As Cat Diaries reported here, the recent floods in Queensland and Victoria, followed by the impact of Cyclone Yasi, haven’t only taken a toll on the human inhabitants. Pets and livestock have suffered, too.

So Dr Katrina Warren and the Wonderdogs would like you and, if you have one, your dog to pack a picnic and join them for a special community event to raise funds for the animals and their families affected by the recent disasters. Registration costs just $10 per adult (children are free), with all money raised going to the Animal Welfare League NSW. Alternatively, you can make a donation at www.awlnsw.com.au.

The event is taking place this Sunday, 27 February, 2011, at Callan Park, Rozelle, NSW, from 3pm onwards and features a great line-up, including…

• Wonderdog trick shows, training and agility
• Dog competitions, such as ‘musical sit’ and a trick competition
• A colouring competition for kids
• An opportunity to meet Dr Katrina, plus other celebs celebrities and their dogs
• Photo opportunities with the Wonderdogs, sponsored by The Advantage Family
• Raffle
• Pet photographer
• Community choir

Just remember that all dogs must be kept on leads.

The culmination of the event takes place at 5pm with the creation of a Community Memory Tree. In a ceremony led by celebrant Victoria Spence, you’ll have the opportunity to celebrate your pets and what they bring to your life and honour all the animals who died in the floods and cyclone. Bring a photo of a pet you would like to remember to add to the Memory Tree, or you can make a memorial on the day (some materials will be available).

We hope to see you there!

• Click here for more information or, call (02) 8899 3333 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (02) 8899 3333      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. If you can’t make it to Callan Park on Sunday, you can still make a donation at www.awlnsw.com.au.

Image sourced from: awlnsw.com.au & blogs.citypages.com

A few weeks ago, we posted an article containing some ideas for what to buy your cat for Christmas. Something that didn’t make the list (but might have been on yours) was the ever-popular iPad. With a special application called ‘Game for Cats’ (download it free here) the feline world doesn’t have to miss out on Apple-mania. Watch these two getting into it… who said a non-scratch screen wasn’t an important feature of the device?!

Thumbnail image from jeroenmirck.nl

A couple of weeks ago, we posted a special Happy New Year video featuring musical cats.

This week, we’re going one better by showcasing the Rockcats – a band of kittens who ‘play’ guitar, keyboards and drums. Some cynics have suggested that these cats are merely miming.

Cat Diaries says: if it’s good enough for Britney Spears, it’s good enough for our furry feline friends!

Click here to view the embedded video.

For some reason, cats are often cast as the villains in popular culture works of fiction for kids, so we thought it was about time we redressed the balance by revealing our favourite children’s books about cats.

1. Six-Dinner Sid

In this beautifully written and illustrated book by Inga Moore, Sid is a black cat who lived at number one Aristotle Street – and also numbers two, three, four, five and six! Because the humans who owned those houses never bothered to talk to each other, Sid is able to enjoy six dinners a night.

Sid’s scam is revealed when he catches a nasty cough that leads each of his ‘owners’ to take him to the same vet on six different occasions. This causes the humans to tell Sid he’ll only be getting one dinner a day from now on – which he isn’t at all happy with. So off he goes to live at number one Pythagoras Place – and also numbers two, three, four, five and six!

Here, though, the neighbours do talk to each other, and because everyone knows about Sid’s six dinners, no-one minds.

‘Six-Dinner Sid’ is a charming tale about a clever cat, but it’s also about the benefits of getting to know the people around you – and as such hides an important lesson for little ones.

2. Slinky Malinki

Created by New Zealander Lynley Dodd as part of the ‘Hairy Maclary’ series, Slinky Malinki is a mischievous feline who gets up to all sorts of nocturnal adventures. All cat-lovers will be able to relate to the trouble Slinky gets into, while kids will love the clever, musical rhymes and sumptuous drawings.

3. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats

T.S. Eliot is one of the greatest English-language poets who often deals with the darker side of human nature. So it’s perhaps surprising that he has found his greatest commercial success with a series of poems, written for his grandchildren, about cats.

That success owes much to Andrew Lloyd Webber putting music to Eliot’s words and creating the theatrical blockbuster Cats out of the combination. But the poems are well worth reading in their own right, both as a way of introducing children to top-quality poetry and also showing them how with a little human imagination, cats can more from being mere pets to something far more magical.

Featuring such memorable characters as Macavity, Growltiger, Bustopher Jones and Mr Mistoffelees, this is a true timeless classic.

• What do you think? Tell us your favourite cat-related children’s book using the Comment facility below…

Image Sourced from Barb’s Books

Literacy Matters Weekly

Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung to welcome in the New Year, but we bet you’ve never heard (or seen) it done quite like this before. These talented felines are the best way we can think of to welcome in 2011. Enjoy

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here are some famous quotes about cats. Read them, then add your own!

We thought Cat Diaries readers may be interested in these cat-related quotes. Then we thought you might like to add your own words of wisdom about your furry friends…

• ‘Every dog has his day – but the nights are reserved for the cats’ – Anonymous

• ‘The cat is above all things, a dramatist’ – Margaret Benson

• ‘Dogs have owners, cats have staff’ – Anonymous

• ‘People that hate cats will come back as mice in their next life’ – Anonymous

• ‘The cat has too much spirit to have no heart’ – Ernest Menaul

• ‘Your cat will never threaten your popularity by barking at three in the morning. He won’t attack the mailman or eat the drapes, although he may climb the drapes to see how the room looks from the ceiling’ – Helen Powers

• ‘Cats our magical… the more you pet them the longer you both live’ – Anonymous

• ‘Cats are connoisseurs of comfort’ – James Herriot

• ‘Time spent with cats is never wasted’ – Sigmund Freud

• ‘When my cats aren’t happy, I’m not happy… because I know they’re just sitting there thinking up ways to get even’ – Percy Shelley

• ‘Cats always seem so very wise, when staring with their half-closed eyes. Can they be thinking, “I’ll be nice, then maybe she will feed me twice”?’ – Bette Midler

So what do you think? Do any of those quotes really sum up the cuddly-yet-aloof enigma that is the cat? If so, which one. And if not, perhaps you could come up with your own quote. Just use the Comment facility below to share your thoughts…

Image sourced from: Petcare and Newanimated

Wondering what to give your cat this Christmas? We’ve got just the things…

We recently reported on the power of pets to boost the national economy after a study conducted by the Australian Companion Animal Council (ACAC) found that last year alone, expenditure on domestic pets totalled $6.02 billion.

This Christmas, the economy looks set to receive another boost from the pet-care industry, with the study also revealing that many owners treat their pets as part of the family, spoiling them with Santa stockings and special treats at Christmas time.

In an interview with The Queensland Times, luxury online pet boutique owner, Clea Sandler, confirmed, ‘Christmas is by far our busiest time of year’. Her store, Snooty Paws, stocks a range of special-treat items to spoil your pet, and even has a Christmas – and Chanukah –line with costumes and themed products for your furry friend.

If you’re thinking of leaving something special under the tree for your four-legged family this Christmas, we’ve got a few tips to help you make the choice!

• Be careful when choosing edible treats. A lot of Christmas treats have ingredients that pets can’t easily digest, so make sure you confirm that your goodies are a pet product and that they have no nasty surprises that may harm your pet.
• If you’re buying a toy, why not buy one that is interactive? More than any toy, your pet desires and thrives on the attention of its family. So you may want to consider a Christmas-themed toy that involves the kids – a springy ball on a string will keep both parties entertained and ensure your cat gets good use out of it.
• Practicality is a good thing to keep in mind when buying your pet a gift. If your cat needs a new scratching post, use Christmas as an excuse to splurge a little and satisfy your needs (and your furniture’s needs) as well as your pet’s!
• Never give your cat leftovers from dinner as a special treat at Christmas. Cooked turkey is always a no-no and could lead to digestive problems or a punctured oesophagus.

Image sourced from: petcentric and missbimbo

Christmas is family time and for most of us our pets are part of family celebrations. Nearly all of my friends have a little something wrapped for their fur-friend on Christmas day and include their pets in their festivities

With all the hustle of preparation, the joys of family and friends arriving, exchanging gifts and finally sitting down to enjoy festive fare and drinks, it is easy to not notice the mischief, or trouble that the family pet may get up to.

With a little planning and supervision mishaps and mayhem can be avoided this Christmas.

Decoration distractions

There is nothing more enticing to a cat than a tree to climb and how easy it that symmetrical pine tree – plastic or real. The trouble is that the trees were meant to have a star on top, not a 3kg cat, and the cat and tree will likely come toppling over. Cats rarely listen to requests not to do something so it is best to keep the tree and the cat in separate rooms or to make sure the tree is secured.

Tree decorations look like dangly toys to cats, and some dogs. If you have pets it is better to use unbreakable decorations rather than glass baubles. The glass used to make the baubles is very fine and splinters can be hard to remove from pads, or worse if swallowed.Tinsel is glittery and just begs to be played with. However it is usually made of metal or plastic and can cause problems if swallowed.

Gifts under the tree?  Now what self respecting dog could resist opening a gift or two? Not only will this wreck your gift-giving but the contents of some gifts may be harmful to the dog.

Keep pets secure
Make sure that pets are securely confined when guests are arriving.  If young children are visiting, supervise your pets at all times or confine them away from the children. Children can over stimulate pets, especially at a time when the children themselves are likely to be over-excited

Guests sometimes neglect to shut gates and doors. Make sure your pets are secure and cannot escape your property.

Well-meaning people often share their Christmas dinner with the dog but be do be careful.  Rich food, or even just over-indulging, is just as bad for dogs as it is for us- it can cause tummy upsets and pancreatitis.  Cooked bones can splinter and get caught in the mouth or gut. Onions, both raw and cooked are toxic to dogs as are macadamia nuts. Chocolate is also toxic to dogs ( particularly cooking chocolate) and should never be given.

During all the festivity do remember to check on your pets and make sure that they are cool, comfortable and have fresh water. I suggest giving them a safe treat and putting them somewhere quiet during meal time.

[INFORMATION AND IMAGE COURTESY OF www.drkatrina.com

What adventures does your cat get up to when you’re not around?
Don’t you wish you had a camera like this for your cat?

This is one for all the animal lovers (but especially us cat-people!). This story is almost 40 years old, but it remains one of the most heart-warming things you will ever see.

Above all, this extraordinary story of Christian the Lion and the men who rescued him from a very upmarket pet shop is testament to the bond animals (no matter how wild they are) and humans can have with each other.

Christian the Lion-Reunion Full Story