Remember the last two videos about Simon’s cat?

First there was “Good Morning“, then “Let Me In.” This one is titled “TV Dinner” and is another accurate illustration of life with a cat!

I love ferrets. We’ve had the opportunity to pet-sit them a couple of times for friends and they’re such sweet little things. What keeps us from getting any of our own is the age-old issue of scent. My husband had two ferrets at two separate times before we met and he said that even though they were “de-scented” they were still pretty odorous.

Oh well. I can now get my fix from the Smithsonian’s Ferret Cam! Georgia, a black-footed ferret, gave birth on June 20th. This is a big deal because The National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia have been breeding the ferrets for the last 20 years in an effort to keep the animals off the brink of extinction. Black-footed ferrets are actually considered extinct in the wild because they currently survive only in captivity. This year alone 21 females were bred at CRC, four by artificial insemination and 17 by natural pairings. So far four ferrets have given birth!

In the screenshot above you can see what a good mom Georgia is as she gives her little kit a bath. It won’t develop its markings for a while yet.

[image: screenshot]

Hope, a one year-old Maltese puppy with only nubs where her front legs should be, is finally getting a chance to see what life is like with a little mobility!

The custom designed harness is attached to independently moving arms that are actually attached to model airplane wheels, and with a just a bit of push from her hind legs she’s able to move around almost as she should as opposed to the hopping she previously did.

As she gets older she’ll have to have another device made for her. Make sure you check out the rest of the article linked above - she’s too cute to miss!

A pitbull that once belonged to Michael Vick and used for dogfighting has a new gig!

Leo is now a therapy dog at both the Camino Infusion Center where he brings comfort to to patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and he’s also working at Alternative Placement Academy in San Jose, where the young men seem to identify with the dog’s hard-luck background.

“He is wonderful, and all the patients love Leo,” said Paula Reed, the Infusion Center’s oncology director. “They really love his eyes and gentleness.”

Leo was rescued along with 50 other pitbulls when Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels in Virginia was raided last year. Michael Vick, the now-former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, is currently serving 23 months in federal prison for his roll in the illegal dogfighting ring which resulted in abused, neglected and dead dogs.

Leo ended up in the care of Marthina McClay, president of Our Pack, an advocacy group for pit bulls. After five weeks of intense instruction, supervision and acclimation he began his new career.

“The difference that he’s had with our patients has been incredible — the smiles on their faces, the joy when they see him,” said Reed of the cancer center. “Leo is a survivor and our patients are survivors, and I think they can relate to each other.”

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have something in my eye.

This week’s video is about taking care of an overweight cat and the best way to handle feeding time.

We haven’t had this problem (knock on wood!) and have always “free fed” the cats with a reservoir-style food bowl. The cats are getting older and less active, though, and Kricket has always tended toward the fluffy side of the spectrum.

Have you ever taken care of an overweight cat? Would you add anymore tips?

The stress of an emergency situation can be alleviated a bit when steps have been taken to prepare for it.

These videos give tips and ideas for preparing your dogs and/or cats for an emergency and what kinds of supplies you’ll want to have on hand to make for a quick evacuation if needed.

Tips include the basics like food, water and dishes, but don’t forget about rabies vaccination records, treats, ID tags and bedding!

I’ve seen the above video - with Carolyn Scott & Rookie - many times over the years and got a kick out of it.

A friend sent me the link to the video below - with Sandra Davis and Pepper - and it looks like dog dancing is a trend that’s catching on!

Do you know of any other dancing dog videos?

Did you know you could train bunnies? I’ve read that they can be trained to use a litter box and even fetch, but I had no idea they were capable of this!

Check out this video of three rescue bunnies - Filbert, Mattie, and Muffy - as they complete an obstacle course created by their owners. I love Muffy’s style!

~ How to train your rabbit
~ Training your rabbit
~ How to train a rabbit
~ Training your rabbit to jump on cue

One of Martha Stewart’s dogs, “Kublai Khan Paw Paw Chow Chow Chow,” passed away this Saturday at 12 years old.

Martha wrote in her blog:

Paw Paw was a spectacular chow and an even more spectacular dog. He was always my loyal companion, displaying the most agreeable temperament. Paw Paw loved traveling with me and was always a willing model for the camera. In addition to taking part in television commercials and several national print ads, he has been part of numerous photo shoots and is a familiar face on my television show, in my magazine, and on this blog.

Even in his final days, Paw Paw just stopped eating and drifted off to deep sleeps, where he now rests peacefully, and, I’m most confident, quite happily. I will miss him, always.

The video above shows Paw Paw getting groomed at a Manhattan doggy salon for a segment of Martha’s show this past February. Check out Martha’s blog entry to see more pictures of her adorable dogs, including Sharkey and Francesca.

Elaine Acker, CEO of Pets Amercia, demonstrates the proper technique for performing CPR on pets.