Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Boost Mixers - A Chewy Review

Hello everyone! This is Lexy checking in, and I have a great review for you today.  This month, as part of the Chewy blogger program, I chose something tasty to review. Today I bring you Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Boost Mixers.  Nature's Valley is an independent pet food company whose mission is to empower people to transform the lives of their pets.  Sounds good to me! 

Oh boy! These smell yummy

Cat Art and a Giveaway!

Hello everyone! This is Lexy checking in with a great interview with a fabulous artist and a giveaway! Today I bring you a fantastic Etsy store, Starlustudio2, with art created by Gina Stark.  We first became familiar with Gina through our friend, Prince Pan Pan.  Every Friday in the Royal Art Gallery there is an exhibition of cat art and Gina’s work caught Mother’s attention. 

Flying Gray Cat Angel

Move Over, Leonardo DiCatrio.. the Award Goes to.... the Cats!

You love cats. We love cats. The Internet loves cats. That's why Meow Mix brand launched the Oscars edition of the Cat's Meow Awards -- a celebration of the best cat moments of the past year and the one-of-a-kind bond that only cats and humans share. Mommy LOVES award shows and we always watch them with her, and we agree with Meow Mix -- it's time for cats to get their purr-aise! 

We recently partnered with Meow Mix cat food to recognize the year's top four-legged performances in The 2016 Cat's Meow Awards.

That's right! You won't see Jeni-purr Aniston nominated and that's because this year's most anticipated awards show honors a flurry of furry faces.

Meow Mix brand received more than 25,000 submissions from all over the country for the Cat's Meow Awards, which was established to celebrate the best cat moments of the year and the one-of-a-kind bond that only cats and humans share.

View clips from The 2016 Cat's Meow Awards show below:

Best Cat Napper: 

Book Reading - Part 2.

Hello and happy Monday! Welcome to Part 2 of my book reading and thank you so much for coming. 

Today I’m going to share a few of my diary entries when my life took a turn for the better.  I’ll be reading about when I was rescued – and adopted! Yay! 

This is what I wrote on January 6, 2011: 
Today was an exciting day! A worker came to my cage to take me out and put me in a box. I got real scared because I thought I was going to be put to sleep. I couldn’t see out of the box so I didn’t know what was going on. I heard a lot of humans talking, and the next thing I knew I was in a car. Imagine that! A car! A little while later I finally got to come out of the box and I couldn’t believe it—I was in a different doctor’s office. “Oh boy, here we go again” I thought. I looked up—and there was the lady that was asking about me yesterday! But she was crying, and that made me nervous. Everybody was fussing over me and saying things like “poor baby” and “what a shame.” The doctor came in to look at me and had a list of stuff he had found wrong: I only weigh 3.2 pounds, I have a bad URI and a broken canine tooth, and I’m dehydrated and hypothermic. And my nose is really sore and it started to bleed when they cleaned it. The vet tech force-fed me with a syringe. I didn’t like that very much, but she said I have to eat to get strong. Everyone here is so kind to me, and it smells a whole lot better than it did at the shelter. I have a whole room to myself, too. So now I’m going to turn in for the night and cuddle up to my snuggly warm heating pad and not have to worry about “Death Row.” That lady who took me from the shelter is my fairy godmother.

Meet Diamond and Stanley Blaze on Change a Pet's Life Day

Today is “Change a Pet's Life Day,” a day devoted to encouraging animal adoption and spreading awareness of animal welfare issues. 

There are many ways to participate, but I chose to share the amazing stories of two rescued cats, Diamond and Stanley Blaze, and the amazing women who rescued and adopted them. 

We have questions for Mommy

Lola: Well, we're still getting used to blogging. Yesterday, after we posted about National Hug Day, we found it was National Answer Your Cat's Question Day.  Sigh..... we'll get this right some day.
Anyhoo, I'm always thinking of things I want to ask Mommy.

So Lexy and I put together a couple of questions for her.

It's Answer Your Cat's Questions Day!

Today is National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day! 

We love this day because we always have a bunch of stuff to ask Mommy. Lexy and I each chose two questions.  

Welcome to my Book Reading!

Hello and happy Monday! Last night Lexy and I were meowing about ideas for blog posts.  We were both thinking very hard when Lexy meowed to me, she meowed “Lola, you’ve never done a book reading on the blog.” Oh my stars, she was right! I did a book reading on Facebook, but I never did one for my blogging friends! So, I have a surprise! I’m going to do a reading from my book every Monday for the rest of the month (and who knows? Maybe I’ll do more!) I’ll share some of my diary entries and I think it will be super. 

Before I start sharing my diary entries, I want to say some may think some of them are sad. I want everyone to know I don't share my story because I want to make others sad, or because I want them to feel sorry for me ("woe is me" isn't my style.  I'm too happy go lucky for that!) I share it because it's important to let people know what can happen to an animal if they are abandoned or not taken care of. OK, here we go.. Ahem… 

This entry is from December 16, 2010: 
Today was the worst day of my life. I was thrown away, just like that, in a smelly dumpster behind the building. That’s just mean, especially since I’m only six months old. I’m still a baby! Sigh....

Well, here I am in the shelter, where they gave me an animal ID number and named me Lola. My name isn’t Lola, but they don’t understand what I’m meowing when I’m trying to tell them my real name. The lady who named me is nice to me, so I’ll let her call me Lola. I’m warm and I have a bowl of food, but I don’t like this cage. I don't like this place.  I want my home. 

Boy, they poked me and felt me all over the place (even in my private parts!) and looked at my teeth and took blood. I heard someone say I have to be “fixed.” Fixed? I'm not broken! What are they talking about? I'm so confused.

This one is from December 20, 2010: 
Today someone came and took me out of my cage and put me in a little box. When I popped my head out, I was in a doctor’s office and I had a feeling something not good was going to happen. First they stuck me with needles to give me vaccines, put a microchip in my neck, and then my belly got shaved. How embarrassing! And the doctor wrote down that I’m a year old. Hello! I’m six months old, thank you very much. Then they stuck a needle in my paw and I got very sleepy and took a nap. When I woke up I had stitches in my belly, so I guess they fixed whatever was broken. I don’t like this place and I want to go home.

And here’s one from December 30, 2010:
My cold is worse. I haven’t been eating much because I can’t smell my food and I’m so cold! I wish I could have a blanket. Achoo! Oh darn, every time I sneeze I get mucus all over my face. Sigh…. Should I just give up?

I hope you enjoyed it. Please join me next Monday for another reading when I'll share when I was rescued!

Lola

Sunday Selfies - Don't Tell Lexy!

Hello and Happy Sunday! Today I set the timer on the camera so I could get a photo of me being a little mischievous. 

I'm being sneaky! I'm taking a little rest on Lexy's scratcher but as soon as I'm finished I'm getting off or else she'll come over and swat my butt.  Will you keep my secret?
Lola

It's My Gotcha Day!

Hello and Happy Caturday!! Today is no ordinary Caturday, folks.  Can you guess why? OK, I won’t keep you in suspense, I’ll just tell you.  Today is my Adoptaversary!  It’s my Gotcha Day! 

Five years ago today I came home to live with Mommy (and Lexy – I shouldn’t forget her) for forever! I get so excited on this day (as you can tell by all of the exclamation points) that I can hardly sit still! Here's what I wrote in my diary that day: 

"When we got to my new home, I smelled a cat but I didn’t have a chance to see it because Will rushed me off to the bathroom. I’m still sick, so I have to be separated for a while. I heard Mommy say, 'They’ll have to be introduced slowly'.

So far I like Mommy. She gives me hugs and lets me give her face rubs. She even made me a little blankie so I’m not cold. Isn’t that super? And she doesn’t get upset that I have diarrhea. She just picks up the rugs and puts towels down on the floor for me. 

Wow, I can’t believe I have my own bed, and I can walk around and not have to live in a cage anymore. I lived in a cage for 31 days and it wasn’t fun. Tonight when I sleep in my bed I’m going to pray that all the cats on Death Row be saved just like I was."

I didn't sleep a wink the night before because I was just too happy about going home. I can't believe that was five years ago. 

I started today's celebrations by sitting on Mommy’s face early this morning.  Once I was sure I had her attention I started licking her face.  (Well, it’s a special day so she should make sure she gets a bath!) After she finally got up Lexy and I had breakfast.  Lexy had her fave – chicken flavored Fancy Feast, and Mommy gave me crunchy food! It’s my favorite! (Every day should be my Gotcha Day!) I got lots of hugs and kisses from Mommy, and Lexy licked my head. 

Here are a few photos of me taken over the years.

I wanted to do something special for my Gotcha day, so I thought we’d do our first ever commentathon! Oh my stars, this is so cool! For every comment we get on this post Mommy will donate .50 (up to $50) to Oliver’s Orphan Oasis in Putnam Valley, NY. OOO is a one-woman rescue/shelter run by a wonderful woman, Carolyn.  Auntie Carolyn took the kitten that Will found under a car a few years ago and found her a forever family.

So please comment, and please spread the word! Let’s raise money for Oliver’s Orphan Oasis! And don’t forget... Adopt, Don’t Shop!

Gotcha days are the best, don't you agree? 
Lola

Tabby's Place - Blog the Change for Animals #BtC4A

I first became aware of Tabby's Place - A Cat Sanctuary in April of 2011 when a group of cat loving ladies from New York took a two-hour road trip out to Ringoes, NJ to visit the sanctuary. 

Imperial Cat - Cat 'n Around Catnip Toys Review

Hello everyone! This is Lexy checking in with a great review! Today I bring you the Cat 'n Around catnip toy by Imperial Cat. 

Wordless Wednesday - Purrfect Model

"Draw me like one of your French girls, Jack."

Lexy

Sunday Selfies - Cute!

Hello and happy Sunday! Today for my selfie I thought I'd go with cute.  I think I nailed it! What do you think? 

Lola

Happy New Year!

Hello and Happy New Year! Did you know that New Year's is one of the oldest holidays still celebrated? It dates back to ancient Babylon, thousands of years ago, where it was celebrated as an 11 day festival on the first day of spring. Many cultures during that time used the sun and moon cycles to determine the first day of the year.  After Julius Caesar invented the Julian calendar, the holiday began to be celebrated on January 1st.   

Typical American traditions on New Year's include making resolutions or goals, football, parades, fireworks, eating lucky food (such as pork or black eyed peas), and of course watching the ball drop from Times Square right here in New York City. (BTW, Mommy has never been to Times Square on New Year's Eve and she says she never will.)