Catnip Nation, Award Winning Documentary, Now Available on DVD

In May of 2017, I introduced Catnip Nation to my readers. As I waited (not so) patiently for the film, Director and Producer Tina Traster contributed thought-provoking and heartfelt articles for my blog. (The Catnip Nation series won a Certificate of Excellence in the Cat Writers' Association Communications Contest last year.) When the time finally came to see the film I was SO excited, and it did not disappoint. Catnip Nation is now an award-winning film, and it is also available on DVD. 

5 Things to Consider When Choosing the Perfect Cat Bed

Hello, and Happy Tuesday! Today we're very happy to have a guest post from our friends at CatVills.com. You know, a lot of thought needs to go into finding just the purrfect bed for your cat. CatVills tells us about 5 humans should consider when they're choosing the perfect bed for their purrfect feline friend. Does your cat have a favorite bed? Tell us in the comments! 

Lola

Catnip Nation's August Report - Settlement Reached Over Jones Beach Ferals

In June I brought you the seventh installment in a series of posts by Tina Traster, Producer and Director of the documentary film Catnip Nation.  This month Tina brings us news about the settlement that was reached between New York State and the American Bird Conversancy over the feral cat colonies at Jones Beach on Long Island, NY. Tina first told us about the plight of the colony in this post from last year. 

I was hoping for better news for the Jones Beach ferals. In the eight years that I've been on social media (four of them blogging), I've never been publicly judgmental, attempting to keep Lola and Lexy's world a positive one. But I wonder how an agency can state worry over the existence and safety of one species with total disregard for the possible demise of another. All living beings are equally important in my book. But it doesn't seem that the American Bird Conservancy shares my view.

This is why TNR ordinances are necessary in every town of this country. Feral cats need to be protected. TNR ordinances work! You can read about a success story here. I thank Tina and her peers for working tirelessly on this issue and bringing important information to light. 

Are there TNR ordinances in your area? Tell us about them in the comments below. 
Dawn

Catnip Nation's June Report - What's Happening With the Cats at Google?

In March I brought you the sixth installment in a series of posts by Tina Traster, Producer and Director of the documentary film Catnip Nation. This month Tina tackles a New York Times article that is emotional for cat rescuers, advocates and lovers. Google's employee run group GCat Rescue, which does wonderful things for feral cats, has been getting pushback from an environmental group. The link to the story is here. Read Tina's response below and tell us your thoughts in the comments. This may strike up differing opinions amongst our readers, but if a colony of cats could be in danger we need to let the world know. 

Catnip Nation's March Report - What Happened to the Seaside Heights Boardwalk Cats?

In January I brought you the fifth installment in a series of posts by Tina Traster, Producer and Director of the documentary film Catnip Nation. This month Tina brings us the exciting news that Catnip Nation will be at the Catsbury Park Cat Convention in just a few weeks! Tina and the Catnip Nation folks will be discussing the dismantling the TNR program for the Seaside Heights Boardwalk Cats and the uncertain fate 60 cats faced. In their presentation they will discuss how things worked out for the  cats, and the universal issue of protecting colony cats and their caretakers. I can't wait to see the Catnip Nation crew again and attend their session, which I'll definitely be reporting back on. Are you going to the Catsbury Park Cat Convention? Let me know in the comments below. 

Catnip Nation's January Report - Fighting For TNR Ordinances In Rockland County, NY

In October I brought you the fourth installment of a series of posts by Tina Traster, Producer and Director of the documentary film Catnip Nation. This month Tina discusses the importance of TNR ordinances to address the feral cat issue. I could not agree more! This summer I toured Alley Cat Allies' Atlantic City Boardwalk Cat Project, which is proof that TNR works!  One of my goals for my blog this year is to write more about TNR to educate the public on this very important topic.Tell me your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you, Tina, for being a voice for feral cats, not only in Rockland County (my home town), but everywhere. It makes me proud and elated that the Village of Haverstraw, where I grew up, passed Rockland County’s first feral cat ordinance to support Trap Neuter Return (TNR). My niece went to high school with the mayor, Michael Kohut, and I went to school with his brother. (The Village of Haverstraw is small... everyone knows everyone else!) My dream is for this type of ordinance to be passed nationwide. Let's all help Tina and Catnip Nation spread the word by sharing this post. Are there TNR ordinances in your area? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 

Kitty Karma Books Helps Cats In Need

Today I am so pleased to bring to you a guest post by Wai-Lin Terry, Founder & Publisher of Kitty Karma Books. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you already know that rescue is a topic near and dear to my heart because the stars of this blog, Lola and Lexy, are two rescued cats who changed my life. When Wai-Lin contacted me about her book I was more than happy to spread the word. The first phase of her Indiegogo Campaign ends  on 10/31/17, but you still have time to check out her pawtastic perks. 

I, for one, cannot wait to read this book. As an author and a cat advociate, I wish Wai-Lin much success with her project. 
Dawn

Kitty Karma Books Aims to Fund Shelters for Abandoned, Unwanted Cats in Need

“They say cats choose us, we don’t choose them. I believe that cats, with their nine lives and their super-fine senses, are able to see things beyond this world and are more wired to divine will than we humans are. We can ignore a cat’s blessing and beckoning, but at our peril.

I learned these lessons from adopting one special calico cat. I thought I rescued this little feline, but in the end, it was she who rescued me.”


That’s how the closing chapter of Kitty Karma: Big Stories of the Small Cats Who Change Our Lives begins. (More about the book in a moment.) It’s my account of the calico beauty who adopted me. Kealani taught me much during the years she graced my life. Her lessons included a tour through the depths of despair, after she suffered a heart attack and died right in front of me. 

Catnip Nation's October Report: What Happens to Cats After a Natural Disaster?

In August I brought you the third installment of a series of posts by Tina Traster, Producer and Director of the documentary film Catnip Nation. This month Tina gets us thinking about what happens to cats after a natural disaster. Do cats get left behind? Do dogs and livestock get more attention? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. 

Dawn

Where Are The Community Cats After A Natural Disaster?
We’ll never forget the images of Texans rescuing their cows from flooded fields in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey last month. Today, as I scroll on my Facebook page, my heart stops when I see the picture of a man carrying a dog on his shoulder, trying to escape the ravages of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The man was also trying to save his horse.

Catnip Nation's August Report: A Long Island Feral Colony is in Danger

In June I brought you the second installment of a series of posts by Tina Traster, Producer and Director of the documentary film Catnip Nation. This month Tina tells us about a feral colony at a town dump that is in jeopardy. I'm hoping all parties involved can come to terms for the sake of the cats. How nice would it be for all cats to live safe and happy lives? I hope this feral colony is safe and is being taken care of.

Dawn