Book Review: Prancie’s Prayer by Ellen J. Pilch Illustrated by Nicolas Peruzzo

Prancie's Prayer by Ellen J. Pilch Illustrated by Nicolas Peruzzo

By now all of our readers know that we here at McClendon Villa are animal lovers. That is why we love Prancie's Prayer by Ellen J. Pilch, which was illustrated by Nicolas Peruzzo. It is such a wonderful story. It shows that animals are part of the Kingdom, too.

This story is Christian-based. It takes place around Christmas, so it would make a wonderful Christmas present, or early Christmas present, for your kids.

This very heartwarming story is extremely well-written and the illustrations are magnificent. We give it all five stars and a can of tuna. You are looking for a great gift for your young child. You could not do better than Prancie's Prayer.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.



Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

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Book Review: Doodled Cats: Dozens of Clever Doodling Exercises & Ideas for Cat People by Gemma Correll

Doodled Cats: Dozens of Clever Doodling Exercises & Ideas for Cat People by Gemma Correll
 



Doodled Cats: Dozens of Clever Doodling Exercises & Ideas for Cat People by Gemma Correll is a cute little book about ways to draw cats. The book is divided into four sections. Part 1 is All About Cats and has fun-fact type information, including 20 Signs You’re a Cat Person. This had us really laughing!

Part 2 gives us step-by-step instructions on how to doodle a cat. The examples are very basic and we think most folks will be able to follow their examples and make some really cute cat doodles.

Part 3 is like a kitty fashion show in that it shows doodled cats in various hats and outfits to help inspire you in your own doodling.

Part 4 is a template section to help you get started with your own doodles. Doodled Cats is a fun little book. There are 160 pages, but it is a very short and funny book. We think that it will bring a smile to the faces of most cat lovers out there.

And, for you dog lovers, they also have a dog version called Doodled Dogs!

Both are available for pre-order right now on Amazon.com. Release date is 26 June 2018.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.  

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

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Book Review: My Pet Peeve by Renée Rodgers Barstack

My Pet Peeve by Renée Rodgers Barstack

Many of our readers on our How To Manage Your Monkey blog love children’s books about cats. This is one they should add to their collection.

My Pet Peeve by Renée Rodgers Barstack is a sweet, short story about a little girl who really wants a kitty. How she goes about getting one is priceless.

This book is very colorfully illustrated and should capture the imagination of most young children. We give it all five stars.

If you have a young reader or soon to be reader, you really should add My Pet Peeve by Renée Rodgers Barstack to your bookshelf. Oh, plan to read it again and again to those little ones who love animals.


We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.  

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Book Review: Purrfection: How to Achieve Balance and Happiness Through Your Cat by Sophie Macheteau

Purrfection: How to Achieve Balance and Happiness Through Your Cat by Sophie Macheteau  

Available 28 April 2018 

Most cat-lovers will enjoy Purrfection: How to Achieve Balance and Happiness Through Your Cat by Sophie Macheteau. 

This book has a lot of information about all things cat. Readers will find a little cat history, cat trivia, and even how to understand a little of what their cats are saying. 

Some parts of the book might seem like one big advertisement for different cat-related items. However, the links provided do not appear to be affiliate links. Therefore, it appears that the author’s sole intention is to inform readers about different cat merchandise. 

If you are a cat person, you will love Purrfection. If you are not, you might understand cat people a little bit better. 



We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Instagram Today

Martha, the Grand-Kitty. Photo Taken 11 March 2018. Martha is so very fluffy. He’s a really sweet kitty. Yes, I said “he”. Our youngest daughter, his mommy, has quite an interesting sense of humor.😊

via Instagram

Press Release: National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day

You're taking me WHERE?

PetPace urges cat owners to celebrate National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day    

                       

                       

BURLINGTON, Mass. – Tuesday is National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day and PetPace, the provider of innovative health monitoring technology for pets, is encouraging cat owners to take a more active role in their pet’s health.

                       

More than half of U.S. cats do not receive preventative veterinary care each year, according to a 2013 study conducted by Bayer HealthCare and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Attributed causes for the lack of regular feline veterinary care include, public misconceptions about cat health, the self-sufficient nature of cats and the informal methods cats are commonly acquired.

                       

Additionally, a majority of cat owners reported that their cats become distressed when visiting their veterinarian, and even traveling in a carrier. Because of this, cat owners are often reluctant to take their pet to a veterinary clinic unless their cat displays signs of an illness. However, forgoing annual checkups and vaccinations can have lasting consequences on a cat’s health.

                       

“Cats are extremely good at hiding signs of illness. So, we’re encouraging cat owners to be proactive about in their cat’s health by visiting their family veterinarian this National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day,” said Dr. Asaf Dagan, chief veterinarian at PetPace.

                       

In addition to annual veterinary checkups, there are many other ways to help safeguard your cat’s health. Smart collars from PetPace allow pet owners to track their pet’s vital signs and activity, and can even alert pet owners of potential illnesses affecting their pet.

                       

Pet Pace’s Health Monitoring Solution allows pet owners to track vital signs like temperature, pulse, respiration, plus heart rate variability, activity and calories, and will send alerts to the owner through a smartphone app if any of parameters change and indicate a problem. The idea behind inventing a non-invasive health monitoring smart collar was to quickly identify impending health concerns and monitor existing medical conditions.

                       

In addition to receiving smartphone alerts of impending medical emergencies, PetPace’s mobile application provides an in-depth look into nearly every metric of a pet’s health. Recorded data is displayed in easy to understand graphical interface, making it easy to monitor specific aspects of a pet’s health and wellbeing over time. This feature is especially useful for owners caring for older or sick pets.

                       

“PetPace was designed with both cats and dogs in mind. The device is safe and easy to use right from a smart phone, even when away from home,” said Dagan.

                       

For more information about PetPace or PetPace products, please visit www.petpace.com.

                       

About PetPace

                       

PetPace creates innovative technology that delivers peace of mind to pet owners. Our smart IoT pet collar continuously monitors the wellbeing of elderly, sick, healthy, and at-risk dogs and cats, alerting caregivers remotely and immediately of changes in key health parameters. In the home or in the clinic, PetPace leverages data gathered non-intrusively from on-board passive sensors and advanced cloud-based analytics to keep all pets healthier and happier.

                       

Founded in 2012 and privately-held, PetPace is headquartered in Israel, has a U.S. headquarters in Burlington, MA, and a global sales presence. For more information, please visit www.petpace.com.

Image Source: Pixabay.

Notice: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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National Cat Day

National Cat Day

To celebrate National Cat Day (August 8) Evite is lending a paw to one of LA's most notable homeless kitten nonprofit charities, Kitty Bungalow.

To raise awareness and funds for animal shelters and animal adoption, Evite has created an original video series called The Meowllennials. This comedic and heartwarming video series imagines a world of millennial kittens who dine on acai bowls while drinking rosé and doing yoga. The series travels through some of the most popular Millennial get-togethers while featuring some downright adorable kittens who are all available for adoption.

The first episode of the series is going live TODAY. Check out the series teaser here.

This is a fun, timely and heartwarming story that highlights an important local charity. Kitty Bungalow is the only 100% feral cat socialization facility in Southern California. They’ve also had a pretty rough year (a local contractor stole thousands from them and their charity mascot passed away during a routine procedure).

Kitty Bungalow is one of the many local and national charities Evite users can contribute to using the Evite Donations feature powered by Pledgeling. The Evite Donations tool has garnered over $3 million in charitable contributions since its launch in September 2015.

While Evite’s mission is to bring people together, they also recognize the special bond that a person has when they adopt an animal.  Pets of any kind really allow us to share incredible memories and experiences from one another.

Notice: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Giveaway - Hartz Delectables Squeeze Up Cat Treats

Hi Folks!

Our friend Ellen over at 15 and Meowing is hosting a giveaway of Hartz Delectables Squeeze Up Cat Treats.  The giveaway includes the following great prizes:

1. Cat toys
2. 4 pack of tuna treats
3. 4 pack of chicken treats

Please head over to her post: Hartz Delectables Squeeze Up Cat Treats and make a comment there by Thursday at 9pm EST to be entered into Ellen's giveaway. She will announce the winner on Friday.

Good luck!




Notice: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Rest in Peace, Little Bit

Little Bit ©28 April 2017 Suzanne G. McClendon

I went outside this afternoon to check on Little Bit.  She was going to have babies and I wanted to keep up with when she had them and where.  What I found was not what I wanted to find. 

Little Bit ©12 April 2017 Suzanne G. McClendon

In the vines along the edge of our driveway, I found her lying still.  I was hoping that she was breathing.  She was not.  She and her babies had gone to the Bridge.

Little Bit ©14 January 2017 Suzanne G. McClendon

Just like with Callie, there was only one puncture wound. Callie's was on her chest.  Little Bit's was on her neck.  All we can figure is that it was a snake.  That was the only injury on her.  Any other animal, like those big dogs next door, would have torn her up.

Little Bit ©10 April 2017 Suzanne G. McClendon

Little Bit was a very special kitty. She acted more like a puppy than a kitty.  She came when I called her and followed me everywhere when I was outside.  Her favorite place was twirling around my legs.  She loved to help me take pictures, too.  Her opinion was the best pictures always included a cat face or tail, up close and personal.

Little Bit ©19 November 2016 Suzanne G. McClendon

I'm sure going to miss my Puppy-Cat.

Rest in peace, Little Bit and babies. 

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Complaint Department, Please!

 

Tigger the Neighbor Cat ©1 May 2017 Suzanne G. McClendon

Notice: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Rest in Peace, Sweet Callie

Callie, 16 January 2017

Today, we went out to walk the grand-dogger Petra and to water the tomatoes.  When I went to check on the plants in the backyard, I found our precious Callie had gone on over to the Bridge. :(

Callie in a Kitty Ball, 14 January 2017

There is what appeared to be a single, large fang mark in her chest, so we assume that a snake of some sort got her. We don't know why there isn't a second fang mark, but that isn't important. Our sweet baby is gone.

Callie, 10 February 2016

Rest in peace, Callie.

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A New Bridge Resident

Rest in peace, Bagel Bites. We'll sure miss you. :(

Bagel Bites - April 2013 - December 2016

Please be sure to visit David over at Random Thoughts and Observations.  

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Attention: Cat-Loving Friends!

Hey there, all of you cat-loving folks!  I just read a post that has a really awesome cat story in it that I thought you'd all like to read.

Please head over to the Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss blog to read it!








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Plants Poisonous to Humans, Cats, and Dogs!

Is your yard safe for your human and/or fur babies?

The following graphic 199 Poisonous Plants to Look Out For came from ProFlowers.com .

An Update on Xerxes

We went to visit our Xerxes a little while ago at the vet's office/hospital. He is much improved over yesterday, but not out of the woods yet. We got lots of nuzzles and purrs from him. :)

They gave him a blood transfusion from a girl kitty...I told him that it was okay. He wouldn't turn into a girl. He wasn't impressed!

His hematocrit was at 5 when we took him in and his temperature was 9 degrees lower than it should be. A cat's temp should be 101.5 and his was 92.4. He was one cold baby. He is severely anemic. His platelets were basically non-existent. He was considered bottomed out across the board and pretty much not expected to make it through the afternoon. But, he had a very positive response to the transfusion and has started eating again. Whereas he couldn't even lift his head when we took him in yesterday, he was up sniffing around and being a curious kitty today. He is eating again. Still not a lot, but way more than he has been eating over the last week.

He gets to come home tomorrow afternoon unless there is a negative turn. We do not know how long we will have him with us here on this earth. We're hoping for a long, normal kitty lifespan, but without the suffering that he has endured in this acute episode of onset.

Thank you for continued prayers!

Please help us save Xerxes.

A Horrible, Rotten, No Good, Very Sad Day!

We have a sweet little kitty, about 16 months old now, named Xerxes. Over the last couple of weeks, we have watched him go from being a wild child to a listless bundle of fur, just skinnying away.

At first, we thought that he was sad and missing our Marine and the girls because they weren't here anymore. Then, he stopped eating and drinking and just slept all the time.

We found out a few hours ago that our baby has feline leukemia. The prognosis is very grim.

Please pray for Xerxes to recover and to be fully healed and restored to the active kitty that he once was. Thank you.

Our daughter set up a GoFundMe campaign to help with his treatment expenses. He is at the hospital and has responded positively to the transfusion, praise the Lord! Help Us Save Xerxes! What he needs most is prayer and we appreciate every one of those that you could send up!

A to Z April Challenge: C is for Cats

Over the course of my life, there have been many cats that won my heart, starting with Calico. No matter where David and I have lived, our house had been adopted as the Kitty Kool-aid house. They flock to us and they find food and shelter. This post will list some of the kitties that have we have loved along the way, though there are many, many more who have left their paw prints on our hearts.







Jadis was a very special kitty. She was always the first one to greet me as I got ready to take the kids to school and the one to greet me when I came back home. If I was outside, she was right there with me keeping me company. The morning that I found her dead in the road was one of the hardest mornings of my life in regards to our pets. That first morning afterwards, when she was no longer there to greet me, I felt so incredibly lost and alone. Here is my Jadis:

Wes was another very special little kitty. He was such a regal little thing and very friendly. He liked to sit in the nook of the tree, overseeing his kingdom. He was one of several kitties that just disappeared without a trace. Here is my Wes:

Then there's Leica, whom David called "Alagonquin". He was David's special kitty, his buddy. He was to David like Jadis was to me, always there and ready for a twirl around the legs and a nuzzle on the neck. We found him one morning lying like he had fallen from our roof or the tree branch. There were no marks to indicate foul play or anything like that. This really broke David's heart. He loved his furry little friend, as did the rest of us. Here is Leica/Alagonquin:

Have there been any special animals in your life? Tell me about them in the comment section. I would love to hear about them!

Rest in Peace, Lyca

Lyca Kitty came into our lives a bundle of fluff in October 2012 and went on to Rainbow Bridge today, still a ball of fluff. He will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, Lyca.

Lyca Kitty, October 2012 - 21 April 2013