Today is National Black Cat Appreciation Day and being blessed with a mini-panther in my life, our handsome rescue, Shadow, I know just how special these beautiful cats are. But, beautiful as they are, black cats are still considered by many to bring bad luck, simply because of the color of their fur. Those of us with black cats in our lives know we are the lucky ones to have them and in honor of the day, I thought I’d share some facts on what makes a black cat, black as well as some tips on how to take stunning photos of them.

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I realize it’s been forever since I posted and I wanted to let you know all is well, just many personal and work-related commitments that have been keeping me busy and off the radar. Now that the world is starting to normalize a bit more, I wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a wonderful summer before time escaped me and to share some tips to keep our cats safe, happy, and healthy during this time of year, as they can be adversely affected by the upcoming 4th of July, the searing summer temperatures, and the influx of gatherings that will be occurring in the months to come as we begin to invite more family and friends back into our homes. Read more

According to the most recent White House briefing (22MAR21), the United States is vaccinating about 2.5 million people per day. There are 81 million people — or nearly 1 in 3 adults — with at least one vaccine dose and 44 million who are fully vaccinated. Eligibility requirements are changing too, with each state providing its own plan for deciding who will be vaccinated first. Here in Florida where I live, vaccines are now available for persons 40 years of age and older; persons determined to be extremely vulnerable by a physician; health care workers with direct patient contact; and long-term care facility residents and staff. Read more

Photo credit: Sam Lion from Pexels

Rescue animals were TIME magazine’s 2020 Pet of the Year and with the new normal associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s really not a surprise. With stay-at-home orders issued across the U.S. in March 2020 and continuing nearly a year later for much of the population, people and families are hungry for the love and companionship a pet can bring. According to a survey published in January 2021 from Porch.com, Americans adopted 750,000 animals from shelters since the pandemic began, a 3% higher rate than the previous year, with 55% of the adoptions, cats. Read more

Just days before his trip to the vet, everything with Zee seemed fine. This is him with his beloved girls – daughter Peanut, “wife” Zoey, and daughter Mia.

Cats have always had the reputation of being mysterious. Egyptians believed them to be magical creatures, capable of bringing good luck to the people who housed them. They are also notorious masters of disguise, especially when it comes to hiding weakness or pain, including chronic conditions like dental, kidney, and heart disease. This goes back to their existence in the wild when trying to avoid attracting the attention of would-be predators, and even a purr, which humans consider a sign of contentment, can be a signal the cat is in pain. All this means pet guardians may not immediately see physical signs that something is wrong, bringing me to the story of Zee and his emergency trip to the vet. Read more