Dear
Happy New Year
Well, it is the beginning of another year, and we hope that this new year brings us some kittens that meet our expectations and those of everyone that has been waiting so patiently. Now that the new year is upon us, the days will start to get longer, and our girls will start to cycle again!
Since it snowed over the Christmas week, including this past weekend, I asked John to take some pictures of our outside critters in the snow, and he obliged like he always does. Brrrr!
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This picture is taken out in our barn area under the overhang by the door that goes into the room that the barn cats get fed out of (it used to be where bales of hay were stored before all the farmers went to the big round bales). Pictured from left to right are DD, Alley, and one of the barn cats (peeking out from the hole in the door). DD is one of our guinea hens that we got earlier this year (along with 14 others). For some reason the others do not like DD, so she hangs out with Alley, our Alpine goat. It is sad to see the other guineas chase DD off, but she/he seems happy to be Alley's friend and Alley lets her/him sleep with her. So, in the grand scheme of things, it works!
This picture is of Henry (our male peacock) and some of the guinea hens. They like to roost on the fence, and as you can see, it sure is winter here in central Ohio. Why they would choose to go out in the cold instead of roosting in their hen house where it is warm is beyond me......
Stay warm, and John and I wish you a great New Year!
Announcement
A reminder that we have a Facebook page and click on the "LIKE" button to stay up-to-date on the goings on here.
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Cat Emergency First Aid Kit
By: Susan MacArthur
You never know when an accident will happen or an emergency involving your cat, keeping a cat emergency kit at your home is a good idea. You can put a first aid kit together yourself and buy the items separately or buy one ready-made. If you make one yourself, use a small plastic tub with a tight fitting lid to store the following items:
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Eye Infections (Conjunctivitis) in Cats
By: Susan MacArthur
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation or infection of the conjunctiva (the tissue lining the eyelids and attaching to the eyeball near the cornea). This area becomes irritated due to allergies induced by pollens, grasses, etc. or from infections caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi. If the white portion of the eye is also inflamed this is sometimes referred to as "pink eye". Conjunctivitis is the most common ailment affecting the eye of the cat.
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Hello Susan:
We are submitting a photograph in memory of our tortie, Willow. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge six years ago this coming March, just before her 14th birthday.
Our precious Willow was cherished; a beloved dear heart, and a tranquil, gentle soul.
The photograph is one of several taken by my husband, Larry. Larry is a retired school teacher who also had worked as a wedding photographer.
Thank-you for considering Willow as a Pelaqita newsletter “Cat of the Month.”
Pat and Larry
Rochester Hills, MI
Cat Name: Willow
Breed: Persian
Color: Tortie
DOB: March 28, 1993
Send Us Those Cat Pictures
Does your cat do something that you think nobody would believe unless they saw a picture of it? Send us that picture. Is your cat having a love affair with another species? Send us the picture. Is your cat the life of any gathering? Send us the picture. You get the idea. We thought it would be fun to show a Cat of the Month photo every month which will be posted in our newsletter. If you submit a picture, please include your full name (this information is just for us and will not be shared), the name, age or date of birth, color, and breed of your cat. If there are other animals in the picture, please let us know who or what is appearing with your cat. You MUST be the owner of the picture in order to submit the picture to us. The cat does NOT need to be a Persian cat, nor does it have to be a purebred. We just want to make this fun.
Send the pictures to: susan@pelaqitapersians.com
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Featured Persian Color
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Blue Smoke Persian Cat
The Cat Fanciers' Association Persian cat breed standard for the Blue Smoke:
Undercoat white, deeply tipped with blue. Cat in repose appears blue. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Face, legs and tail, blue with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. White frill and ear tufts.
Nose leather: blue.
Paw pads: blue.
Eye color: brilliant copper.
The Blue Smoke is in the CFA Shaded and Smoke Color division.
The photographer is the world renowned animal photographer, Richard Katris:
Chanan.
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Did You Know?
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A cat has a total of 24 whiskers; 4 rows of whiskers on each side. The upper two rows can move independently of the bottom two rows. A cat uses it whiskers to measure distances/width. The whiskers of a cat are capable of registering very small changes in air pressure. The individual positioning of each whisker is unique to all cats - they are like fingerprints. Whiskers allow cats to "feel" their way in extreme dark and sense space, and when the whiskers are fully erect they are nearly equal to the cats' body width - it allows the cat to judge whether a space or passage is too narrow for them. Whiskers can also indicate cat behavior. Erect, forward pointing whiskers indicate that the cat is excited, animated. Whereas laid back whiskers are often seen in resting, defensive conditions!
Working like a filter and moisturizer, a third eyelid, also called a haw, is in the corner of the eye.
Cream Puff lived for 38 years and 3 days. The Austin, Texas owner also owned the previous old-timer of record - Granpa Rexs Allen, a Sphynx, who lived to the age of 34 years, 2 months.
When you see a one-eyed cat, spit on your thumb, stamp it in the palm of your hand, and make a wish. The wish will come true -
American superstition.
"Cats are oppressed, dogs terrify them. Landladies starve them, boys stone them, everybody speaks of them with contempt. If they were human beings, we could talk of the oppressors with a studied violence, add our strength to theirs, even organize the oppressed and like good politicians sell our charity for power." ~ William Butler Yeats,
A Vision
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Litter Box
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Due to the lack of daylight hours, it may be a few weeks (4 or more) before any of our girls come back into season.
Check out our
Facebook page for up-to-date news.
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