Buddy is 5

We can't believe Buddy is 5 already. We still think of him as a young pup/clown, the life of the party, even when there's no party going on.. Life would just not be the same without him.

Happy Birthday, Buddy!

You were not only the inspiration for this journal, you have been its heart, as well as our alpha sibling. We hope we have many more years together.

However ...

Could you please stop hogging all the blankets! It's cold!

Love, hugs, purrs and tail wags,
Crystal, Cotton, Merci, Cyndi, Percy, Cameron, Sam & Rusty
Oh, and Jan too.

Marnie's New Bunny

Our friend Evelyn sends us some nice links and we really loved this one. Marnie the parrot meets his new bunny.



It the video doesn't play, click here.

We thought you might like an update on Houdini. She was the last of the 101 Lakemore Cats Eric rescued from the foreclosed home and she almost died with pneumonia. You can read her story here.

We heard from Eric Wednesday. Houdini not only survived, but she has found a great home. As Eric writes, "A lady with a small dog and lonely male cat took her she and the cats are playing already."

He only has 4 cats left to place in a forever home. If you live anywhere in the Akron, Ohio, perhaps you would like to adopt a Lakemore Cat.

7 Things About Us

We received an award from Freckles and Deb. If you haven't met them yet, Freckles is an adventurous rabbit and Deb is her human.

Thank you, Freckles and Deb.

Now, we are supposed to tell 7 things about ourselves and then share the award with 7 of our friends.

1. We are not really related. Not by blood. Bet you never would have guessed..

2. We live in a mansion in Beverly Hills. Well, in our dreams. Actually, we live in a small mill house.

3. On Twitter we're (surprise!) @jansfunnyfarm from Georgia. Recently we met @gafunnyfarm. They have a cat outdoor enclosure for exercise and fresh air. Jan said we cats will have to get a job if we want an outdoor enclosure. Nobody will hire us. Anyone interested in a slightly -- okay, well-used cat pan? We don't mind parting with one. We'll even throw in a free shredded cat stuffie. (We didn't shred it. The dogs did.)

4. We dogs are learning quite a bit about photography. On our morning walks lately Jan has been taking photographs of a mill building being torn down. We snoopervise. You know -- Stand on the cement block to get a better view. Stick your camera lens through the chain link fence for an unobstructed view. Put a longer leash on little Merci before you strangle her when you hold the camera up.

5. Buddy is our official telephone call announcer. When the phone rings, he howls. And just in case Jan can't hear Buddy, Merci chimes in with her soprano rendition of "Hurry up, answer the phone and shut Buddy up!"

6. It's chilly and rainy today. Buddy hates the rain and the cold. We've tried to convince him to let Jan put a sweater on him but he won't wear one. He just likes to complain. Buddy would make a good human. The rest of us never complain. Well, rarely. Okay, frequently. Are you happy now, Buddy?

7. We have a live-in chauffeur, maid, cook named Jan. We are all going to be writing her annual performance review this month. She said she's not sure she wants to read it but the suspense is actually getting to her.

We would like to pass this award on to these blogs. They all make us smile, sometimes downright roll over with laughter.

1. Khyra
2. Zoolatry Be sure to pick up a performance review to fill out on your human this month. And let Zoolatry know when you've posted it.
3. Army of Four
4. Charlie & Molly Daniels
5. Martha & Bailey Bassett
6. Marvin the Hollow Hound
7. Sammy, Miles & Billy

More World's Best

Rusty: Shortly after we wrote our last post on the regular World's Best Cat Litter, we received a 7 lb. bag of WBCL for multiple cats. Thanks, Drew.

Percy: Their packaging is new, but the the litter is still made from natural corn. Jan (as if she has anything to say about a product she doesn't use!) claims she likes that the litter is natural and although it is a clumping product, it doesn't cause her breathing problems when she dumps it in a litter box. It doesn't stick to the box and make her scrub to get it loose when she changes the litter either.



Cotton: We, on the other hand, actually use the litter. And we like the litter as much as any cat can like something we pee and poop in. It is finer and doesn't get stuck between our pads when we leave the potty chamber like our usual brand does. Jan likes that too because sweeping up after us is another one of her chores.

Cyndi, wrinkling her nose: We cats can be fastidious, so we don't like a smelly litter box. The multiple cat formula for 2 or more cats -- we certainly qualify there -- has an added all-natural plant material for enhanced odor control. So Jan liked the multiple formula better than the regular one.

Cameron: If we don't care what Jan thinks of this litter, why does her name keep coming up? Can we delete all references to her preferences and just give our own opinion?

Crystal: Sure we can. But if we don't at least mention her, she'll make us start cleaning our own litter boxes. And I for one don't want to have to scratch in used cat litter. That's one reason we allow Jan to live here -- to scoop our poop. It just smells better in World's Best Cat Litter.

PS, from all of us at JFF: Brian -- who has made it his mission to help others find a happy home -- reminded us about Marty. This young kitten needs lifesaving surgery. With it, he could have a normal life in his forever home.

It won't help Marty to be angry with the heartless idiot ... sorry, we're not supposed to say that .... with Marty's original owner because he is in this condition, but you can help Marty if you can donate a dollar or two to his fund. Visit Brian's page on Marty at foreverhomewanted.com and be sure to follow the link to read Marty's story at HandiPets.com.

Farmers Market Cats Get Reprieve

We received this from the Humane Assoc. of Georgia. It requests cross posting, so we're going to post it. It scared us for a moment, but the cats will not be trapped and euthanized. Whew, a collective deep breath!


Georgia Alert: Paul Crawley of 11 Alive reports on cats spared at the Atlanta Farmers Market in Forest Park and Spay/Neuter License Plate on 11/13/09

http://www.11alive.com/rss/rss_story.aspx?storyid=137479#comments FOREST PARK, GA - If you want to find out what it's like to herd cats, just come to the Atlanta State Farmers Market in Forest Park.

You have to look closely to find them because they're wild and don't appreciate too much attention. "There are a lot of cats out here," says market vendor Jeni Waller, "They roam around. They've lived out here for many years."

The dozens of wild cats are often a nuisance for many produce vendors, sometimes breaking into their stalls through the ceiling looking for things like dog food.

Last April a handful of Fayette County Humane Society volunteers, like Maureen Olvey, began trapping the wild cats, raising money to have them neutered and vaccinated and then returning them to the Farmers Market so they won't reproduce...all for free.

But this week they contacted us saying the market's manager was threatening to get rid of the cats altogether. "He did confirm that they are going to remove the cats from the market," Olvey told 11 Alive News. "They have traps and they're going to trap them and euthanize them," she added. Olvey says she was told the cats would be taken to the Clayton County Animal Shelter. If wild cats are taken to such shelters they're usually put to death quickly since they're not fit for adoption. After we called them Thursday, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which runs the State Farmers Market, told us the plan to eliminate the cats has been scrapped.

"That was discussed," Agriculture Department spokesman Arty Schronce told 11 Alive News, "but we decided to continue with the trap, neuter, release program because in looking at all the options, we really felt like this was the best thing for us. It was the best thing for the cats and, I think, the best thing for the taxpayers as well."

Agriculture officials and the animal rights activists agree that leaving a neutered cat population at the Farmers Market helps prevent more cats from invading their territory and that removing them would simply open a vacuum for new strays to move in.

So for now, anyway, the clowder of cats at the State Farmers Market still have their nine lives.

The Georgia Agriculture Department promotes a special state license tag that contributes more than $22 of the fee to spay and neuter dogs and cats.

Information about the tag may be found on their website. A private group called Lifeline Animal Project also provides low cost neutering through its website.

A-choo Panda Size

Just a quick video post you might enjoy. Jan's barely been able to turn her neck or use one arm for over a week, and you know how Percy is. When Jan hurts, Percy has sympathy pain and it interferes with his ability to type for us. (Remember the splinter under Jan's fingernail?) But he's our best typist.. So our posts might be short or sporadic for a while.

Enjoy the video. And watch mom's reaction.



If the video doesn't play, click here.

Buddy's Makeover

Merci: We hope you have noticed our sidebar has sported a beauty tip widget for a couple of months now. We think it's really neat.

Cotton: We figured Buddy could use a make-over. He's a hound and hounds have deep worry wrinkles in the face, so we decided to try our favorite beauty tip on him to see if it really works.

Buddy, before his beauty treatment by the Funny Farm.

Cyndi: We wanted to try Pond's cold cream as a facial because it supposedly gives deep moisturization. (We don't think that's actually a word, but we're furries, so we don't care.) Now Buddy sleeps very heavily, so he was an easy mark. Cotton volunteered. She quietly and gently applied a mask of cold cream to his face. Avoiding the eyes, of course. And his nose -- he has to breathe. We all watched the clock -- one minute. .... eight minutes..... finally, the ten minutes were up. Then came the hard part.

Cotton: One of us had to either use a warm washcloth or a paper towel to wipe off the cold cream.

Cyndi: Cotton, you mean tissue. A tissue, not a paper towel.

Merci: And none of us girls wanted to volunteer. Sam gulped and offered to try. His sigh of relief when we all said no nearly blew Cotton off the bed.

Cotton: None of the other guys would offer. They said it would take a gentle touch and they're man cats and dogs, so their touch, although gentler than Sam's paw of the cement block, wouldn't cut it.

Cyndi: That left only one solution. We volunteered Cotton to finish the beauty tip.

Cotton: Yeah, wimps and cowards, all of my siblings. But I'm a tortie and I've got tortitude, so I very, very gently ran a tissue over Buddy's face, hardly daring to ...

Merci: Breathe, Cotton, before you pass out.

Cotton, breathing deeply: Ahhhhhh.

Buddy, leaping to his feet: What happened? Who just poked me in the eye?

Cotton: Sorry, Buddy, it was an accident. But we have a surprise for you.

Cyndi: Yes, Buddy, go look in the mirror. We gave you a .. Ouch! Cotton you stepped on my foot.

Cotton, very quietly: I did? Fancy that. Probably because you were about to tell a guy we gave him a beauty treatment before he's even seen the results.

Merci: It's amazing, Buddy. Notice how your lines and wrinkles have softened.

Buddy after the Pond's cold cream mask.

Buddy, posing before the mirror: Yes, I can see that. I look ten years younger and ...

Cyndi: But, Buddy, you're only going to be 5 this month. How can you look ... Uh, never mind I don't think I want to go there.

Cotton: You do look handsome, Buddy. Are you pleased with what we've done?

Buddy: Pleased? I love it. What did you do? Whatever it was, we need to try it on Jan before she wakes up.

Cyndi: I don't know. Do you think one jar is enough to smooth out Jan's wrinkles so she looks as good as Buddy does?

Brody & Ethel

We planned to post some photos from yesterday's Veteran's Day Observance but they are still in the camera. Jan better get on the catnip ball or she's going to be embarrassed by the performance review we're planning to post before the end of the month.

Instead, we're going to share one of those stories that help tissue sales. A story of love.and friendship that will put a smile on your face and a tear in your eye. It's about 92-year old Ethel and Brody, a 12-year old black Lab.

From the Portland Press Herald
A community's caring tempers painful loss of a companion
by Bill Nemitz.

Every morning at exactly 10 o'clock, Brody would take up his position by the front door to wait for the Meals on Wheels volunteers – Steve on Monday, David on Tuesday, Dot on Wednesday, Bud on Thursday and Ray on Friday. Upon hearing a car door close outside, he'd hop up on the nearby window sill, tail wagging, for a look-see.

"The minute they came to the door, he was the welcoming committee," Ethel said.

He had good reason. First, Dot Cleveland started bringing a doggy biscuit on Wednesdays. Then Ray Gross, a dog lover if ever there was one, started showing up with soup bones on Fridays. Before long, all five volunteers were bringing treats for Brody along with meals for Ethel.

You can read the rest of the story here.

Veteran's Day 2009

We wanted something appropriate as a tribute to our military, past and present, for Veteran's Day. We think this song, "America My Home," performed by Ricky David Tripp one month after 9-11 fits the bill.

We stand behind our military. And we salute them. (A little hard for dogs and cats, but, hey, if Percy can type, we can salute.)

We are especially pleased as we read of those serving overseas whose hearts reach out to help rescue unwanted dogs and cats.



If the video will not play for you, click here.

Chief, Pit Bull Hero

We just read an article where a woman basically drips venom about how she detests animals in the house and just dislikes pets in general. Some readers found her article to be clever and cute, but we found it sad. She is entitled to her opinion, but it's too bad,as she's missing out on a lot of fun. She doesn't need to worry, though, we won't invite her to our house.

On the other hand, many of you have undoubtedly read about the pit bull that saved 2 women from a cobra that got into the house and was poised to strike. Those women are alive because they had a pet dog inside the house and that "stinky, noisy" animal sacrificed his life for them.

You can read about Chief, an American Pit Bull Terrier, here.