I Have Too Much Help!!

Mr. "C" trying to stow away in one of our

packing boxes.

Trying to pack for a move when you have four cats in your house can be difficult at best.  Apparently every empty box has to be carefully inspected by either Charlie Brown, Bing or Mr. "C".  Cleo, our oldest Seal Point Siamese is content to sit on my writing desk and survey the carnage going on around her.  I'm not sure how interesting the inside of an empty two foot packing box can be but the cats sure like them.  

Empty packing boxes also make a great place to sleep.  Throw some bubble wrap in the bottom and it takes a SWAT team to flush our cats out of them.

Boxes loaded to the gills also require a security inspection before being sealed with packing tape.  Kittie apparently thinks that despite the box being loaded to the maximum there is still room for them.

Trying to secure a box with packing tape creates another challenge as Mr. "C" or Bing keep rubbing their heads against  your hand while you try to avoid taping their tail to the same box your working on.

Then there is the matter of emptying a shelf or a cabinet.  Once again the mover inspection kitties need to investigate.  I'm not sure what is so facsinating about an empty drawer or closet but the cats must find something there we humans are missing.

So the move goes slowly but steadily ahead.  I keep having this bad dream that Marcy and I are standing at the rear of a moving truck, loaded to the roof with boxes and furniture.  We hear a muffled meow and then realize one of our cats is missing.   YIKES!!

Have a plurrable day...

Nick

Your The Tenth Caller...

Exciting news!  On March 6, 2011 we are hosting our first on line radio talk show.  Via Blog Talk Radio we will begin airing a Sunday evening show, "The Wonderful World Of Nick".  We will talk about a variety of subjects, including my book, pets and their attitudes and quirkiness, the afterlife, and anything interesting to keep the show fun and thought-provoking.  We will periodically have guests on to spice things up.  It's really going to be fun! 

 

Our agenda for the first show will be:

Discussion about our big PRIZE GIVE AWAY

Animal Shelters

How to find out if an organization is a kill or no-kill facility

The best part is that you, my friends and family, can listen to the show, and call in to talk or ask questions.

Here is how you can listen and take part.  Go to this link now and you'll see the show schedule.  You can take the steps necessary to listen in.  Ok, I promised you a link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nicksacco.

Share the show information with all of your friends and family.  

I look forward to talking with you on the air on SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2011, 8 P.M. 

Have a purrable day...

Nick

 

Nick L. Sacco

Author: In Heaven Kittens Play

www.nicksacco.com

Should This Cat Die?

Mr. "C" doing his favorite thing.
Drinking out of the faucet

Mr. "C", an old yellow tabby barn cat, came to our home via animal rescue about six years ago.  Mr. "C" is a definite alpha cat who never tolerated another animal, cat or dog, coming onto our property when we lived on the farm.  Mr. "C" would go out of his way to confront any strange animals and would open up a can of whoopass on them until they saw the error of their ways and fled his property.

For years, good ole Mr. "C" was content to stay outside all year round, sleeping in our barn, only occasionally coming into the house to visit.  But as he has grown older, he has realized the true comforts of life are inside and has gradually become a full time house cat.  

About nine months ago, we noticed that Mr. "C" seemed to be declining.  He was growing thinner, acting listless and lethargic, and seemed to be suffering from what appeared to be a constant case of irritable bowel syndrome.  As my wife Marcy and I prepared for our move to Arizona, the topic of Mr. "C"s health kept coming up.  We had to make the hard decision that Mr. "C" was too sick to make the trip and was going to have to be euthanized instead.  

Then something funny happened on the way to the vet's office.  Marcy, asked if I thought changing Mr. "C"s food might fix his IBS problem.  So, that day we switched his food to Science Diet digestion healthy cat food. After about one week, Mr. "C" made a miraculous recovery.  The first thing we noticed was that he started playing again!  Then he slowly started putting on weight, running around the house, interacting with the other cats and his IBS started clearing up.

Thank you Science Diet.  

So the one way trip to the vets office has been cancelled.  Mr. "C" will be joining us and the other pets at the end of March as we head for Arizona and our new home.

Have a purrable day...

Nick

There's No Snooze Button On A Cat Wanting Breakfast.

Are you one of those cat loving people who are woken up in the wee hours of the morning by your furry feline rolling around on your face?  Their cold little nose stuck up one of your nostrils, their tails caressing your ear while they purr loud enough to wake the neighbors.  Possibly you have one of the more aggressive cats who gets a running start before they plow into your face with their heads or stand on your chest "fluffing" you with great purpose and intent as if you are a big lump of dough?  So, why is your cat sounding reveille like they own the house?  Pretty much it's because you, the parent, have taught it bad habits.  At some point you made kitty think it was ok to wake you.  I know that's difficult to swallow.  In prior blogs I have talked about cats being awake to hunt at dawn and dusk when their prey is up and about.  Well, if kitty is up at the crack of dawn then he may think you need to join him.  

There are some things that can be done to alleviate this early morning problem:

1. Install blackout blinds or curtains to prevent sunlight in the room where cat sleeps. This may help prevent the sunrise from triggering the cats instincts.

2. If the cat is fed on a schedule, you can change the schedule so that the morning feeding is later in the day and the evening feeding is right before bedtime. In this way, you can gradually train the cat to expect to eat later in the day so you don't get those early morning wake up calls.  It will take several weeks before the cat learns its new schedule. If you free feed, it would be advisable to fill the cat bowls with fresh food and water immediately before bedtime.

3. Try to prevent boredom by spending a lot of time playing with your kitty. Play, play, play.  Lots of attention and lots of exercise makes for a very happy kitty.  Lots of toys to keep him/her entertained is also a good thing.

4. The last suggestion is the easiest fix:  Don’t allow your cat to sleep in the room with you.  Most rooms in your house have a really cool device known as a Bedroom Door.  The bedroom door has two positions:  Open and closed.  If you don't want kitty coming into the room while you are sleeping, then put it in the closed position.  I know this might be a hard thing for some cat lovers to do, however, your cat will adjust and find a new, comfortable place to sleep.  

Last little note:  If your cat begins taking your door off the hinges or removing the door knob, you might consider hiding your tool box!!

Have a purrable day...

Nick

Do Cats Drive Cars?

As we prepare to move to Lake Havasu, Arizona, one of our main concerns is how to move three Siamese cats and two dogs.  We are not that worried about the dogs.  The cats, however, are another story.  While I don't relish the idea of keeping them in carriers for the 19 hour drive, other options seem to be limited.  We envision CHAOS if we let them loose in the Jeep with the dogs.  

Charlie Brown, the "Scaredycat" will probably hide under the seat or refuse to leave his carrier all together.  Cleo, "Miss Calm" will explore the car, while looking out the windows, trying to get the 18-wheel truck drivers to blow their air horns.  And Bing, "Mr. Control Freak" will most likely try and commandeer the car.  He'll switch the radio to a heavy metal station, jump behind the wheel and steer the car towards Vegas or the Mexican border.

So please, we are waiting for any and all suggestions.  We need to hear from you...What is the best way to move three Siamese cats across country on a 19-hour drive?  Just send your ideas quick, before Bing takes over the car and we end up way off course!

Have a purrable day...

Nick

Big Prize Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contest proceeds to benefit local animal rescue organizations. (Kansas City) Author and Animal Rescue Expert Nick Sacco has announced that a portion of the proceeds from his new contest will benefit Kansas City area animal rescue organizations. The contest, “Buy A Book – Pick Your Prize” which kicked off today is simple; Go to: http://www.nicksacco.com purchase a copy of his new book “In Heaven Kittens Play” and you will be entered to win one of (4) four prizes valued at more than $2500. One of the prizes is a week for two at an Animal Rescue in Costa Rica. Other prizes include a weekend stay at the Raphael Hotel in Kansas City and $2500 spending money, a 55” inch, 3D TV and Blu-Ray player, or $2500 in cold hard cash. The contest, which runs through August 31st, 2011, is expected to raise awareness of his new book and the work of animal rescue organizations like Animal Haven. Sacco explains; “It's a marketing campaign like no other, but it has merit... Through our work with area animal rescue groups we can get people to take notice and either volunteer or make donations for a great cause!” Nick is available for on-air interviews on radio and TV, for more information on the book, the contest, contest rules and links to area animal rescue groups, log onto www.nicksacco.com CONTACT NICK SACCO (816) 392-7455 nick@nicksacco.com GARY CARSON (913) 609-7711 admin@nicksacco.com Title: In Heaven Kittens Play Author: Nick Sacco ISBN: 13: 9781926918150 Format: Softcover, 118 ppg

If you're a cat owner like me, you probably wonder how your cats can sleep all the time.  I joke a lot that my cats don't function well with-out 18 hours of sleep a day but it turns out that I'm not far from the truth.  Cats enjoy their quality snoozing time which can last anywhere from 13 to 16 hours per day.  About the same amount of time my wife sleeps...love you honey :-)

Seriously your kitty spends about two-thirds of his entire life in dreamland, almost more then any other mammal.  Most of their sleeping is done at night.  I've heard people say that cats are "nocturnal" but that isn't completely true.  Cats are actually "crepuscular,"  which simply means that they are most active at dawn and dusk.  You might ask, why?   Because in the wild cats hunt at dawn and dusk, which is when their prey is the most active.

So whether you have a kitten or an older cat, I can guarantee that they are going to do a lot of sleeping!  It is just in their nature.  It is just like the old saying:  "Let a sleeping cat lie."  That's what I do.

Well better go.  I feel a nap coming on for me and my cats. 

Have a purrable day....

Nick

How God Works

Recently we have been running a special and including color prints of the Blue Angel in all of the books we have been mailing out.  A friend of mine, Wendy, asked if I could send her a Blue Angel print and I happily agreed.  Wendy wrote me a few days later to express her thanks and asked if I had intended to send her two of the prints.  Apparently two prints had just stuck together so Wendy had an extra.

It happened the next day that Wendy's son-in-law had to have his favorite cat Ranger put to sleep.  Wendy said he was pretty distraught about it.  All of us who have had to put down a beloved pet can sure identify with the sadness and feeling of loss that he was experiencing.  Wendy, remembering that she had the extra Blue Angel print she gave it to him and it made him feel much better.

Some people would see no significance in such a trivial occurrence.  "Two prints just got stuck together by accident", they would say.  But I think that this is just an example of God working in the wings of our lives.  I believe that Father God foresaw the loss her son-in-law was about to experience and set the wheels in motion that he would receive some comfort in the form of a simple angel image.

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Have a purrable day...


Nick

Watch & See

Well friends something really HUGE is about to happen.  I can't say much right now because details are still being worked out by my web administrator (slash) internet Big Kahuna Gary and my publicist Marcy.  Keep checking out my blog and more importantly the web site at http://www.nicksacco.com  because in the next couple of days the big event should go live and trust me you, your friends and family will all want to get in on it.

Crap, I'm terrible about keeping secrets but here's a clue.  My readers will be able to enter a drawing for....WAIT....I better not.  Just keep checking in.  The surprise will be revealed in the next couple of days.

Have a purrable day...

Nick

Found Water

I have four cats and all of them seem happy with the water bowl except one, our old yellow tabby, Mr. C.  Oftentimes I'll find Mr. C with his head down in the toilet and his ass in the air.  This can be very disturbing especially when you don't expect to find a cat upside down in your commode.  It really sucks if it is in the middle of the night, you are half asleep, and you go to sit down, and find a tail sticking up between your legs and a startled cat trying to scramble out of the toilet.


Other times Mr. C. will drink out of a glass of water that Marcy or I have left sitting on a chair, table or in the sink.  Mr. C and our former Jack Frost waited at the sink every day for us to turn the water on. We would let it trickle down and the two of them would sit there and lap at it for 20 minutes.  


When cats drink water other then what's in their water bowls it's called "Found Water".  


There are a few different schools of thought on why cats prefer found water over their water bowls.  The first thought is that when water in their bowls become old or stagnant, cats can taste chemicals in the water that were used to treat it.  This chemicals may be stronger in plastic bowls than glass or ceramic, because the chemicals attach themselves to plastic more easily. 


Another theory on Found Water is that water running from the sink is aerated and tastes better than sitting in a bowl. Running water simply tastes better!  The toilet water is also cleaner and colder then their water bowl as long as it has been flushed from use. Don't worry about your pets if they drink from the toilet.  It won't hurt them. 


Finally, some experts say that cats prefer running water because of instinct.  However, I don't understand this because why do only a couple of my cats enjoy the sink and toilet while everyone else do ok with their water bowl?
One idea for your cat if they prefer running water is the  Drinkwell® Platinum Pet Fountain.  This is a cool device which aerates the water and always provides a trickle of running water. 


So that's all I have to share about found water.  Have a great day and remember to always look before sitting down on your toilet to make sure your cat isn't there first.


Have a purrable day.


Nick

Cat Door

Our dog Sammie and the new cat door

It's funny to see how different cats adapt to new situations.  Today I am talking about the addition of a new pet door between our breakfast room and the garage.   We put the little door in so the cats could easily go from inside the house into the garage where we began keeping their litter boxes and food bowls.

All of our cats handled it differently from the start.  Bing, "Mr. Adventure," figured out the door in one day.  In no time he was letting himself in and out as if he'd been using this new entryway forever. 

Next to figure it out was Mr. C, our old yellow barn tabby, however, his technique varied. He could go out to the garage with no problem.  Coming back in was a whole different issue. He would begin by sitting with his little Tabby face pressed against the semi-transparent plastic door peering inside. He would sit this way for several minutes meowing sadly while I coaxed him from the inside to join me. Finally he would shove his little apple head through the opening and the rest of him would follow.  

Charlie Brown, our huge, 17 pound Seal Pointe Siamese, was the third to figure out the new door.  Charlie Brown is really a big pussy, and I mean that both physically and emotionally.  He would stand at the door tapping at it with his paw and meowing softly as if to say "why won't this door open?"  After approximately five minutes of listening to him tap..tap..tapping at the plastic door he would eventually get it to move outwards an inch or so.  At this point he would shove his head through, look around to make sure nothing on the other side was going to get him and then pour his huge frame through the opening.

Jack Frost, the Snow Shoe, and the youngest of our cats, decided to handle entry and exit of the new cat door much like a line backer for an NFL football team.  He would take a stance about two feet from the door, lower his head and then charge forward at full speed knocking the little swinging door upwards with a loud clink and propelling himself onto the other side.  

Cleo, another Seal Pointe, and the queen of the house, was very happy at the beginning to stand at the little cat door staring at us and "mirting" a request for someone to come open the big door to let her highness in or out.  She was too much of a queen to actually go through the cat door herself!  Today she has finally decided that we may not always notice when she needs to do her business and has finally learned to open the door herself. She very quietly and lady- like glides through the door.  However,  once inside she often feels she must share her pleasure at figuring out the door on her own by standing and meowing at you until you acknowledge the great feat she has just performed.

Yes, every cat has its own personality and their own way of handling new things in their lives.  If I could teach them to run a can opener and scoop their own litter boxes we would have it made!

Have a Purrrable day

Nick

 

Harley the Cat

This photo of Harley the Cat was sent to me from Diane, Peter and Emma Jackson.  Diane said that Harley started out as a little, sick orphaned kitten but they nursed him back to health. Now, two years old Harley lives the good life with his family.  Thanks to Diane and the gang for saving a life.

www.nicksacco.com