Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Cat Island...SAFE
 On the Southeast coast of Japan is a place known as "Cat Island". It's not very big, in fact only eight miles square with a human population of about 100. The only other occupants on the island are a huge colony of cats numbering in the several hundreds. Years ago, the people of Cat Island, officially known as Tashiro, raised silkworms. Since mice are natural predators of silkworms, cats were brought in to keep the mouse population in check. Originally, Cat Island was also know for its fishing and the cats would beg for scraps from the fishermen. The fishermen began looking to the cats as predictors of both the weather and the fishing. In fact, the fishermen built shrines to the cats and upon returning from fishing fed the cats first before anything else. Over the years Cat Island became a tourist stop where people came to visit and feed the cats. Last week, Japan was struck by a powerful earthquake and within thirty minutes a powerful Tsunami hit the Japanese coast. The day after, while reading about the disaster, I was disturbed to read that Cat Island had been wiped away by the Tsunami and it was doubtful any of the cats or humans on the island had survived. Then good news came through. As I was researching for my Sunday radio show yesterday morning, I read that the Japanese Navy reported that while Cat Island had suffered some structural damage, the human and kitty population of the island was believed to be unharmed. In fact,helicopters were flying supplies into the island as of yesterday. As we speak, an international animal rescue organization is putting together a relief mission for the kitties of Cat Island. You can learn more about them and their mission at http://www.worldvets.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=203 Thoughts and prayers for all the people of Japan and especially our friends on Cat Island. Have a purrable day... Nick |
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
As Marcy and I prepare to move into the hot, sunny depths of the Mohave desert, many of our thoughts turn to our pets. As you know, we have two dogs, Sammy and Buddy, and our cats, Bing, Charlie Brown, Mr. "C" and Cleo. When we first went house shopping in Lake Havasu, one of the things that made us fall in love with our new home was the five foot, Spanish style wall that surrounded the back yard. "Great" we thought. The kitties will love this because they can enjoy lying in the warmth of the sun and we will feel secure in their not being able to get out of the back yard.
You see, Bing, the great Seal Point "Hunter" can't seem to make it through the day without his roam through the back yard. Well, truth be told, he actually loves roaming our back yard, the front yard, the neighbor's front yard and the neighbor's back yard. You get the picture. Lake Havasu sounds like the perfect place for Bing. Lots of enclosed backyard for him to roam, and lots of lizards to chase...how perfect!
Ok...Not so perfect...There are COYOTES in Lake Havasu and they consider our family pets their daily food! As we do our research, we are shocked to learn that these agile coyotes can easily jump a six foot fence. Animal control tells me that coyotes will travel anywhere from 15-100 miles from their den into the city to forge for food and that not only will they eat our cats but they will even take our dogs!
We are shocked. We cannot fathom our pets becoming coyote prey and obviously will do anything to prevent this from happening to our pet family. Some people say to keep our pets inside between dusk and dawn when the coyotes are out hunting. However, animal control says that a coyote will jump into your back yard and snatch a pet right in front of you in broad daylight. This is scary stuff!
If anyone has any solutions to keeping the coyotes out and the cats and dogs safe, we would love to hear from you.
How come the coyote on the Roadrunner cartoons always seemed so cute and goofy?
Have a purrable day...
Nick
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Radio Show
We worked through a few minor glitches with the phone system (one of our callers held for 30 minutes - oops!), music (fade in-fade out) and a snoring dog lying next to me in the studio (who could hear Buddy snoring on the radio?). However, for the most part it was a great show and we had great feedback.
So, please join me next Sunday March 13 from 8-9 p.m. The entire show will be about cats! Everything you ever wanted to know - from cat litter to catnip! Our guest speaker will be Jasmine Kinnear, Feline Behavior Consultant and author of Every Cat Has a Story. This is going to be a FUN show! I hope all of my cat loving friends will join us!
"Welcome to the show...you are caller number 10"
Have a purrable day...
Nick
Nick Sacco
Author: In Heaven Kittens Play
Thursday, March 3, 2011
My very good friend Debbie Erikson lost a close member of her family last night. Fortunately, it wasn't a relative or a family member, but a kitty that she had loved for years. Little Ellie was a cute orphaned Calico kitten when Debbie adopted her almost 18 years ago. At only four weeks old, Debbie did what any good kitty mother would do...she bottle fed her for almost a month and let her snooze in her shoe when she was sleepy. Many people, especially those who are not pet lovers, don't understand the feeling of loss that Debbie and other animal lovers experience. We invite small, innocents into our lives and establish a very special bond with them. They love us unconditionally. They don't scold us for sleeping in late, in fact many of them share our same bed as they snuggle under the covers with us. Our wonderful pets never turn up their noses at our cooking and gladly share whatever we are eating. We can walk around in our slippers and house coat, hair a mess and lacking a shower and they will still look at us as if we are the king or queen of their world. Today I'll share in Debbie's loss. I'll shed my own tears for her, in fact I am right now as I write this blog. But I'll find strength and a sense of peace, knowing as Debbie does, that a special angel rejoices today as a new, healthy addition is welcomed into their garden. Keep Debbie and Ellie in your thoughts. Have a purrable day... Nick www.nicksacco.com |
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
What's Wrong With This Picture?
I really believe the expression, "pets are a great judge of character." Have you ever noticed how your pets will react strongly to someone who later on turns out to be a real jerk? The picture to the left is a perfect example. It shows Jessica, my step-daughter, who came over yesterday. Whenever Jess comes over, she sits down and all of the pets are drawn to her like a magnet. As you can see in the photo she has two of our seal point Siamese curled up on or next to her, and of course, our crazy, insane dog, Sammy. I don't even want to know how Sammy wound up in the chair with her in such a blissful and relaxed position!
So, here's the plan - in the future when I have a business deal, I am going to invite the person over to my house, make them sit in the recliner and simply wait. If they don't have a dog or a cat sitting on or near them within two minutes, then their name goes to the "suspicious list." This list, of course, will warrant a much deeper and more through investigation of their moral fiber.
This new way of doing business will also be a great way to pick out a new service or business. Say we're choosing an interior designer. We invite all prospective applicants to our house and sit them in the "chair." We can speak with them for five minutes and then simply wait. We obviously won't need interview notes. We will just count how many cats/dogs are sitting on their lap. The one with the most pets wins the contract.
I think this is a great idea and I intend to implement it immediately. I've invited a representative of the following religious groups to come speak with us about joining their church or belief system: Catholic, Methodist, Jewish, Baptist and Wiccan.
This should be fun!
Have a purrable day...
Nick
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