Since Friday Cat-blogging seems to have been a tradition, why not here?
Just a reminder that I'll be posting the May Montage "Pet Pourri" and there's still time to email a photo to me of yours. I'll be putting it together tonight.
Cats can now have more than nine lives thanks to a Californian company that is the first US firm to go commercial and offer the public a pet cloning service.Five customers have already parted with $50,000 each for a copy of their cats.
Genetic Savings & Clone says work will start in May to clone the animals, with the first kittens arriving by November if the procedures prove successful.
While I would love if Rainbow lived forever, a clone wouldn't be her -- just a look-alike that wouldn't have the same social skills the original had, unless you could duplicate her experiences from kittenhood.
For $50,000 dollars you can get a wonderful free cat from the local shelter and still have all the money left to donate to various animal welfare societies...
Via Fark comes this MSNBC story about the latest crazes in pets: Designer dogs:
Mixed-breed dogs, once the domain of U.S. animal shelters, are being sought by an increasing number of Americans looking for special pooches. Intentionally bred and cutely named, today's special-order mixes have newfound status — and a purebred price tag."When there were a bunch of them around and a lot of them were in the shelter, you'd call them mutts," said Stephen Zawistowski, science adviser at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, about the popular mixes that used to accidentally appear.
Sought-after mixes, some of which can fetch up to $4,000, are the labradoodle, a cross between the Labrador and the poodle; the schnoodle, a schnauzer-poodle mix; the goldendoodle, a golden retriever-poodle mix; the cockapoo, a cocker spaniel-poodle match; and the yorkipoo, a cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a poodle...
...The bagel, a mix between a basset hound and a beagle, is typically found in shelters.
"Right now, there is a stronger interest in crosses than in registered breeds," said breeder Jennifer Connell of Breezy Hill Kennel in Hartsburg, Missouri.
The popularity of "doodle dogs" stems from the combination of the poodle's non-shedding, allergy-friendly coat with the intelligence, temperament and size of Labradors, golden retrievers, schnauzers and Yorkshire terriers.
Medical science has already proven that people who own pets -- dogs especially -- live an average of five years longer than people who don't. That's just a fact. Pets provide friendship, loyalty, companionship, a sense of security, and yes, someone to talk to when no one else seems to be listening.
I also firmly believe that kids benefit from having a canine companion. Kids face so many challenges, so much noise inundating them from home and school and TV... And let's face it, we have to discipline our children sometimes. And when a child feels "all alone" in the world, that dog (or cat) can seem like the only friend they have. Someone to patiently sit there pressed against them, listening to them vent, or just providing a furry shoulder to cry on.
They're also (seemingly) tireless playmates, best buddies, confidants, and partners in conspiracies and practical jokes. Dogs are magnificent friends. There's another thing, too. Giving a child a dog can teach responsibility; something the child can learn and carry with them throughout their adult life in dealing with their own family and their own children.
Teaching your son and daughter how important the care of a dog is can be daunting. It would help if there was a guide, a roadmap, a check-list. There is!
On a wonderful web site by Janet Wall called Love Your Dog I found a splendid I Love My Dog CONTRACT for you to use to teach your children the necessary requirements for owning and caring for a dog. It's the perfect thing to present to your young one when proposing to them (and of course they'll be excited about it) that you will allow them to have a dog. Together, you can go through the list, discuss it with them, explain to them what each rule (as it were) requires on their part. It will give them the the proper knowledge they need in making the commitment to a loving animal's well-being.
Check it out!
I'll admit that I don't know much about having a rabbit as a pet. Apparently, the Brits in England (where there are 1.3 million PET rabbits) don't either:
"It is a big problem. Rabbits are being killed with kindness. They are designed to eat grass but are being fed things like pizza, crisps and digestive biscuits," said Anna Meredith, head of the university's exotic animals service."There are about 1.3 million pet rabbits across the UK and, judging by what I see in my surgery, tens of thousands of them must be badly overweight," she told Reuters.
The fact is that allowing any pet to become obese isn't kindness, it's cruelty, and it also shortens the expected life of your pet. If you love your pet, you need to take care of them, keep them healthy, and insure that they will be with you for as long as possible. Pizza isn't rabbit food. In fact, it isn't any animal's food.
I'd be interested to know, by the way, if rabbits are actually affectionate, playful, etc. Do they do anything other than eat? I'm not trying to denigrate them -- I honestly just don't know and maybe many readers like myself here who only have experience with cats and dogs don't get the rabbit thing either...
Speak up! Make the case for rabbits!
...To get photos of your pets to me. I'll be putting together the May Montage of Pets tomorrow or Friday.
One of the stupider things some cities do is to try to ban various breeds of dogs. Naturally, this usually affects Pit Bulls, the actual target in most cases. This was the case in Denver, Colorado. Now, Xrlq reports that Colorado Governor Bill Owens has signed a bill to prohibit Breed Specific Legislation. This is good news and Xrlq has cogent comments on it.
I've always said, it's not the breed, it's the owner -- ban them!
Robert Douglass at Backroad Blog reports a similar attempt in Auburn, Washington that went a step farther and tried to declare that any dog weighing more than 30 lbs was to be declared a "dangerous dog" requiring a $100/year license and insurance. Fortunately, the measure has been tabled for now although I wonder if this incident in Vancouver, WA is going to revive the ordinance...
It really all boils down to how the dog was raised, not the size or breed. And unfortunately, you can't predict how or what dog owners will do. I have known two supremely kind, gentle Dobermans, a very playful Pit Bull, and many German Shepherds that wouldn't dream of attacking anyone. And by the way, the average Retriever ways more than 30 pounds yet when is the last time you feared one passing you on the street?
Various attempts at legislations such as these are futile and reveal vast ignorance on the part of those who propose them.
Unfortunately for the blogosphere as a whole, Michael Demmons is leaving blogging to enjoy his real life more. I wish him and his family well.
I -- of course -- have no life so Tarazet and Alphecca will continue on... Besides, my cats enjoy reading about themselves. They're rather media-whores that way.
When my oldest cat joined my family 20 years ago, I saw a rainbow that morning on the way to work. And that's the name I gave her.
When I adopted my "middle child," he looked like (his coloring) he'd spent time on a barbecue, hence the name Crispy.
Sammy is named after a grandfather of mine.
As a household with multiple pets, I try to keep each name distinct from the others, and usually two syllables long. I just delude myself into thinking that that makes it easier for each to know when I'm actually speaking to or calling them...
How did you come up with the names for your pets?
Mostly a celebration in Great Britian but also being adopted here in the U.S., just a reminder that National Pet Week is coming up. This year it's celebrated May 1st through the 9th. Okay, so that's more than a week but I didn't make the rules and besides, our pets deserve it.
While Tarazet doesn't accept financial donations, your local animal rescue league or shelter certainly does, so why not send a small check to the one nearest you, or a donation of food, toys, etc. Most local Humane Societies maintain a website and often have a listing of their most pressing needs.
And while I'm at it, a reminder that in harmony with National Pet Week, I'll be putting up a montage of reader's pet photos so for those who haven't yet, email those furry faces, feathered-faces, scaley faces, what have you, to me by Thursday.
Thanks to Eric Scheie for the pointer to an article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about a soldier's dog surviving as a puppy on a military base in Iraq, then through two vehicle crashes plus "animal control" by base leaders, finally to be brought back to the US and to a loving home. Here's a quote of the travails:
Officials at the Kirkuk airfield tolerated Bashur, but life there was still hazardous. Fearing that the dog population was getting out of control, the Air Force began to shoot strays. Bashur's admirers gave her a red collar with an "Airborne" patch, hoping it would spare her from the culling crew's rifles.Vehicles on the hectic base struck Bashur twice, crushing a paw the second time. Fenzel rushed from a briefing at the news and found Bashur on the roadside, her head cradled in a soldier's lap. He picked up the dog that had grown to 60 pounds and hustled her to his room, vowing to keep her if she recovered.
With the help of the unit's medics, Fenzel helped Bashur recuperate, and they became full-time roommates. The two grew so close that Fenzel could interpret her signals: A sudden upward look meant that rockets were about to strike the airfield.
I was wondering if any of my readers had served overseas at one time or another and might like to relate similar stories to us. You can post them in comments or email them to me and I'll put up posts about them.
The news is... Iffy... Probably, the problem is arthritis exasperated by a bad knee. Painful for her when walking. He (the Dr.) gave me a pain-killer to try, plus something called New Cat, which is a vitamin combination with stuff that humans also use to protect joints.
Trying to "pill" Rainbow is near impossible, I'm trying to grind up stuff and hide it in food but somehow, she just knows.
For now, when I'm home, I'll continue to carry her around, and we'll just play it by ear.
From ABC 13 in Houston:
It was Friday at a backyard boat ramp, where all Leslie could see was Bean's body. Her head was engulfed by the gator."I saw the gator," said Leslie. "He was chomping down."
And attached to one of Bean's short legs was Sophie.
"She stepped up to the plate, grabbed her by the back leg," recalled Leslie. "She knew she wasn't supposed to be there and knew that wasn't supposed to be there. She never let go."
And it wasn't until Leslie threw a 20 pound piece of concrete at the gator that Bean was free. Sophie dragged her to safety. Next came a trip to the vet.
Speaking of birds, from Boston.com:
For the 12 homing pigeon clubs in the Boston area, racing season began Saturday at 7 a.m., when 865 birds were released from a parking lot in Albany,N.Y. The fliers—or fanciers, as the pigeon racers call themselves—pay a trucker to bring the pigeons to a starting point in a specially designed trailer. Once there, the driver—or liberator, in pigeon-racing parlance—sets the birds free.The race distances range from several miles to more than 1,000. Saturday’s race averaged 150 miles, depending on where the birds’ owners live. Pigeons typically cover the distance in about 2½ hours, depending on the wind and, as was the case with Farhadi’s bird, whether they slip off course along the way.
Farhadi, who entered 10 birds and is viewed by many pigeon fliers in Massachusetts as one of the top 10 in the state, was one of 77 competitors in the race. That number has dropped dramatically over the past couple of decades, pigeon racers say. Twenty years ago, fliers said, up to 260 competitors raced 3,000 birds at a time.
‘‘That means the sport has decreased by almost 50 percent in the last 20 years,’’ said Matt Moceri, race secretary of the Greater Boston Concourse, which organizes races for 12 teams in Greater Boston.
I learn something new everyday...
Heh!
Thanks to Stan DeForest of Modular Parrot for the photos of Darwin.
I wonder what the cat's crime was?
Again. Again, Glenn is "cat-blogging" on InstaPundit. A secret cat-lover... Hmmm... I suppose that's why I like him so much but we need him to totally step-out of the closet and declare his unconditional love for felines. And he should -- as should all of you -- start sending in your photos of your pets for the May 1st conglomerate montage photo-post PetPourri of readers' pets. Get going!
(Ummm, and thanks!)
A good friend to Tarazet, Victor (of the fine blog Publius & Co.) has emailed me with the sad story of a police dog who died the other day when the police car he was travelling in was struck by another car. From NBC4.com in Maryland:
The officer reportedly swerved to avoid the other vehicle, lost control of his car and struck a tree.He was transported to an area hospital with head lacerations. His dog, Jackson, was transported to an emergency animal hospital and pronounced dead.
Jackson [the dog] worked for the MPD for six years and had several arrests to his credit.
Whether for the farmer or herder, or the police, or for the love and protection of your own family, Dogs (yeah, caps) are the most loyal, wonderful, decent, caring beings you could ever introduce into your homes. I really think that God made Dogs just a little-bit extra special.
If you are thinking of "re-decorating" your house, or looking for that perfect compliment or addition to your family -- if you have a lot of love, go to the local animal shelter and adopt a Dog. Yup, they can be trying at times, have a mind of their own, and yes, you have to walk them and care for them and feed them.
The payoff is that you will gain the best friend, the best family member you will ever have.
And remember this!: The average Dog owner lives five years longer than the average non-Dog owner. The average child who grows-up with the companionship of a Dog is less likely to become a criminal, and to have a more successful marriage. I know that seems a strange combination but think about it for a minute: We think we are training them, but really, they are educating and training us!
Dogs ARE special. Adopt one today and start living a better life.
Thanks to all who have commented or asked via email. She's not getting better. The limp is worse. Her waist is like a wasp's. She isn't eating much anymore or even trying to get around much. I've adjusted to the fact that she is near her end in the physical plane.
I have an appointment with the Vet on Tuesday but I'm really hoping she goes sometime in her sleep before then. I would prefer that she pass-on here in our home so her spirit is contained right here.
I am off today through Tuesday. Today, I plan to drink a lot and blog a lot to take my mind off all of this. And I will spend the next few nights sleeping on a blanket on the floor next to her "nest" in the living room. I'll watch TV with her. I just went out and bought hamburg so I can make her favorite meatballs in a last ditch attempt to get her to eat.
Mercifully, she doesn't seem to be in pain; she's not crying, or complaining, or otherwise exibiting signs of distress. I think she has just resigned, or maybe embraced (for all I know) the fact that it's her time to move on.
I'm sorry to put up depressing posts like this, but being a pet owner entails some of this unpleasantness and on both my blogs I've always tried to be honest about my life. The death of a pet is part of the process (the worst part, of course) of what is otherwise the total joy of pet "ownership."
This weekend I will also start preparing her final resting place. I have a box and I'll line it with plastic, then my pillowcase, one of her favorite toys, etc. I did this with Jasper too. It'll be in the trunk of my car incase I have to use it for the ride back from the Vet.
I console myself with the fact that Rainbow has had a good life because of me. I consider myself lucky because I've had a GREAT life because of her. I have often told her (and all of my cats) that I want to be with her in body or spirit for all eternity and beyond. And we will be. Always and Forever.
Via Fark comes the story of a Black Lab named Jet who got between a rattlesnake and his 10-year-old owner in order to protect the child. From KCRA TV:
Jet, a black lab, was released from the Roseville Veterinarian Hospital Friday and is now recovering at home. His owners said he also went for a short walk.Jet's owner, Kevin Haskell, and his parents and a neighbor were hiking near Minor's Ravine in Roseville when the foursome said they heard something in the grass. The Haskell family said Jet jumped in the way of Kevin and was bitten twice in the chest.
Jet's health is improving, but he's not completely out of the woods, a veterinarian said. He may need more surgery down the road.
Give YOUR dog a big hug today.
Now of course cat owners are going to relate how their feline pulled them out of a burning building or something. Hey, I'm a cat lover too but I admit they're far to aloof to risk their lives over their human owners...
A business owner opening a shipment of 400 bird cages sent from China got an additional order he didn't expect — a severely undernourished cat.The female cat, named China by animal service staff members, tips the scale at just over 3 pounds after being trapped in the container for the nearly monthlong trip...
...Goldberg's brother-in-law e-mailed the factory in China where the cages originated to see whether they knew anything about a missing cat.
"You gave us a very big surprise today," wrote Ms. Ivy of Dayang Co. in China. "We are very happy to know our cat still alive. Would you please tell us more information about our cat? Is it a yellow or gray one? Because we have two cats, but they disappeared one month ago ... Please raise it, or you can give it to the animal asylum."
So I'm starting a new feature here, a monthly PetPourri.
You know, I was just looking through the folder on my desk top of all the great photos you folks sent in. They are absolutely wonderful. I'm also gratified at the positive response to the top banner "montage" I created.
I'd love for visitors to keep sending in their pet pics. I was thinking of doing a "pet of the week" but than realized that would be unfair to all the other wonderful pets that weren't selected. And frankly, how could I possibly choose from so many happy animal "mugs."
Well, what if I did a pet pic every day? But 65% of the country (including myself) is still on slow-modem dial-up. Nobody wants to wait two minutes for a page to load.
But I want you and your best friends to achieve "immortality" in the archives of Google. So why don't I just do a BIG montage of pet pics sent to me every month in a special post. I'll have a thumbnail pic in the post that will open a large page of all those smiling muzzles. All of you are encouraged to send pictures even if you've (they've) already been included here in the past. The one thing I would ask is that you limit it to ONE picture for each montage -- i.e. one photo every month.
A full page montage will allow larger snaps of each of your pet friends to be included. Just send them to my email address listed somewhere on the sidebar... Oh heck, here it is again:
Let's set the date for the first PetPourri for May 1st. Please try to send your pictures to me a few days before that so I have time to "assemble" the photo. My goal is to make Tarazet (for your pet) as interactive as possible. This should be a nice place to hang-out. Anyway, you have several weeks so don't rush a photo to me, take some new ones on a nice day in the coming weeks and then pick one and email it off to me. Put something in the subject line like "for the PetPourri" so it catches my attention.
Thanks! Really! Tarazet is only two weeks old as a blog and already I average over a hundred visitors a day. That's you! Thanks for stopping by!
Outdoor cats are solitary creatures. They don't really look for the company of other cats. But dogs that run loose (outside of their yard) seem to enjoy hanging with other dogs in the neighborhood, which is often fun to watch and admire.
Two stories come to mind.
Many years ago I was the night auditor at a large resort here in town. During the Summer nights when all the guests had retired, I would throw open the doors and let the cool fresh air in. And almost every night, somewhere around 1-2 in the morning, a "pack" of dogs would come cruising in, make a grand tour of the lobby (this was a big hotel, 160 rooms) circle around, even behind the desk and then leave, probably to continue their patrol. They paid absolutely no attention to me or anyone else, they were good natured, never barked, just did a quick reconnaissance.
I don't know if they were searching for food or deer or playmates or what.
A couple of Winters ago I was working the showroom at our factory and three dogs from the neighborhood used to hang in the parking lot, in the fields beyond, and play for hours at a time. They would leap around the snowbanks, wrestle with each other, play tug-of-war with branches, cardboard, or any other debris lying about. And then at dusk they would head their seperate ways back home. It was great fun to watch and it was obvious they were having a swell time.
In both cases there were no owners in sight but it was clear (just from the tags) that all of these dogs had homes to return to.
I think that's one of the beauties of dogs, is their ability to make their own fun with other dogs they meet in a non-territorial setting.
That's why I'm glad that some cities and towns are creating dog-friendly parks where they can gather and play. Do your dogs have their own "clubs?" Their own social life beyond your family?
I once related this story on my other blog, Alphecca, sometime early last year. The emails I received were quite interesting. Now that I have comments here, I thought I'd retell it. And this really is a pet-lover's blog and there are lots of new readers. And the following is a true story.
About ten Summers ago I had to have my cat Jasper put to sleep. He had kidney disease and he was in misery. I had prepared a "coffin" for him. A large cardboard box, with my pillowcase (for my "scent") lining it, his favorite toy, water dish, catnip sack, a box of food, and a silver cross (just in case...) All very Egyptian.
My friend owned a garden center up the street with flowers abounding. He let me bury Jasper on the outskirts. I think I dug the grave and buried the top of the box about six inches below the surface.
A couple of days later, in the middle of the night, I was asleep, Rainbow beside me. Suddenly, WE BOTH sat up awake. This was about three in the morning. The sound of "scratching" was coming from the bottom of the stairs where the litterbox was. It was such a common sound, of a cat "raking" the kittty-litter. But there was no other cat in the house!
The sound stopped as we both ran down the stairs. Rainbow had heard it too. Nothing there!
The next day I went to Jasper's grave. I had left the soil smooth and packed down over his coffin yet it was now obvious that something, some animal had been digging down several inches into the dirt. You could see the paw and claw marks. Maybe it was the scent, maybe it was, well I don't know.
I dug up Jasper's "box" and dug a much deeper hole and re-buried him about 18 inches down. There were no further incidents and as far as I know, he is still resting in peace.
I have no idea what supernatural phenomena happened that Summer night, but it did happen. I offer no explanation. Maybe you can. Or maybe something like that has happened to you. The floor is open! Might I just add that in a way, it was strangely comforting in that it meant (to me) that Jasper's spirit was still alive. Weird!
Knowing that you are losing (but have not yet lost) a loved one (human or pet) is difficult. I'm very lucky to have had Rainbow with me now for 20 years. Twice in her life a Vet has wanted to put her to sleep but I said "no." And she got better and was fine. Several years ago she could no longer Jump up places except to the lowest of things like my couch. I got out the "handi-cap ramps" I had made for a long-gone cat. One up to my bed, the other up to the kitchen counter.
A couple of years ago she started walking with a noticably stiff "gait." But she didn't cry, and she still got around. Even up and down the stairs to the mud room where the litter box was. But last year, the stairs became too much for her and I put in another litter box in the back -- unused -- bedroom on this floor. That worked wonderfully.
She's been pretty good even up through her birthday last week. She still has a good appetite, grooms herself, makes it to the box, and likes to play.
Two days ago she started (besides the stiff-legged gait) limping, almost with her hind legs "splayed." You often see, in older dogs, loss of control over the hind-quarters. I've never seen it in a cat but than I've never had one that lived this long.
I'd like to convince myself that she must have simply sprained something -- common at elderly ages (Ghod knows I KNOW.) But I think there's something worse going on -- although how could it so suddenly happen almost "over night?"
I know that her end is near. She's not crying in pain or anything, thank the Lord, but I know that she will probably not see 21. In fact, if the deterioration is this quick, she might not see the Summer.
Damn. I'm sure you all know the fear and feeling of hopelessness. I'm smothering her with extra love yet I'm almost avoiding eye contact so she won't see how afraid I am over the situation.
She's too old for any kind of surgery, and her hips are "skinny" compared to the rest of her. I have to start adjusting to the fact that she is not long for this Earth. Hopefully, well, I've always hoped she would simply "go" peacefully in her sleep one night curled up next to me. I pray for that after I pray for God to grant her a few more years with me.
Of course, at 20-years-old she and I have nothing to gripe about. I wish I had a room-mate or lover who could stay home with her during the day when I'm at work. But the truth of the matter is that about 20 years ago I decided that I'd really rather just share my digs, my life, and my love with cats. And if I ever have my own home, there will be a pile of dogs around as well. Let's face it, animals are just better company. And I hate to see company go.
Hi everyone! I've taken all of the photos you've sent me and created the new banner for Tarazet. I think I've included everyone but if I left someone out, please forgive me. I can always re-do it. Now you're best friends are imortalized on the front page of Tarazet -- at least as long as I continue to pay Hosting Matters.
Thanks to all of you for your contributions. What a bunch of cutie-pies they are!
How could they not be? God made them all just a little-bit extra special.
--Jeff
By the way, the copyright notice at the bottom simply says that all rights are reserved and assigned to the photo owners (you contributors.)
The oldest known evidence of people keeping cats as pets may have been discovered by archaeologists.The discovery of a cat buried with what could be its owner in a Neolithic grave on Cyprus suggests domestication of cats had begun 9,500 years ago.
It was thought the Egyptians were first to domesticate cats, with the earliest evidence dating to 2,000-1,900 BC.
French researchers writing in Science magazine show that the process actually began much earlier than that.
And Rainbow knew that cat...
I only bring these examples to your attention to let you know (as if you didn't already) just how despicable some people are, and why we need to know where our pets are at all times. Eric Scheie pointed this horrible item out to me:
Jelani Lewis and Jessica McKenzie say they are outraged at the death of their 17-year-old pet, Gizmo. Lewis said he watched helplessly early yesterday as three men assaulted the dog the way football players kick field goals.The dog was dead instantly when he hit the pavement. The man police say kicked him, Chad Daniel Crawford, 23, of the 1000 block of Long Hunter Lane is now charged with cruelty to animals and felony vandalism and was free yesterday after posting $25,000 bail, authorities said.
Well, with all the eating she did yesterday afternoon at her Birthday Party, she probably did.
A good time was had by all, as well as long naps afterwards. 20-years-young and still relatively healthy. As I've said once before, she's been with me for almost half of my life. The best half!
I've turned "allow HTML" off. Someone caused a problem. Why they would do that here is beyond me...
And as long as I'm reporting weird pet stories today, here's one from Germany:
A German cat weighing six times the normal weight is so fat that it cannot take more than four steps without getting exhausted, officials at a Berlin animal shelter have said after receiving the six-year-old feline.Mikesch, a black and white house cat weighing in at 18.5 kg (nearly 41 lbs), was taken away from his elderly owner on Thursday. The man, who was himself taken to a nursing home, had been feeding the cat two kg (4.4 lbs) of mince each day.
"You can call it cruelty to animals," said shelter veterinarian Karin Bartell on Friday, as the cat stared straight ahead with a bored look.
"It's a problem for joints and the heart. The cat can't clean itself because he is too fat. He walks three or four steps and is completely exhausted because the heart no longer works properly and the cat can't breathe normally anymore."
Now I'll probably get all snake owners angry at me but here's a report of a large boa-constricter turning on it's "owner." From the Boston Herald:
Police rescued a Boston woman from the jaws of her 7-foot Burmese python after the snake clamped onto her arm and started squeezing.Wanda Nunes, 43, told the Boston Herald that her python Moma went for her arm shortly before she planned to feed the snake two rats Saturday morning.
"She must have smelled the rats because she reached back and lunged for my arm," Nunes said. "Before I knew it, she was all wrapped around me. ... Every time I tried to pry her off or move, she just got tighter around my leg."
Her 13-year-old son called police after trying, and failing, to pull the snake off his mother.
Two police officers were able to pry Moma off Nunes and put her back in her cage.
Well, WELL! If we're going to have a dog (Charlotte) posting here, I suppose some balance is needed. I've convinced the (also) strange Jeff to allow my voice to be heard.
And I'm a black-cat, baby, so watch out!
It's not easy being a cat or a dog. Sometimes you need to get to town for something and there's no willing transport. So you have to hitch a ride:
A grumpy house cat was the toast of New Zealand traffic authorities after it survived a hairy ride through a city clinging to the roof of a car, with the driver unaware of the drama.John Sutton of Tauranga, southeast of Auckland, thought he had chased his seven-kilogram grey Persian, called Bono, from his car before he set off for work this week, the New Zealand Herald reported.
After travelling three blocks at 50 kilometres an hour along a busy city street, he had to slow down.
Something fluffy slid down the windscreen and gripped the wiper blades.
"It gave me a hell of a fright," Mr Sutton said.
"Then I realised it was Bono and he was bloody petrified."
Publius & Co. has snaps of a guinea pig who wears many hats in his line of work. Heh!
Mind of Mog has an update on her kittens.
Two Nervous Dogs reports on a neighbor who really has no clue on how dogs work -- or beg. So he's provided a handy list for all of us.
I'll try to do explore the neighborhood every couple of days so if you have a pet post, let me know. Or just list them in the comments yourselves. HTML is enabled for links and things.
I've gotten quite sick of living in DiscountBloggerville, and I have to say that I am tremendously excited to finally have a place to play on my own. 
Hanging out over there was really creepy. Michael is strange - if you know what I mean. We animals don't understand the ranting and raving that continuously goes on over there. We're better than that.
Politics is for people who don't understand that there's more to life than deciding that one way of thinking is oh so much better than the other. I don't get it.
So, from now on, I'll be hanging out here - turning Tarazet into a livable place for "people" like us (Yeah, I know. Pet's aren't people. But we concede that much to our human overlords. Makes 'em feel better... or something.)
Look for Tarazet to have a cool new look in the coming days.
Since I'm NOT a whiz at MT, or PhotoShop, or life in general, I've taken on a much smarter partner here. Michael Demmons of Discount Blogger will be assisting me in posting and getting Tarazet to look a little more...uh..."petty"...no wait, that's not it, "pet friendly." His Dog Charlotte will be helping out too.
Thanks Michael!