Shorthair and her owner. (Patched tabbies are always girls!)

How can you not fall in love with this gorgeous longhaired Scottish Fold?

Yes -- Maine Coons are immense... and so is their popularity!
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Don't forget to visit this week's Carnival of the Cats at Scribblings!

Coming Events!

2007-02-23T16:15:00.000-06:00

Here's some really good stuff:

The Friday Ark
Get your submissions in to the Carnival of the Cats by 6:00 p.m. Sunday evening*
The Carnival will be hosted this week at Scribblings
Furry Friday and Friday Cat Blogging Flickr Groups

Just go there!

There's More Than Just Judging...

2007-02-23T15:59:00.000-06:00

Our education ring had tons of speakers, including one by this club member, an attorney, who spoke about the laws regarding pets and their owners in the State of Illinois.

Our vendors have the coolest toys...

... and other goodies for cats and for their human pets, too!

Want to learn more about the different breeds recognized by CFA? Stop and visit our breed booths. These folks are here because they really do want to answer your questions!

The newest and most fun event at the show? Feline agility. It's fun to watch... and it's even more fun to do. (I know. I tried it with my friend's HHP. You wouldn't believe how fast that cat picked it up!) Yes, it's just like agility for dogs... only on a much smaller scale.

Saturday, February 18, 2007 Judging

2007-02-22T16:07:00.000-06:00

Larry Adkison examines a beautiful ruddy Somali kitten.

Loretta Baugh plays with a flashy, flashy calico Exotic.

Norman Auspitz checks out the color, pattern and coat texture of this spectacular silver Egyptian Mau.

Wain Harding judging a lovely ruddy Abyssinian in the Premiership class.

Pretty snazzy, huh?

What?

2007-02-21T16:56:00.000-06:00

You expect a cat club blog to have cat pictures? Well, here are some from Saturday, February 17th:

Annette Wilson judging a spunky household pet.

Judge Paul Patton checks out the body and boning on this gorgeous Ragdoll.

Believe it or not, this stunning cream Persian is over 10 years old!

Judge Liz Watson, who owns Sphynx herself, gives this one a thorough inspection.

Judge Mary Auth checks out the grooming on this longhaired household pet.

Welcome!

2007-02-21T11:52:00.000-06:00

Lincoln State Cat Club is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising the profile of pedigreed cats, feline health and welfare, and educating the cat-loving public in these areas.

As part of that mission, we host the most prestigious cat show in the Midwest Region every year on the third Saturday and Sunday of February. In addition to judging of pedigreed cats and household pets, we host breed booths, an education ring, a wide variety of vendors with cat-related products, and, new this year, a feline agility event.

At our 2007 show, we raised over $800 to be donated to The Ricky Fund for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy research with our raffle alone. All profits from the show are donated to groups such as Morris Animal Foundation, Winn Feline Foundation, Anti-Cruelty Society, CFA's Disaster Relief program and more.

We're proud to welcome you to our weblog!