Do Cats Think?

I don’t know why I thought I could get away with it.

When my cat “Bear” jumped onto my lap expecting his morning petting session, I wondered if THIS time I could get away with reading the newspaper while giving him a few off-hand, preoccupied strokes.

Do I Think? Yeah, and I'm Thinking I Want To Be Outside by Alexander Somma

“Heh, heh”, I thought. “I’ll start by giving him my full attention but then I’ll sneak my paper in when he’s not looking.” I “chucked” him under the chin while stroking him from head to tail, and he began rolling in ecstasy.

When he turned his back on me, sprawling on his stomach, my moment came. Quickly, I reached for the newspaper with my right hand. Continuing to pet Bear with my left, I opened it to the front page.

Bear put his ears back.

“Uh, oh”, I said to myself. “But wait…he can’t see what I’m doing. How does he know that I’m cheating?”

But he knew.

Bear tolerated it for a few moments; his ears laid back, his tail thrashing. Suddenly he leaped from my lap and lay down on the floor. After a few minutes of washing, he stared at me with an accusing expression.

I’d spoiled HIS morning petting session with my own selfishness and he was clearly letting me know the error of my ways.

Do Cats Think?
Cat owners may be the only pet lovers who sincerely believe their pets think. It won’t be the first time that a cat owner has the distinctly uncanny feeling that not only does his beloved cat think, but that he is being manipulated by her.

Veteran cat owners have noticed:

• Cats are an extremely obsessed and determined animal.
• Cats seem to contemplate things and make decisions.
• Cats choose and adopt people.
• Cats become offended and can hold grudges at insults to their dignity. Fortunately they forget them pretty quickly.
• They are embarrassed easily and seem to cover it up with nonchalant behavior.
• They are extremely independent, but want to cooperate with humans as long as this spirit of cooperation is thoroughly disguised.

In short, the cat “owner” always has the vague feeling that he is somehow being conned, but is never sure exactly in what way.

What Do We Mean By The Word "THINK"?
Answers.com defines the ability to think as “To exercise the power of reason, as by conceiving ideas, drawing inferences, and using judgment.”

Arguably, it is the power of reason, the ability to conceive ideas, use judgment and put the results into action that has placed Man at the top of the food chain. In other words, Man dominates his/her environment because of his/her ability to think.

The Cat Brain and Cat Behavior
Cats are often used as experimental animals because the feline brain is structured like the human brain. The question is, however, do these similarities result in similar cognitive processes, i.e., can a cat actually assemble information, reason things out and make decisions?

The cat’s lack of cooperation with trainers has been taken either as a high degree of intelligence on the part of the feline (either too smart to do what a human tells her to) or a low degree (too stupid to be amenable to training).

Cat lovers usually opt for the former having the distinct impression that they, not their cats, are being trained.

Can Cats Use Tools?
A writer for About.com, J. Justin Lancaster, reported that his cat Sasha had discovered a way to wet down her dry cat food by carrying a cotton hair “scrunchy” to the toilet to wet it and subsequently using it to drip water on her food. This may be the most sophisticated use of tools ever observed in the non-human animal kingdom.

On the other hand, most cat owners observe that a cat, when confronted with an obstacle barring her from a goal, will never move the obstacle out of the way. If the obstacle falls out of the way the cat will be momentarily surprised, but will then proceed to reach the unobstructed goal.

When finding herself again in the same situation, with the same destination blocked by the same obstacle, the cat will not knock the obstacle out of the way even though previous experience has shown that this is the best way reach the goal.

The Jury Is Out
So, the jury is either out, or “hung”, on the question of whether or not cats think.

But when my cat, without looking at me, knows that I’m not giving him my full attention, and gives every evidenced of being miffed at this, I wonder.

Why is petting him while reading the newspaper not the same thing as petting him while using my full concentration?

It doesn’t make sense unless I accept the possibility that he has thought it out. That he has decided that it is either all or nothing, and he just isn’t going accept “playing second fiddle” to a newspaper. And his conclusion is: I’d better shape up. Anything short of my full attention is not acceptable.

He is going to get a full petting from me -- or not at all.

About the Author: John Young is an editor and writer living in Southern California with his wife and pet cat “Bear”. He is author of “Your New Cat’s First 24 Hours”, http://www.yourcatsecrets.com and editor of a new ezine “The Online Cat”, http://www.theonlinecat.com .

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All Ferrets Go To Heaven

On my fourteenth birthday, I'll never forget it, I got a pet ferret. I was a little hesitant about the present, but my dad assured me that ferrets made great gifts. Gee...thanks, I thought. Who wants a stupid ferret? I wanted a dog. Not just any dog, a rottweiler. I guess my dad had other plans. So just to be mean, I named the ferret 'Dookie', because it had some brownish fur spots. Within the first couple of hours playing with 'Dookie', I realized that ferrets were actually fascinating creatures. And the more I got to know 'Dookie the ferret', the more I began to realize just how cool ferrets really were. I grew to love my ferret.

Ferret Relaxing on the Sofa by originalpozer

Three years came and went and 'Dookie' was right by my side. We had survived most of high school, several girlfriends, and all-night cramming sessions, together. He was really one of my best friends. I took great care of my ferret, made sure to give him a bath, everyday. I cleaned his cage with special ferret deodorizer, three times a week. I made sure to fully ferret-proof my house and give him the proper diet. And because of my ferret care those three years, 'Dookie' grew to be a strong and intelligent ferret. What was special about my ferret was the way he'd find a way to make me laugh, everyday. You know how people say dogs have personalities, and they do. Well, ferrets have their own unique personalities, and to me, they're hilarious, fun-loving animals.

At the ripe age of 4, my pet ferret had reached his peak of life. 'Dookie' was a fully mature ferret, cunning and quick. But 'Dookie' was no match for one of his kinds most feared enemies; a reclining sofa aka ferret squasher. One day after a long football practice I let 'Dookie' out. I was always pretty confident about where it was he would go. Really, 'Dookie' roamed around the house like he owned the place. I knew that reclining sofas were potential ferret killers, my family had the sofa prior to me getting him. I see that my dad didn't look over his ferret information. Anyways, 'Dookie' had never, in the four years that I had him, climbed into the sofa. Keyword is 'into'. When my mom sat down on the reclining sofa, the chair folded up and there was a loud yelping noise. Right away I knew what had happened. I did not want to believe it at first. Worse, I could not stand to look under the sofa, to make sure that's what happened to my precious pet ferret. Half an hour passed and my mother came into my room. I'll never forget what she said, "All ferrets go to Heaven".

About the Author: Jim Worthington owns Pet Ferret Secrets which helps others learn about pet ferret care - http://www.pet-ferret-secrets.com

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Too Many Cats?

Cats are becoming increasingly popular as pets these days, and a big question is, how many cats should a family have? For some people, one is more than enough; others have half a dozen or more. Here are some sure-fire ways to know when you've reached your limit.

Cat House by Megan Morris

You know you have too many cats when:

• Your annual cat food bill is more than the combined Gross National Product of Liechtenstein, Andorra, and San Marino.
• Your last three cats are named Puss, Kitty-cat, and Hey You.
• You and your spouse are sleeping on the floor because there's no more room in the bed.
• The cleaning lady at the vet's office calls you by your first name.
• All your windowsills are occupied.
• Your neighbors forget your last name and start referring to you as "you know, the cat people".
• You have to change the vacuum cleaner bags every week.
• You're running out of corners to put litter boxes in.
• Even your coffee table has a slip cover.
• The most important crop in your garden every year is catnip.
• You can't remember what a house plant looks like.
• Flea collars smell good to you.
• You actually understand what your cats are saying.
• More than half your mail comes from Purina and Friskies.
• Every year you get a personally autographed Christmas card from Morris.
• Your cat door has been replaced three times.
• For Mothers Day last year the kids pooled their money and bought you an electric cat brush.
• You thought it was the perfect gift.

Copyright 1998

About the Author: Kathie Freeman is the author of Catwalk, a Feline Odyssey, and a long-time cat person who has been owned by as many as 13 cats at once, simultaneously, and at the same time. For more of her articles and short stories visit Kathie's Stories and Tails at http://home.att.net/~kathiefreeman/

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A Family Christmas for a Bunny

Laurie was only eight years old but she knew she had done something bad. She truly hadn't meant to and loved all creatures warm and furry, but when she had rode her big wheel over the mound of dirt in excitement she had no idea that there was a young bunny underneath that had just nearly run itself to death in fright after having gotten separated from his mother and the warren.

A Girl and Her Pet Bunny by Benny Mazur

But Laurie wasn't old enough to know that when bunnies or other small mammals go into shock they can actually freeze up and resemble a dead animal. She knelt reverently over the small mound of dirt that now held the bunny and cried the tears of a heartbroken little girl.

Laurie silently mourned the bunny while reaching a tentative hand down to it to pick it up. She knew even at eight that the respectful thing to do would be to bury it. She didn't want to ask her daddy as daddy had been hurt in a work accident just before his allotted days off for Christmas each year. Just a week ago she had been brought by her teacher frightfully to the hospital to learn her father's legs had been crushed. But she had been a good girl, and even with her mom long gone to who knows where, she knew how to make cereal and to help her daddy through this hard times in the ways even a little eight year old girl can contribute.

Daddy had also warned her that Christmas may not be piled in presents like it had been each year before him and Mommy had divorced. Things were just hard he had told her, and when she gazed into her Daddy's tired eyes, she didn't even question it, things were hard indeed.

As she scooped up the bunny it startled back to life in her very hands. Laurie gasped at first from the shock of movement, and slowly that turned into a slow wonder as the bunny shivered and shook and then settled snugly into her gloved hands. Laurie stopped walking and immediately began to call for the Bunnies Momma. Since she had no idea what the bunnies momma's name was she just looked around mostly, and then glanced back into her hands at the bunny.

She knew then as it looked up to her, looked directly at her, that the bunny would need her to survive. She had no idea how old he was, or that he was a he, but only that he had no Momma, just like her, and since she could be a pretend Momma sometimes to help Daddy, she was certain she could be a good Momma to a bunny who didn't even need a bowl of cereal in the mornings to get going. As she walked slowly back home she glanced into the homes she passed and envied them their Christmas trees. Daddy said Momma had taken their old one and with Christmas being so close and him unable to get around, they would just have to settled for the tiny decorative tree he usually kept on his office desk every year.

Laurie knew Daddy wouldn't be happy about the bunny, but she also knew of an old tradition that her Daddy said came from her ancestors that said when you saved the life of another soul, you were responsible for them for the rest of your life. Laurie knew that Daddy would help her to honor that tradition, he wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise right?

As Laurie walked into the kitchen she had no idea her Daddy had been watching her walk up the street, so seemingly small and helpless. He had seen her glancing hopefully at the Christmas trees in the other homes on the block, he had seen her cradling for dear life whatever she held in her hands. He had decided before she even made it to the door that he would let her nurse the bird or whatever she had found that needed help, and only hoped that whatever it was hadn't already died and would leave his broken hearted little girl a lot sadder than she ever deserved to be on such a beautiful holiday as Christmas.

"Laurie, what do you have my dear?" He said to her as she walked slowly into the kitchen from the mud room.

Laurie glanced up at him with a tear in her eye and very meticulously planned her every word. "Daddy, you once told me the story of our ancestors who believed that when you had saved the life of another soul that you became responsible for it for the rest of your life."

"Yes, that is correct Laurie. Did you save the life of this small rabbit?" Laurie's Daddy asked in a very serious tone.

"Well, surely I did as not only was he alone without a mother in site but he was hiding in a mound I ran over playing on my new big wheel. It has to be meant to be to be so many coincidences that led me to him. Isn't that what you taught me before Daddy?" Laurie said, tears still shining brightly in her eyes as she knew at best her Daddy would make her take the bunny to the shelter where it would surely die from lack of love and care.

"Laurie, you are a wonder. To be so young and to remember such an important story and an honor that should be close to all of our hearts truly warms me. You of course are right, you now owe it to the bunny to care for it until at least the day it can care for itself."

Christmas Bunny by rabbit_mage

"Oh! Thank you Daddy, thank you so much. This is the best Christmas present ever!" Laurie exclaimed. And her Daddy, with a tear welling up slowly in his own eye, replied:

"No Laurie, thank you, for being my perfect Christmas present this year and every year."

About the Author
Written by Jenn Landers
Hop over to http://www.christmastreeforme.com and buy Real Looking Christmas Trees

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Songs About Cats (or Are They?)

Perhaps the most famous Cat Song is The Siamese Cat Song recorded by Peggy Lee. The song is from the Walt Disney 1955 classic "The Lady and The Tramp", an animated film about a classy Cocker Spaniel named Lady who falls for Tramp, a scamp of a mongrel. The song however is about two arrogant cats, Si and Am, who have given Siamese cats a bad name ever since.

The Siamese Cat Song was penned by Lee along with Sonny Burke and over the years has also been recorded by Freddie and The Dreamers, Mitch Miller, Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin, Haylie Duff, and Bobby McFerrin. "We are Siamese if you please, We are Siamese if you don't please."

The Rock Cats by Christina Hsu

Both The Turtles and Petula Clark stepped into recording studios to make very different versions of The Cat in the Window, a song that compares a cat trying to get out of a window with the singer wanting to fly away. "There's a cat in the window, and he's watching all the birds go passing by, he'd love to fly out the window, go where the wind goes, and so would I."

Who can forget the Muppets recording of The Cat Came Back, a song about a kitty that just kept finding its way back no matter how far it was taken from home. "But the cat came back, she wouldn't stay away, she was sitting on the porch the very next day."

In 1950 folks were flooding into record stores and asking for I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat. Mel Blanc recorded the song, written by Alan Livingston, Billy May and Warren Foster, about the cartoon cat and canary duo Sylvester and Tweety. "I tawt I taw a puddy tat a creeping up on me, I did I taw a puddy tat as plain as he could be."

The Rooftop Singers followed up their 1963 number one hit Walk Right In, with Tom Cat a ditty about 'Ringtail Tom' who liked to go "strutting round the town". "And when he steps out all the other cats in the neighborhood they begin to shout." Fast forward to 1981 and the Stray Cats record a musically different song but with a very similar theme, the rockabilly Stray Cat Strut. "Stray cat strut, I'm a ladies' cat, a feline Casanova, hey man, that's where it's at, get a shoe thrown at me from a mean old man, get my dinner from a garbage can."

Norma Tanega apparently owned a cat that she named 'Dog' and liked to take that cat for walks, hence her 1966 hit Walking My Cat Named Dog, which does seem to be about her real life experience of strolling around town with her pet feline.

Most songs though that include the word Cat in the tile, are not truly about cats at all. A great example is the fine song, Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin. No cats make an appearance in this song; instead the lyrics contain a very chilling message that every dad should pay heed to.

Cat in a Cradle by Megan Pru

Bent Fabric, real name Bent Fabricius-Bjerre, had a hit in 1962 with Alley Cat, but this was an instrumental recording so it's not a song about cats. Instrumental too was Aaron Copeland's The Cat and the Mouse.

Cat People (Putting Out Fire) by David Bowie was recorded for the 1982 remake of the film Cat People. Great dark and menacing feel to the song but the words have no relationship to cats.

The cat in The Cat Crept In, recorded by Mud was actually a girl, as was the cat featured in The Rolling Stones' Stray Cat Blues, this one with exceedingly sharp claws.

They Call Her the Cat, by Elton John is about, well it's not about cats! Neither is Honky Cat, another Elton tune, that one is about a country boy moving to live life in the city.

Three Cool Cats, is a song that was first recorded by the Coasters in 1958 and covered by The Beatles in 1962 (but not released until 1995.) Of course this song is not about cats, but about three teenage boys and three teenage girls. The Beatles also recorded Little Willie John's Leave My Kitten Alone, no surprise to find that the song is not about a kitten.

U2 recorded a song titled An Cat Dubh, which apparently means The Black Cat in Gaelic, no cat in the song though, black or otherwise.

No cats are in Year of the Cat by Al Stewart, Cat Scratch Fever by Ted Nugent, The Lovecats by The Cure or in Cool for Cats by Squeeze. Who can say what The Cat's In the Well by Bob Dylan is about?

There must be countless other songs that have the words Cat, or Cats, in the title but are not actually about our feline friends. No doubt there are more songs that are about cats than those listed on this page, but those songs sadly seem few and far between.

But wait . . . wasn't there a stage musical all about cats. Cats, the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, was first shown in London, England in 1981. Based upon T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats the show features song after song about . . . Old Gumbie, Grizabella, Mungojerrie And Rumpelteazer, Skimbleshanks, Old Deuteronomy, Gus, Macavity, and Mr. Mistoffelees. All of these characters are, of course, . . . Cats.

About the Author Larry Chamberlain lives in London, England, and has had a lifelong fascination with domestic cats. His web site http://www.best-cat-art.com provides information about all that is best in cat art. Also pages about cat and kitten care and information on cat breeds and types.

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Dogs are Enjoying the Good Life

My wife, Malathi, loves dogs. She calls them "Sweetie." She also calls me "Sweetie." I don't know whether to smile or wag my tail.

It's really confusing. The other day, Malathi said, "Dinner is ready, Sweetie." I rushed to the kitchen, along with the dogs. "Silly dogs," I thought. "You're not getting any of my dinner." The meal looked delicious, and I would have complimented my wife, had she not placed it on the floor.

Doggone Fun by Larry Tomlinson

The two dogs got to the food before I could. Their heads, unfortunately, are closer to the floor. That allows them to quickly slurp food and anything else that looks remotely like food, such as dirty socks or tofu. If you own a dog, you may not need a vacuum cleaner.

Within a minute, the dogs -- a Labrador and Golden Retriever -- had licked their bowls clean and were looking up at us with expressions that said, "Come on, folks. When are you going to feed us?" Even if they've just eaten a big meal, they want to keep eating. They're a lot like me. Except that I'm too proud to beg. When the dogs are wolfing their food, I try not to sit in front of them and drool. Unfortunately, they never extend the same courtesy to me. I can't eat anything without enduring their sad-eyed expressions that say, "Oh please, we haven't eaten any food since last summer, when we ate all your tennis balls. If you don't feed us, we'll fill your entire home with drool."

The dogs aren't ours. We're just dog-sitting, until their owners return from vacation. Dog-sitting is a lot like baby-sitting, except for three major differences: (1) babies have trouble catching food with their mouths; (2) babies are usually uglier; and (3) babies are nicer to trees.

Most dogs in America are so lucky. They're fed and treated better than many children around the world. And they never have to do the dishes. You can't even get them to take the trash out. They must have a powerful union.

My wife knows a lot about dogs. She's a veterinarian specializing in epidemiology. It took me three weeks to learn how to spell "epidemiology" and another three weeks to learn how to pronounce it. I still don't know what it means. All I know is that Malathi loves animals, especially dogs. She kisses them and pets them and talks to them, making me wish I had four legs.

I think she likes dogs partly because they're better listeners than men. When she's telling one of her long stories -- usually about something amazing she heard on NPR (National Public Radio) -- the dogs will just sit there and listen attentively. I know what they're thinking: "If we sit still and act interested, maybe she'll feed us." Dogs are smarter than they look.

I don't mind Malathi babying the dogs, but I wish it weren't so confusing. The other night, she said, "Are you coming to bed, Sweetie?" I rushed to the bedroom, along with the dogs. "Silly dogs," I thought. "You're not snuggling in bed with us. Not until you learn to use mouthwash."

The Labrador jumped on the bed before I could. I looked at my wife. She looked at me with a puzzled expression that said, "Did someone call YOU to bed?" Then she petted the dog.

"He's going to be with us for only a short time," she said.

"OK, Sweetie," I said. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said.

"I was talking to the dog," I said.

About the Author
Melvin Durai is a writer and humorist, author of the humorous novel "Bala Takes the Plunge". To read more of his humor, go to http://www.MelvinDurai.com

Horses, It's In Their DNA

There are many questions that are asked everyday that no one knows the answer to. Some of these questions are more like riddles, for example, why do convenience stores that are open twenty four hours a day have bars on the windows and doors? These types of questions will get the wheels turning in a person’s brain. Then there are some questions that could cause a brain to explode. An example of this type of question is why do women love horses?

Girls Admiring a Horse by D. Sharon Pruitt

A person could easily spend the rest of their lives trying to figure this one out because there is not a clearly defined answer and the worst part is that if you were to ask a woman why they all seem to love horses so much, they will not even know the answer. Many people have tried to answer this question, but there is not a solid answer.

One theory that has been proposed is that a woman’s love for horses is simply part of their DNA. Many people will say that there is a tiny gene located somewhere in a woman’s DNA that programs them to love horses. This “horse loving” gene is similar to the “sport loving” gene that all men are born with; yes guys, this is why you are drawn to all types of sporting events.

Many times the “horse loving” gene will begin to express itself during a woman’s childhood. Anyone will be able to determine when the “horse loving” gene is starting to express itself because this is when a young girl will start to play with toy horses and ponies, but it is important to know that the “horse loving” gene will be expressed more strongly in some girls that in others.

The girls that have a really strong “horse loving” gene will want to own their very own horse. Anytime a girl has the opportunity to ask for a horse, she will. This means that parents can expect to always see a horse on their daughter's Christmas and Birthday lists.

Sometimes the “horse loving” gene will go into remission. This will usually happen about the time that a young woman turns sixteen and wants a car. Parents should keep in mind that it is often less expensive to purchase a horse for their daughters than it is to purchase a car.

Just because the “horse loving” gene has gone into hiding does not mean that it will stay there. There are many occasions when a woman’s “horse loving” gene will resurface. This is why you see many middle aged women buying horses for the first time. Now they do not have to rely on their parents to purchase a horse for them, instead, they now have the means to own a horse.

It is important to remember that all women are born with a “horse loving” gene. The only thing that differentiates all of the women of the world is at what point in their lives that their “horse loving” gene will makes its presence known.

Do you have Horse DNA? Stop on by our horse resource links below and join our community. We would love to hear from you and share some great stories.

About the Author
Ron Petracek was raised in southern Idaho with horses and the great outdoors. With this continued passion He now shares through a a vast equine network. Learn more by clicking the links below. Amazing Equine Network System - Buy Sell or trade anything equine related. Get More Horse Classified coverage and distribution with less cost and work. Award Winning Horse Forum

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The Kitten Who Could Write

One day, a man was on his way home from work when he saw a stray kitten walking beside the road. His 9 year old daughter had always been bugging him for a cat, so he figured it was about time to get one. He stopped, opened the door, and picked up the kitten, who immediately began nuzzling and purring loudly. The daughter squealed with delight when her father brought the kitten in the house, and she took the kitten, ran to her room and began playing with the kitten.

A week later, the man was doing work on his computer, when he looked in on his daughter and the kitten. The daughter was coloring in her books and the kitten was batting at the moving pen. The man chuckled warmly to himself, then a thought came to mind, "What a great idea it would be if I could teach the kitten to write!" Later that night, after the daughter went to bed, the kitten came into the office, jumped up on the desk and began batting at the pens scattered about the desktop. The man thought, "Hmm, there may be something to this idea after all." He placed a pen between the kitten's paws and watched, and the kitten simply sniffed at the pen, turned its nose up at it, and walked away.

The next night, the daughter was in her room again coloring in her books with the kitten playing with the tip of the pens. The daughter left the room to go to the kitchen for some cookies, and the man went into the room and once again placed the pen between the kitten's paws. Once again, the kitten sniffed the pen, then turned its nose up and walked away.

A few nights later, the father was working at the computer while the daughter lay on the floor of her room coloring once more in her books. The daughter left the room, and the man watched with delight as the kitten picked up a pink pen between its paws and began scribbling circles on the paper. Later that night, the kitten jumped up on the desk, and the man placed a pen between the kitten's paws, but the kitten simply sniffed at the pen, turned its nose up, and walked away.

The next night, the man looked in on his daughter and the kitten, and the kitten was once more scribbling circles with the pink pen. After the daughter went to bed, the kitten once more jumped up on the desk, and the man placed a pen between the kitten's paws. The kitten sniffed at the pen, then watched as it fell to the floor. The man rubbed his chin in thought, then went into his daughter's room and retrieved the pink pen. To the man's delight, the kitten laid down on the desk and began scribbling circles on the paper with the pink pen. The man took the pink pen and gave the kitten a blue pen. The kitten simply let the blue pen fall to the floor. The man tried a black pen, a red pen, a green pen, even a purple pen, and the kitten simply would not scribble with anything but the pink pen.

The Kitty Author by Matthew C. Wright

So the man began working with the kitten and the its pink pen. Within a week the kitten and its pink pen were forming letters. Within the month, the kitten and its pink pen were forming words. In a matter of two or three months, the kitten and its pink pen were forming sentences, then paragraphs, then complete essays. Within the space of one year, the kitten and its pink pen even finished a full length book. The man was so delighted over the achievements of the kitten and its pink pen, he sent the book in to be published. Bet you can't guess what name the kitten published its book under? Oh, come on, now! You know this one…It's…It's, Wait for it…… It's…….The Pink Penther!

About the Author
Written by Dean Boismier
Hello friends. I have always been somewhat of an open minded and "out there" kind of person. I like to look at things from, let's say, unconventional points of views. A lot of things can be learned and discovered if you just apply "outside the box" thinking. I am not afraid of a little controversy, I welcome it. My favorite thing to do is make connections that none would consider. Name any two objects, concepts, or other aspects, the more unlikely the better, and I will find a way to connect them. Go ahead, try me. I dare ya!

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A Dog's Tale

My name is Shadrach, and I am a dog - a BIG, handsome, elegant, and intelligent dog. No, I am not vain at all, that is just what my mom always tells me so I assume it's true. I am now 4 ½ years old and live a great dog's life! I get exceptional quality food - my mom and dad believe in giving me organic food, with fresh vegetables and meat every day - so I can't complain. They're always buying me toys which I LOVE to terrorize, because that's what dogs do. I have my own big bed in my own bedroom and I love that. I have a big yard and I like to bark at and chase the pigeons and cats who dare to tread into my space.

The only thing I don't like is having to take a bath UNLESS it with the garden hose in the yard - that is great fun! The best thing is I get LOTS and LOTS of love with hugs and kisses from my mom everyday. My favorite games are tug-o-war and chase. I am the champion of tug-o-war in my house. Chase is so much fun because I am very fast and my people rarely can catch me!

Mastiff Puppy by Claudio Gennari

The best part of my day is going to the park where I can meet up with my dog friends and people friends. However, this great dog's life wasn't always mine. My mom and dad have no idea who my dog mom was or how I came to be with the bad people. My mom's cousin (whatever that is) rescued me from the bad people. She found out I was left alone in a dark garage to just die. The bad people didn't want to feed me or care for me anymore - not that they ever gave me much food to begin with.

Mostly, they left me alone in the yard, garage, or even a dark bathroom sometimes. My mom's cousin knows them and that is how my mom and dad know all this. The bad man hit and kicked me a lot and I don't even know why. I guess that's why I still don't like very many men. I LOVE my dad though and some other men I know from the park that live with my girlfriends. My mom's cousin took me home and fed me but I had to live with her other dogs. They didn't like me very much and beat me up every chance they got - which was usually every day! I was so skinny and little that I just couldn't fight back and it was too cold for me to be outside all the time. Thank God, my new mom and dad came and got me the week before Christmas four years ago.

They spoiled me right away. They gave me good food several times a day. My mom wouldn't let me eat a lot at once because my stomach was too little to handle a lot of food at once. I wanted to though! I kept my tail tucked between my legs while eating for a long time because I was always scared. After a while though, I knew I could just eat and it would be safe. I got my own little bed in a kennel where I could stay and feel safe at night - in the house!

Now, life is so good. I am big and strong now and tough. Men are more afraid of me now since I am so big and tough-looking. My coat is shiny and clean and not dull and dirty like before. My mom even gives me a special supplement that I suspect is a treat really. She puts it in a bowl and I drink every single drop because it is so good. My mom and dad really love me and I'm happy now. My only wish is that when people get a dog that they would take care of them and love them. Otherwise, it's better if they don't take us home with them. We depend on our people to love us and take care of us and not to hurt us. We want to live with our people forever - not just until they get bored of us. So, please, only take us home if we can always stay with just you.

Thank you, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

About the Author
Copyright© 2004, Kim Bloomer, VND. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Author. This article is for educational purposes only. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader. Dr. Kim Bloomer is a veterinary naturopath. She also is the host and creator of Animal Talk Naturally Radio show which she hosts together with her like-minded colleague and friend, Dr. Jeannie Thomason, and a proficient blogger and writer on natural pet health. Dr. Kim is also co-author of the book Whole Health for Happy Dogs and author of the book Animals Taught Me That. Dr. Kim’s articles have been featured in various publications such as Animal Wellness Magazine, Natural Horse Magazine, and Dogs...Naturally! Magazine. She is adjunct professor with Kingdom College of Natural Health. Dr. Kim lives with her husband of many years and they are owned by a rescued Neapolitan Mastiff named Shadrach. Visit Shadrach's blog at www.Bark-N-Blog.com and Dr. Kim's website at http://www.AspenbloomPetCare.com

Parrot Busts Cheating Husband

Hugo, the twelve-year-old parrot of the Ficker family from Freiburg, Germany, was instrumental in the detection of husband Frank's affair.

Wife Petra has said that Hugo always enjoyed imitating Frank and had his voice down to a T. One day Hugo, in Frank's voice, uttered over and over, "Uta, Uta". Upon searching the house, Petra discovered two airline tickets for a weekend tryst to Paris for Frank and the aforementioned Uta.

Petra kicked Frank's cheating tail right out of the family home, making Hugo the "man of the house".

So, if you have a parrot in the house, be careful what you say - you might get beaked by not only your bird but your wife too!

Article Resource: Written by Starr Hendon