11/11

Near Eastside Cats is Selfridge Air National Guard Base, where many serving folk are stationed.

Just being out and about in our area, there are many in uniform to acknowledge and thank for their service.

It would be terrific, however, if we didn't ever have to consider going to war, no?

~~~

Please consider donating to Combat Cookies, a non-profit organization that sends freshly baked cookies to serving members of our armed forces.

🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸

Thank you, Veterans.

Parky

It's Caturday!

While enjoying the pathways at Stage Nature Center, in Troy, Michigan, I snapped a few pics of blooms that I enjoyed.

I colorized with different Prisma filters, then collaged 'em.

Click on the image to enjoy a jigsaw puzzle.

Let's Hop!

Click on the badge to visit Athena Cat Goddess.

Saugatuck

For a family wedding, we were in Saugatuck, Michigan.

For more information on this quaint town near Lake Michigan, try here.

While many folks were walking dogs in the shopping district, of course I managed to find CATS!

These babies had been TNR'd, as they have eartips.

This cat did not enjoy close human proximity.

These two were so very friendly!

While traveling through town, we pulled over because I was sure these were cat cutouts in the window shutters!

Alas, they aren't cats but squirrels, but they are cute.

Always on the look out for cats!

🐈🐈🐈

Looky!

 While on a trip to Wildtype Native Plant Nursery and environs, we happened upon some new sights:

Official Wildtype kitty

A wee non-venomous milk snake

Look at those blue sapphire eyes!

The pawparazzi got a bit to close for her liking.

Having lived in The Motor City for my entire life, this logo was puzzling!
 Research says Holden or General Motors-Holden, made in Australia.

Goes to show that there are interesting things to observe and experience, if you look around.

👀👓👀

Earth Day

Join the World’s Largest Environmental Movement.

As Earth is the only planet with cats that we know of, why are we treating her so very badly?

💕🌏🌎🌍💓

Last weekend, I visited one of my favorite locations, where one can breathe deeply, enjoy the wildlife, and look at the pretty Spring ephemeral flowers. 

Yellow Trout Lilies
Erythronium americanum
Click on the image to enjoy a jigsaw puzzle.

Growing wild at Tenhave Woods at Quickstad Park, Royal Oak Michigan

Let's Hop!

Click on the badge above to visit Athena Cat Goddess!

Oh, The Cold!

As mentioned in yesterday's post, I am not a fan of Winter...and technically, it's not even here yet!

Perhaps worrying about The 'O' Cats for a decade pushed me farther into disliking cold and snow...?

Yet, I can pinpoint when I went from a kid growing up in Michigan (known as The Winter Wonderland), and dealing with the season, to an disgruntled denizen of The North.

That was a vacation visit to Florida one February.

Yep, I was spoiled from that point on.

The Hubby and I aren't moving any place warm, any time soon...unfortunately...so I found some terrific hoodies to keep me warm.

Went overboard a bit, as I was entranced with the plethora of fabulous black cat images.

Email me if you'd like information about the hoodies: on the right-hand column, down a bit, is a 'Contact Eastside Cats' form.

Bill to Ban Declaw Surgery in Michigan to be Introduced!

"Urgent! State of Michigan Representative Nate Shannon will be introducing a bill this Thursday that would ban declawing surgery in Michigan, but he needs your help!

The more co-sponsors a bill has, the more likely it is to become law. Representatives can sign up to co-sponsor the bill TODAY (2/12).

Please call your representative TODAY and let them know that you and your organization would like them to cosponsor Rep. Shannon’s declaw ban. Please share with your Rep how you have seen the negative effects of declawing and would love to see it outlawed in Michigan."

Find your representative here: https://www.house.mi.gov/mhrpublic/frmFindaRep.aspx

Information from Michigan Pet Fund Alliance @ https://www.michiganpetfund.org/

Paws Need Claws!

The Great State of Michigan is a hotbed of declawing, and we need it to STOP!

Reach out to:

City The Kitty

The Paw Project

for more information about ending this barbarous veterinary practise.

***

State Of Emergency

***Michigan Governor declares State of Emergency ahead of extreme cold temperatures***

This is my DIY feral cat feeding station windbreak.
Made from found foam core sheets.

I cut pieces to size, punched holes in the foam core, and zip-tied the whole thing to the card table, that is our feeding station.

The PO'M enjoys my lap!

Sweetie took to the feeding station improvement in a trice; she rushed right in and put her nose in the bowl.  The PO'M was hesitant, but he goes in once I've walked away.  The idea was to keep the frigid wind from blowing on them while they nosh.  In addition, the three-sided barrier prevents snow from swirling in, which I'm sure isn't pleasant on their paws.

This moment, my supervisor is considering closing the office for tomorrow, due to the extreme weather.  I already advised him that I'll be leaving a couple hours early each day, to get home to feed Sweetie and Paddy when the sun is still up.  That's the best I can do.  

Snowy Monday and Farewells

I stayed home from work today; travel is very dicey out there!

Image from Facebook

❄☃🌬

Tink the Tortoise was only 20 years old, but he'd decided to shuffle to The Rainbow Bridge.  His people are devastated.  

Tink The Tortoise on Facebook
Image from Facebook

And an old friend from Jan's Funny Farm Blog ran away to heaven too.  Jan is sick too; losing Cyndi is just too hard to bear.

Angel Cyndi
Image from Jan's Funny Farm Blog

Farewell, sweet Angels!

We wish that you could have stayed with us on Earth for a little bit longer, but we know that you are safe and warm where you are now.  We rejoice in the time we had together, yet our parting blows a cold wind on our hearts.

Hugs and purrs all 'round

💔😿💔😿💔

Tiny Lions Cat Lounge & Adoption Center

Ann Arbor, Michigan, is home to the famous University of Michigan, and has been a hippie mecca for a very long time.  Embracing an alternative lifestyle, the area is full of quirky bookstores, vegan restaurants, and both upscale and moderately priced shopping, real estate, and everything in between. 

Additionally, Ann Arbor has Tiny Lions Lounge and Adoption Center!  The Humane Society of Huron Valley places adoptable cats and kittens in this setting, to allow potential furrever humans (or cat-loving visitors, like me!) to interact with them.  There are sofas, chairs, cat beds and cat climbs everywhere, plus plenty of room for board games, computer work, or the occasional yoga class.

Ren needed his beauty sleep

Rose was chillaxin'

Millicent likes to roughhouse

Playful Widget

Gregorio, wondering where his snack is

Rachel discusses politics with a visitor

The staff puts color coded tags on the cats's collars, to indicate their comfort level of human interaction.  If they were adopted, they also got a special tag to let visitors know that they are already spoken for! 

In addition, visitation time is limited to a maximum of one hour, and once you've paid the entrance fee of $7.00, you are handed a beeper that goes off once time is up.  Goes by much too fast, as you can imagine.

One more thing: The Humane Society of Huron Valley will NOT adopt out a cat to an adopter looking to declaw!  It's written into their adoption contract.  I did a happy dance when I heard this information.  It's the only way that I roll, so it's wonderful to know there is a growing tide of anti-onychectomy folks out there.

A Vacation With No Cats

My weekend trip was wonderful!  But...I saw NO CATS!  Lots of dogs, and they were everywhere.

However, I managed to find some art cats; the sachets were in the gift shop at the The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point, Michigan, and the spoon caddy was from Mackinaw Bakery in Mackinaw City, Michigan.

Cat Spoon Caddy

Lavender Drawer Sachets

Close up of caption

Close up of caption

Also, this cat-face coat on the passenger next to me on our horse-drawn taxi ride.

Girl's coat on Mackinac Island

I took many, many photos; the autumn colors are amazing, and the weather was both beautifully calm, and blowing and wet.  Here are a few:

Had a lovely time; a fantastic trip to enjoy Mother Nature in all of her splendor.

And look what greeted me when I stepped in the front door!

Angel and Chuck, sharing the double-wide scratcher together!

The Hubby said that Angel and Chuck began sitting side-by-side over the weekend, and I had to snap a photo even though it was too dark.  Gosh, I go away for a couple-three days, and the world turns on it's head!  Jiminy Crickets! 

Angel's Got a Brand New Bed

Eastside Cats received some coolio stuff this weekend, one of which was this really groovy scratcher/cat bed.  Angel fell in love immediately, and it did not take long for us humans to take advantage of having our sweet girl so close at hand!

Yep, that's The Hubby's paws all over
Angel.  She didn't mind one bit!

Later on, she was able to enjoy
the new beddy while solo
(except for me with the camera!)

 

Finally, she napped with her head on the edge.
The photos are blurry 'cause I was taking them at night!

Also, our section of Michigan received some snow this weekend, but it was strangely chunky snow...more like pellets that flakes!

Another poor photo of snow pellets on the front steps.

Temps are on the downturn, and a new blast of snow is predicted for late tonight and most of the morning tomorrow.  Stay safe out there, friends!  Thank you, CG!