The innocent victim of the mortgage crisis is the animal left behind. Realtors and home inspectors across the country report that animals are abandoned in homes, garages, and yards in record numbers. Many are found too late. Shelters are overflowing.

An acquaintance recently mentioned to me about her experience with neighbors moving from their home in Florida to another state. She was on friendly terms with the family and knew about their household of animals. She asked them what they were going to do with all the animals, and learned that they intended to turn most out into the wild. She was appalled knowing the indoor domesticated cat would likely be unable to survive for long when turned outside. The story has a happy ending as she volunteered to take the cat along with an exotic bird and a turtle.

As concerned human beings, what can we do for the foreclosure animal victims? My recommendations include:

1. Be mindful of abandoned homes
2. Report to authorities if you think animals may have been left behind
3. Care and feed for animals left in your neighboring yard until authorities arrive
4. Watch out for homeless animals that wander onto your property
5. If you know someone is moving, inquire about their pets
6. If you discover the family is moving where pets are not allowed, offer to care for the pet
7. Volunteer to help at overflowing local shelters
8. Volunteer to be a foster family for a foreclosure animal victim
9. Volunteer to adopt a foreclosure animal victim
10. Talk to your government officials about ways this tragic trend can be reversed

Can you think of other ways to help? Is this a problem in your local community?

Happy Purrs!

Catnip is pure ecstasy for cats. Lexie Lee's reaction to catnip is to roll around in it, rub her head against it, and lick it off the floor. This drug-like trance usually lasts ten to fifteen minutes for her. Then just as quickly as she reacts to it, she loses interest. A couple hours later she may reactivate to it, providing there is any left on the floor. Other cats respond by drooling, running, jumping, growling, chasing, and purring.

Catnip or catmint, Nepeta cataris, originated in Europe and Asia and is now grown in North America. If you are looking for an ornamental groundcover, consider growing catnip. Your cats will love you for it! I purchase dried catnip at the local pet store. To activate the catnip, I simply rub a few leaves between my fingers. It does not take much catnip to create excitement. If I find any hard stalks in the catnip container, I remove them and use only the fine ground leaves. Then I sprinkle the catnip on the floor for Lexie Lee. Sometimes, I sprinkle it on her scratching box. The cat's bedding, furniture, or toys are also other options. I don't recommend putting the catnip in food since it may upset eating habits.

According to Janet Tobiassen Crosby, D.V.M., cats have a special receptor for the catnip active ingredient, Nepetalactone, a mild hallucinogen. Some cats show greater interest than others. About 10-30% of cats do not respond to catnip since they do not have the catnip gene. Generally, very young or elderly cats respond minimally or not at all. Carolyn M. McDaniel, D.V.M. at Feline Health Center at Cornell University, reports there is no correlation between catnip sensitivity and sex, color, or breed.

Catnip is nontoxic and perfectly safe providing your cat with temporary amusement. I am just amused watching Lexie Lee's antics!

What is your cat's personal reaction to catnip?

Happy Purrs!

"Gratitude is the heart's memory"--A French proverb

According to Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of Simple Abundance, when we are thankful, we "set in motion an ancient spiritual law, the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you." She advocates keeping a daily personal gratitude journal. The process is simple. At the end of each day list five things you are thankful for.

Here is a slightly different twist on a gratitude journal--I call it Lexie Lee Gratitudes for my beautiful Norwegian Forest Cat who brings inexpressible delight to my life, day in and day out! I am thankful that:

1. Lexie Lee is vibrant and healthy.
2. Lexie Lee has a voracious appetite.
3. Lexie Lee plays games--like jumping out from under a tablecloth and scaring me!
4. Lexie Lee sleeps in. (Translation--she does not wake me at 5 AM to be fed!)
5. Lexie Lee lounges on my chest and stares into my eyes--what a connection we share!
6. Lexie Lee watches over our household from the third story window sill.
7. Lexie Lee burrows down in the comforter next to me.
8. Lexie Lee greets me upon my return.
9. Lexie Lee doesn't want me to leave the house.
10. Lexie Lee has graced my life.

Here's a peek at my personal gratitude journal. Once in a while my journal has extraordinary entries like winning a book award or going on spring break. However, simple joys that I can easily take for granted often make up the list.

Today I am grateful for: Living in warm sunny South Florida--Having a tropical backyard paradise that offers a safe haven for animals--Making it home safely last night when the engine malfunction came on--Getting my blog written on time--and Lexie Lee's companionship! (You guessed it--Lexie Lee always makes the daily list!)

What are you grateful for?

Happy Purrs!

Last week I introduced you to my cats named after a Christmas carol, a Russian heritage, and a French wine. I clearly have quite a system going! But I have more kitties' names to share with you.

After Noelle, Tatianna, and Taittinger was--yes--another orange marmalade cat! She was named Katarina after Olympic gold medal figure skater Katarina Witt. I loved this name, but also called her "Katie" at times. Katarina was spirited just like the figure skater. Tatianna and Katarina lived most of their long lives together. I often referred to them as the Reign of Tatianna and Katarina due to their royal sounding names.

During the Tatianna and Katarina era, a stray black cat worked its way into my heart. Before long, Marnie, named after one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock's movies, joined the household. I always referred to her as "my little angel kitty" since she arrived during a difficult time in my life.

The latest cat I have is named after a character in a book written by one of my favorite contemporary authors, Nicholas Sparks. The librarian in True Believer is Lexie. When another stray cat blew into my yard after Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances, I was reading this book. But, I wanted two names strung together. So what better name for a southern kitty than Lexie Lee! Occasionally I refer to her as Lex, or say,"Linda loves Lexie Lee." Yes, Linda loves alliteration!

Although I don't have any cats to name at the moment, I have always wanted a pair of kittens with old fashioned names--Emma and Lottie. I wonder what Lexie Lee would think about two new sisters?

What is the most unique cat name you have ever heard?

Happy Purrs!

"I tell you a cat must have three different names."--T.S. Eliot

Naming a cat is no small undertaking. I have named six cats in my lifetime, and each time I used a different approach. My first cat in my adult life was a beautiful orange marmalade cat with green, gleaming eyes; white boots; and a fluffy white throat. The minute I saw her my fascination with orange marmalade cats began. She arrived in my life during the Christmas season, so I named her Noelle, after my favorite Christmas carol, The First Noel. She filled my heart with countless hours of joy and contentment over the next ten years.

The next kitten to make its way to me was a Siamese and domestic short-hair mix. I wanted an unusual and distinctive name for what was quite an unusual- and distinctive-looking cat. I wanted a name that danced, a name that had a harmonious lilt to it. The name had to be different and sound pleasing and playful to the ear. Additionally, I wanted a name that could be shortened for fun. Russian names had always intrigued me. So the little gray kitten was named Tatianna. It fit her perfectly. Sometimes, I called her "Tattie" or "Tat," and often I sang her names to her--"Tattie-Tatianna." This always made her eyes dance and her ears perk up, because she loved hearing those sounds strung together. And so did I. Her other pet names were "Sweetie-Tweetie" and "Boo," and she learned to respond to all of them. But the majority of the time I simply call her Tatianna.

My next blessing was another precious orange marmalade kitten. She was named Taittinger, after a French wine. I also liked the idea of having two cats with names that started with "T"--Tatianna and Taittinger. Sometimes, I called them Tat and Tat and they would both come running to me.

To be continued next week--Naming my other three cats!

What is your favorite cat name? How did you pick the name?

Happy Purrs!

Amusing playtime is paramount to foster the human-cat connection. Lexie Lee has a myriad of cat toys to bat around, to chew on, and to have imaginary fights with. But recently on an excursion to a pet shop to buy cat food (but to really play with the cats that are there every Saturday for adoption!), I browse the cat toy aisle. A toy that requires me to play as well attracts my attention.

The toy is simple, and the rules are easy. Quite simply, three colorful feathers suspend on a string from the end of a thin, flexible pole. I select dark blue and purple feathers. I consider orange and red feathers; maybe I will get them later for replacement feathers. It reminds me of the days I went fishing with my father using a cane fishing pole with a red round ball dangling on the end. Although I wasn't very good at fishing, I think I can master this cat game!

All I have to do is hold the pole and swing it around at varying speeds and heights while Lexie Lee feverishly tries to catch the feathers. She is quite adept at this game. Sometimes, she grabs the feathers in her mouth and pulls them to the floor. Other times, she uses her paw to capture them. Once she was so quick and strong, I dropped the pole and she ran off with it to hide under a table-- feathers in her mouth and the pole dragging along behind her! She leaps high in the air, spins around 360 degrees, and turns summersaults! We keep up these antics until she flops down to rest!

The package cautions that the toy must be hidden between play sessions or your cat will destroy it! I quickly see why, so I hide it in the pantry. Lexie Lee already knows the secret spot, so whenever I open the door, she wants to play. I can see I will be back for those orange feathers soon--probably this Saturday!

What is your cat's favorite store-bought toy?

Happy Purrs!

Recently I was in Missouri and learned about the WAGS animal program: Wonderful Animals Giving Support. The program was started by Carol Parmenter through the University of Missouri Extension. WAGS presently operates in Vernon, Bates, and Platte counties. A feature article by Heather Berry in Rural Missouri, February 2008, reports that the "goal with WAGS is to educate, promote growth and enhance healing to the spirit and body through the use of animal-assisted activities."

The group currently has twenty-five volunteer teams that go to nursing homes, libraries, hospitals, and schools to offer support. A team includes the volunteer and the animal. To become a team, the animals are evaluated on how they handle strangers, petting, crowds, and distractions and the volunteers are evaluated on how they enjoy being around people. Volunteers must keep their animals clean and stay up-to-date with veterinary visits. The team is certified by WAGS and must attend workshops and be recertified annually. WAGS is open to all kinds of domestic animals. Their most unique animal now is a pony who wears gripper-soled shoes when appearing in public!

What do the volunteer teams actually do? Tasks include listening to a child read or allowing an Alzheimer's patient to pet the animals and reminisce about animals they loved long ago. For example, at Benton Elementary in Nevada, Missouri, the volunteer teams visit an after-care program called Bee-A-Reader. Second graders take turns reading for ten minutes to a furry animal. Their teacher reports that "the pet loves the attention, and the kids seem to be more at ease reading to an animal. The kids actually get excited about reading. They can hardly wait until it's their turn."

Do you know of any examples where cats are used successfully in animal-assisted activities?

Happy Purrs!

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is encouraging us to "Go Orange for Animals" again this year to help celebrate the human-animal bond. ASPCA was founded on April 10, 1866 to "provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals". ASPCA day is April 10, 2008.

The ASPCA Web site is chock-full of creative community ideas for going orange on April 10. (Orange is the organization's color). Here are a few of my favorite highlights:

•Decorate your house, business, or town hall with orange lights
•Wear orange to work or school
• Post orange flyers (the ASPCA Web site has free flyers to download)
• Tie orange bows on doors, trees, cars, and your animals
• Set up an orange Kool-Aid stand
• Have bake sale with all kind of goodies decorated in orange icing
• Bake orange cookies to take to your coworkers
• Plant orange flowers

Here is an idea I thought of to promote kindness and compassion for animals:

• Organize a neighborhood block party where everyone has to wear something orange (including the animals) and an orange potluck is served

I have some cat statues in my front yard, and I plan to decorate them in orange bows.

You can also log on to http://www.aspca to win an ASPCA Day kit, which includes items to help spread the word in your local community. After April 10, you can submit Community Leader entries to ASPCA to tell how your community celebrated going orange and win a trip to New York City among other prizes.

What are you going to do in your community to help celebrate the human-animal bond on April 10?

Happy Purrs!

Although I do not look forward to leaving Lexie Lee when I go to work, I do look forward to our morning ritual. It provides consistency in her life and reinforces our bond. As a college professor and author, my schedule is varied. However, our morning ritual is always the same.

First, she follows me from the bedroom to the kitchen to be fed. As my tea brews, I put down her wet food, dry crunchies, and fresh water. Then I head to the living room with my tea to slowly start my day. I sit in my favorite rocking chair and gaze out the picture window. I open one section of the picture window where Lexie Lee sits on the ledge eyeing insects, birds, and chameleons. I also open another window that faces the courtyard. She jumps from a wingback chair to the top of that window sill to check out what is happening.

The next stop is my home office. Lexie Lee lounges on the window sill overlooking the front driveway. From this third level of the house, she oversees lots of morning hustle and bustle. Next I move to the bedroom and begin my dressing routine. Lexie Lee jumps up on an end table to reach another window sill where she can watch the antics of birds and squirrels in the giant fichus tree in the backyard.

As I return to the kitchen, she trails along side me. To keep her occupied, I ask if she wants her nippie now. She runs faster when she hears "nippie!" The catnip is kept in the kitchen. I pinch a few dry catnip leaves between my fingers to release the aroma and drop them on the floor where she has already stationed herself. She immediately sniffs the leaves and eats some of them. By the time I walk out the door, she is rolling around on the floor and oblivious to my departure!

What is your morning ritual with your cat?

Happy Purrs!

Besides playing games with your cat to strengthen your connection, toys can provide hours of entertainment for both of you. Although clever store bought toys can be had, I find that one of the most inexpensive items that has amused all my cats is simply a cardboard box.

Many years ago, I learned quite by accident my first cat's love of boxes. After removing the contents of a mail order shipment, I temporally left the empty box sitting in the living room. However, I noticed Noelle loved to run toward the box and jump into it, making lots of noise. Often her momentum moved the box across the hardwood floor, and she ended up in a different part of the room--much to her delight. In later years, another one of my cats, Tatianna, adopted a flat box that a large checkbook had been shipped in. The box became a permanent fixture under the Queen Anne coffee table in the living room. It was big enough for her to stretch out, and she exercised her front paws by rubbing on its well-defined edge. She often slept on the box for hours. When Tatianna passed away, I saved her special box for years, unable to part with a piece of her.

Lexie Lee likes a deep box that she can jump into and then spring out to surprise or scare me. She loves this game, and I can almost hear her snickering. She also likes a shorter, shallow box to lounge in. When I have a tall box, I turn it on its side creating a tunnel. Lexie Lee crawls to the end to secretly hide or to later sprint out.

So I have learned to decorate my home with at least one cardboard box at all times. As the box becomes tattered and torn from zealous play, it is replaced by a new box. After a brief breaking in period, the box is part of Lexie Lee's favorite play things.

Do you have a funny story about your cat playing with cardboard boxes?

Happy Purrs!