What I'm referring to in the title here is our pets.  Yeah, those wonderful cats and dogs that give us such love and companionship.  Are we killing them with our kindness?

I recently watched a segment on the Today show about a controversial subject that I happened to research myself about 9 years ago.  The injections that our pets get from our vets.

At that time we had our beautiful Maine Coon cat, Calais.  She was 9 years old and based on her breed and the fact she was an indoor cat, I thought she'd probably live to be 17 or 18 years old.  So imagine my shock when at only 9 years old, I discovered a huge lump on her chin one morning and by that evening, we had to make the decision to have her put to sleep.

Calais had an osteosarcoma (bone tumor) in her mandibular bone.  The vet told me that, unfortunately, by the time these are discovered....it's already too late.  There was no hope and in the days to come she would have been in pain, unable to eat, etc.  I had no choice but to lovingly let her go.  But in the midst of my sorrow and anger, I questioned "why?"  Why would this happen?  How could this happen to a perfectly healthy cat?  I went on the Internet and researched volumes of information........much of it that said the injections we give to our pets can be deadly.

Deadly?  I thought I was doing the right thing getting Calais inoculated against all the feline diseases that could end her life prematurely.  Maybe not.  Maybe it caused her death.  I read enough to convince me that possibly this is what happened.  And when I got my next Maine Coon cat, Marcel (who turned 9 years old this past March) I made a decision.........he's an indoor cat, just like Calais was.  His paws have never touched soil......he only gets his fresh air and sun on our screened-in lanai.  So I got his kitten shots, I brought him back when he was a year old for his boosters........and that was it.  No more injections.

I've done the same with Ralph and Foster........all the kitten shots, back at age one for the boosters.  And then.....no more.  They're also indoor cats.  Never going outside.

Let's discuss my beloved Holly, who we lost a year ago this month to lymphoma.  I do believe that dogs, unlike indoor cats, really should have all the injections that's required.  They're out there socializing with other dogs, walking on soil that other dogs have treaded on, etc.  So faithfully, we brought Holly to the vet every year for the first five years of her life to get all her boosters, rabies, etc.  However, the year that Holly would be turning six (2007) our vet informed us that a new booster was now out, that would last THREE years!  Yes, three.  I said, "terrific, let's do it."  We did. 

But who knows.........maybe the damage had already been done to Holly.  She already had cancer, unbeknownst to us at that point.  The segment on the Today show indicated there seems to be an exceptionally high amount of cancer in our cats and dogs.  Could it be the injections they got year after year?  I don't have that answer.  But I DO know.......Duncan and Brie are now on the three-year injection, and I also know that Holly's mother, Dutchess, (now age 9) and her sister, Star (now age 7 1/2) are both still alive.  They didn't get yearly injections like Holly, for various reasons.  Something to think about, isn't it?

Now I'm not saying injections are bad.  Far from it.  I strongly believe in them.  But what I am saying is, if you have a dog or cat and right now you're taking them yearly for those injections.......you might want to speak to your vet about the new three-year injections that are now available.  Who knows.......maybe we'll be adding many loving and valuable years to their life.......and to ours, because of their love for us.

See you here next time........

My two, black, twin kitties are 2 years old today.  Some of you may recall when we got them as kittens, the owner brought both of them in a cage but said, "of course, you don't have to take both of them."  But they were twins!  Entered the world in the same sac.  Spent the first 10 weeks of their life together.  Ray and I took one look at them.....little balls of black fur, huddled together in the back of their crate, looked at each other......and yup, the rest is history.  OF course we had to take both!  And it wasn't a mistake.

Ralph is the one with the red collar and Foster is looking at the camera upside down.  They're seldom apart.  They eat together, sleep together, groom each other, and play together.  It would have been sad to separate them.  Ralph is the more outgoing of the two.  Coming into the TV room every evening to snuggle next to Duncan, Brie, Ray and I.  He loves his cuddles and pats.  Foster is more subtle.  Very undemanding, yet if he's picked up, he'll purr and snuggle right into your neck.  Both are extremely sweet cats. 

Like two peas in a pod, they're connected.  Yet, they interact with all the other members of the family.  Including Marcel, our 8 year old Maine Coon cat.  So Happy Birthday, guys......I'm sure glad we brought you both home to live with us.

CONTEST UPDATE:  Well, I seem to be holding my own in the writing contest.  Voting goes on till Sept. 18.  I want to thank all of you that have gone to Gather.com so far and given me your vote.  But......I could still use a whole lot more "10" rating votes!  I've now put a logo on my sidebar that will take you directly to Gather.  And here's the link for a personal invite for you to join.    http://www.gather.com/inviteLanding.jsp?parentMemberId=413473&tc=11

Hopefully, if you haven't had a chance to vote yet, you'll go read my first chapter of Seeking Sydney and you'll give me that much-needed "10" rating.  I sure would appreciate it.  OH.....and since I'm not shy, nor humble......perhaps you could also pass this info and link on to your friends, who will tell their friends, who will tell their friends.....well, you get the picture.

And here's the link to go directly to my First Chapter page so you can read, vote and hopefully leave a comment at the bottom of that page.  But you must join Gather in order to be eligible to vote.  http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977093233

See you here tomorrow when I have something especially for the ladies.........

I never met Bella, the cat.  She belonged to my girlfriend, Maureen.  But I'd heard enough about her that I "felt" like I knew her.

So when I received an email from Maureen yesterday with the above photo and words telling me that Bella went to the Rainbow Bridge yesterday morning, I felt sad. 

The reason I'm doing a blog entry on Bella is because Bella lived to be 23 years old!  Yes......23.  Isn't that amazing?  I think that in itself deserves some recognition. 

Needless to say, she was much loved by Maureen and her husband, Bob.  And their home will be very empty without her.  But what a grand life she had.  And befitting for such a special cat, Bella passed on peacefully in Maureen's arms. 

I have no doubt that Bella is now at the Rainbow Bridge, romping and playing just like she did in her kitten days.  So here's to you, Bella...........a very special grande dame.

See you here next time..............

.......Have been irritated with their lack of blog time recently.  And since some of you requested to see Holly and Duncan in their Christmas scarves.....here's the pooches....

I swear Miss Holly was a model in another lifetime....she always poses so perfectly for me. (and seems to enjoy cameras)  Holly has a birthday on Thursday and will turn 6 years old. And here's the Dunkster....in his festive finery and now 10 months old. (There were 3 Christmas lights on the tip of his scarf, as you can probably see....they've mysteriously disappeared!  I sure hope he didn't chow down on them.

And demanding equal time on here is Ralph and Foster.....at 15 months old, they're still pretty much inseparable.

And Patriarch over all of them.....we have Marcel, who turns 8 years old in March.

All of our critters here at Animal Kingdom our household want to wish all of you and your critters, if you have any, a very happy holiday season and all good things in 2007.....like lots of dog biscuits, kitty treats, chew bones and catnip.

See you tomorrow.......

CONVERSATION RECENTLY OVERHEARD ON LANAI:

DUNCAN:  Hey, Foster.....did ya notice that mom hasn't talked about us or put our photos on that blog thing of hers for quite awhile?  She finds all kinds of other things to yak about...except us.

FOSTER: (Yawn) Yeah, okay.....anybody seen my catnip?

DUNCAN:  Never mind the catnip.....we're members of this family.  I want equal time on that blog of hers.  Do you realize I'm going to be NINE months old this Saturday?  YUP, November 4 I turn nine months old.

FOSTER:  Whatever.  Was that the can opener I just heard in the kitchen?

DUNCAN:  Hey....look at me!  Aren't I just the cutest thing you've ever seen?  I know mom's readers think I'm adorable.....I'm going to start demanding equal time.

FOSTER:  Hey look, Dunk, wasn't that a bird that just landed in the Chinaberry tree?  Come on, we can stalk him.

DUNCAN:  Foster, you're not paying attention to the problem at hand.  And where's Holly and Ralph?  They should be in on this discussion.  Foster......hey, Foster, no, don't walk away from me.  Awwww, guys, come on......we need to demand our rights......

RALPH:  Duncan needs to chill out and take a lesson from us......we know what's important in life, don't we, Bro?

See you tomorrow...........