Calicifer by Michelle of Creative Critters

Calcifer, my Maine Coone cat, is now over a year old, although he won't be mature for another two years (if ever- LOL!).  And as he's grown, so has his personality.  He's very intelligent, and I've taught him to sit, stay, come, roll over, sit up, and dance.  He catches on very quickly and almost seems to read my mind.

Calcifer across my shoulders

A new trick that HE invented is laying across my shoulders while I brush my teeth and get dressed in the morning.  Do have any idea how difficult it is to get dressed with a cat attached to your back?  He has some incredible balance and has never fallen (and of course I'm very careful when he's perched up there).

I wear contacts, and Calcifer thinks it's the most amazing thing when I put them in or take them out.  He sits on the sink and watches every move I make with such intensity!  And he always has to "help" me take a shower by hopping into the tub before I turn the water on and making sure there are no monsters lurking behind the shower curtain.  He doesn't mind getting wet either- he'll hop right into the tub as soon as I turn the shower off and sit in the puddles of water.  For fun he likes to dump his water bowl and then play in it!

Cedric, the older and much more reserved cat, just looked at his little brother like he was the silliest thing he'd seen.

Calcifer is such a love though- when he wants attention he'll come up to me and gently paw my foot or leg until I pick him up and cuddle with him.  If he wants me to play with him he sits at my feet and squeaks at me.  He doesn't really meow, but his squeaks are so cute!

Calcifer in the craft room

And his love certainly extended to his big brother.  He loved laying with Cedric and washing him, and always had to have his paws on Cedric.

Calcifer is a very "pawsey" cat- he likes to touch things.  Sometimes when he's sitting with me he'll reach up and gently touch my face with his big soft paws.  And he still only purrs when he's snuggled up in my hair.  This ball of fluff is pure love!

Calcifer and Cedric

He likes to help me when I'm creating too.  I put a chair next to mine in my craft room just for him, so he can sit there and watch me sculpt.  Sometimes he likes to lay across my shoulders while I'm sculpting.  It's like wearing a big furry scarf- LOL!  And of course he likes to help me knit and sew.  He's getting better about trying to steal the thread or yarn.  For the most part he just watches the needles move, and only occasionally tries to to steal the project I'm working on. He is definitely my own little creative critter and a full partner in my business!

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My name is Michelle and I'm owned by my sweet Maine Coone Calcifer, and miss my handsome Cedric kitty who passed away last year.  I've been creating all my life and animals have always been a strong theme in my work.  At CreativeCritters you can find hand knit stuffed animals, catnip toys, a variety of sculptures and miniatures, jewelry, plush creations, and so much more.  Each item is crafted individually by hand (and new catnip toy designs are thoroughly tested by Calcifer).  Stop on by and take a look around - you're sure to find something special for yourself or your furry friends! ;-)

Three Steps to Make My Cat into A Dog (a true story!) by El of Tantalizing Stitches

Luthar may have been born a cat but grew up to be a dog. How you say? First, I mandated that all dwellers of the house take a bath! After giving Luthar a bath once a week for about a month and then every other week thereafter for the first year, he became compliant. No hissing, no scratching. I was even able to take these cute little pictures.

This is how I did it. I first gave Lex (the puppy) a bath while Luthar watched. Once I dried her up, I took Luthar in the bath while Lex watched. I didn't really use soap at first because he was already clean. Once we got to the bimonthly schedule, I added some soap.

But what really made Luthar a dog was our daily walks. First, I would only take Lex for a walk and wouldn't let Luthar out of the house. I felt bad that Luthar was missing out so I purchased a very long leash (about 20 feet) and put it on Luthar. At first he found it to be a fun toy but finally, when he realized it would let him out of the house, he forgot about the leash and walked out the door. I initially kept the leash very short. But as I trusted that he wouldn't climb a tree or something similar, I let the leash out. This all happened within a couple of months. Each outing was made with Luthar on the leash and Lex off the leash. (No dog leash law in the area.)

Then, finally I had to let him free. We did our usually walk around the block and guess what! He followed. Take a look at the documented footage!

And finally, Lex and Luthar sharing the dog house!

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El is the woman behind Tantalizing Stitches where you can find bag
making supplies such as magnetic snaps and swivel clips. She is also
the guild master of the Crafting for Animals Guild and proudly donates
a portion of her proceeds to animal charity. On her spare time, she
crochets and soaps!

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Homeless Pets - 6 Ways to Help

Society has changed over the generations, and what may have worked in the past may not work today or in the future.  In the United States, and possibly in other countries as well, pet homelessness can be nearly eliminated if it is approached in consistent manner that steadily reduces the number of potential homeless animals.  Following is a list of 6 big ways that we can help eliminate pet homelessness in our world.

1.  Learn the good, bad, and ugly of raising pets.  Cute and fuzzy, big eyes and ears, a cute wiggly tail and a button nose - the perfect, cute, lovable pets that we bring into our homes and promise to love and take care of forever.

The loving part often comes naturally, but taking care of them forever is way more than it may appear to be.  These cute lovable babies need training in socializing and housebreaking - they have to learn not to chew cords, where and when they can use the facilities, what toys are meant for them and what toy-lookalikes are not.  They must learn what they are allowed to scratch, and they all must take baths sooner or later.

Pets don't come with instruction books, and just like children, it takes time and patience to teach our pets what is acceptable behavior, and will need to learn to listen and obey.  Further, they will need medical care such as getting them to a vet to have their shots and spaying or neutering, and sometimes they require special medical care for things such as diabetes or heartworm.  Just as humans develop illnesses and get injured, so do our pets. In addition, throughout history we have breed animals for various characteristics; therefore, if we adopt a certain breed, it would be wise to learn the characteristics of the animal that you are inviting into your home.  Some were meant to be hunters, some have higher energy levels, and some are better with people and/or children than others.

Another thing to consider is the type of pet that you are adopting.  Learn about the type of animal that you are bringing into your home and any potential problems or issues they might have from their past experiences. For example, there are feral animals, wild animals, pet shop animals, mill animals, and those who are being temporarily cared for by caring humans at local humane societies or rescuers.  An animal who was abused or neglected will have an extremely different background than the one who was lovingly cared for but is up for adoption because his/her owner passed away.   

2.  SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PET!  I know everybody has heard that they should spay or neuter their pets.  This makes a lot of sense.  In my experience many people don't spay or neuter their pets because they want their pet to reproduce one or more times, because they have a male pet and therefore think they are exempt from being a part of the problem, or because they cannot afford to do so.

A common reason for allowing their pet to reproduce at least once is so that their pets have a "full life" and are able to experience reproduction.  I have seen many pets spayed or neutered early in life and don't seem to see life differently even though they haven't had the experience.  When we think about both sides of the story, I think that those who want their pets to experience reproduction should not only think about their one pet, but about the litter that they are helping to bring into this world.  How often does a human being want a cute, baby pet, and then are unable or unwilling to take care of them as their pet ages?  How often are pets bought as gifts that may not be wanted?  How many young pets are brought to the "pound" as soon as they are old enough to be weaned?  Sadly, I've even heard of people bringing their whole litter to the woods, in a box to a farmer's door without permission, and even to the extent of drowning the litter in a river.  When I've asked about these sad endings, I have heard that the original owners couldn't care for them, that the drowned litter was better off dead than alive, and that the farmer could surely afford to feed and shelter the litter of cats because they have lots of other cats hanging around.  All because they wanted their one pet to have a "life bearing" experience.  Tsk. Tsk.  The consequences to the litter of babies far outweighs the supposed "desire" of the pet.  What does the pet lose by not having a life-bearing experience?  What does the litter go through?  Spay or neuter your pets, if not for the best interest of the litter(s) brought into the world, then for your own peace of mind, as a duty to society, or for the sake of the animal kingdom as a whole.

As far as having a male and therefore having no responsibility to neuter, think again.  Males who are not neutered seek to reproduce.  I have seen male animals break through screens, scale fences, and go to various extremes to get to a female that is in heat.  While some of these males make it back home, many don't.  They get lost, they get hit by a vehicle, they are captured by someone else, they are stolen for use in pet fighting, and any other possibility that can be thought of and more.  Males who are not neutered will also spray their territory to mark it as taken.  This is normal male animal behavior, but all too often they think their territory included your clothes, your furniture, and anything else.  Unfortunately, neutering them after they begin spraying doesn't always correct this behavior and I've seen far too many male animals sent away because of their spraying behavior, which could have been prevented by neutering your pet.  In this instance, not just the litter becomes a problem, but so does the male pet itself.  If not for the sake of your pet, their future litter, then do it for peace of mind, as a duty to society, or for the sake of the animal kingdom as a whole.  

There are many programs out there to help you with the costs if money is the issue.  Contact your local humane society or pet rescue to begin your search for assistance.  There are also many animal clinics and hospitals that offer discounts, payment plans, or free services.  Care Credit is another potential resource that offers credit lines for veterinary care.

3.  Get your next pet from a local Pet Rescue, Humane Society, or other animal shelter.  The animals waiting for adoption are all breeds, sizes, ages, and come from all walks of life.  Some have been trained, some are babies, some have special needs, and one of them is just right for any person seeking a loving companion.  Sadly, many of these pets could have been a loving, loyal companion, but because they were overlooked they end up euthanized or endure an alternate ending of their life.

These three simple things listed above can greatly reduce the homeless animal population by themselves!  If you want to help, do all three of the above or support them in some way.  The following three options are for those who are able to take in a pet as well as for those who can't, for whatever reason, but want to help in some way. 

4.  Volunteer at a pet shelter or rescue  

5.  Donate some cash to an animal shelter, rescue, or organization that is helping the cause.

6.  Be a voice for homeless animals.  There are many organizations out there attempting to reduce pet homelessness and need people to back them up to change laws and codes.  Pets can't talk, rally, or change how they are handled within our society, but we can for them.   There are too many agencies to list here, and each one differs in one way or another.  Do some research online or ask someone at your local pet shelter or rescue what agencies are worth looking into.  Then, find one that suits your beliefs, that has policies that you agree with, and help them raise awareness and make changes in our society.

While it might seem like you are not making much of a difference for all the animals of the world, you could make a world of difference for one animal while helping the larger cause. 

You can make a difference!

Written by Tsilos Schoener

TS Beading and More

Our Personal Pet & Rescue Stories

I am very happy to announce and host this new column on our blog.

It is called "Our personal pet and rescue stories".

I will be posting bi-monthly.
You can see the first story here:

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"Slash" ******** A Black Cat Rescue Story

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Since this is Halloween weekend, I thought I'd tell you a personal black cat rescue story.

In October of the year 2000, there was a black kitten (between 6 to 8 months old) in our neighborhood that desperately needed help. I don't know where he came from, but he had been hurt trying to warm up too close to the engine of a car. Cats are known to do this when the weather gets cold & they have no where to go.

A neighbor told me about him, because it was her car that the poor cat had crawled into & when she started the engine, he yeowled, but wouldn't come out from under the hood of the car.
I immediately ran out to see if I could get close enough to him, to try to see if I could coax him out & help him. He turned out to be a very sweet cat.

I called him Slash because he had a slash on the top of his head where the engine fan had obviously cut him & he had a big gaping wound in his back leg. I took him to my house & tried to clean his wounds the best I could. The tear in his hind leg looked a couple of days old, but the cut in his head looked fresh.

To tell you the truth, at that time, I didn't know what I was going to be able to do for him. He actually needed a few stitches. I could not keep him & I couldn't afford to take him to the vet. Having some knowledge about wounds, I cleaned & bandaged his leg. That's when I, teasingly, started calling him Slash. For some reason, he knew I was trying to help him & wouldn't hurt him, so it was fairly easy to tend to his wounds. He was also very happy & content to be inside.

I called every rescue place to see if someone could take him, but they were all full. I thought he needed more medical attention than I could give him. I called our local Humane Society and they said that, because it was October and around Halloween, that they wouldn't accept or adopt out black cats until some time in November & that I should try calling back then, if I didn't find someone to take him.

I recalled learning about an ointment that was used on horses & other animals with deep wounds. At that time we had a local farm & feed store, so I went there and fortunately they had it. I talked to a salesman there, read the directions, took it home and put it all over Slash's wounds & wrapped his leg again. The only problem was, it had an awful smell and the bandages kept sliding down his leg. Of course he gave them a little help.

Slash was such a sweetheart & never once thought about going back outside. He loved being indoors. I knew that he would make a great pet for someone who would just love & care for him. He stayed with me a few more weeks & his wounds were healing. Eventually, I was able to take him to our Humane Society in late November and it was hard to say good bye to him after what he and I had been through together. I was just grateful & happy that I was able to help him when I did & that he pulled through it like a trooper. I knew that he would get the medical attention he needed & get neutered, that he wouldn't be put to sleep and he had a great personality for his new caregivers and hopefully, a new forever home and family that would love this great black cat. I will never forget Slash.

Written by BJ

Expressions

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A Brave Puppy is rescued from a puppy mill: ********

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By Sandy----DLM designs

This particular story is about my Princess Millicent Puddlemaker:

Millie, is a tri-color 15" beagle that I rescued from a nearby puppy mill. I know better than to do adoptions in this manner however, as soon as I saw her, I knew she was in trouble. Millie had 6 different parasites growing inside her intestines. She had blood in her stool, vomiting blood and unable to eat or drink anything. I bought her believing that she did not have much time and whatever time she did have, I was bound and determined to make it the best I could. I took her to my vet who looked at me with tear filled eyes and asked me "Do you really want to do this?" She stated that she was familiar with this individual from whom I did purchase Millie and assured me that a good outcome was not in my favor. Now, understand, I am a firm believer in putting our precious pets out of misery and not letting them suffer, when Millie looked at me, I knew she was begging me to save her life.

So it began, thousands of dollars in vet bills, bottles and bottles of pills, ointments,many sleepless nights and iv's, we even discovered that Little Millie had an infestation of a feline lung larvae! Yes, you heard correctly, a FELINE lung larvae! My dedicated vet was truly unsure of how to treat this as she had never come across this before. She decided to treat it as she would in a cat and see what happens. Millie at this point had a horrible cough, almost like an asthma attack, only able to walk for about 5 minutes, eating a special diet from the vet ($7.00 a can and one can a day!) I kept her in my arms constantly and spoon fed her while giving her fluids with an eye dropper.

I told Millie that she was the bravest little puppy I had ever come across and after a few weeks of this, my heart was breaking at the thought of losing her. So much for my rational thought earlier! I knew that I would just love her better! Day by day, she started to get a bit stronger,, the pills started to decrease, the ointments and tests were almost done. I pursued legally a lawsuit with the owner of the puppy mill, however, I was advised that he did not do anything legally wrong as he did offer to take my baby girl back and refund my money. Yeah right!

I am happy to say that today, my Princess Millie is alive and doing o.k., she does have that constant cough, she has a horrible skin condition which requires constant meds, she has chronic ear infections but she has more love in her little heart that most people I know. She does believe she is part human now, she sits up on her behind to watch TV, she will whine if she is not getting any attention, she shares my pillow with me at night as long as she is under the covers! I love her to pieces and I thank God for her every day. Also, the individual that I mentioned earlier, he was arrested 2 weeks ago for animal neglect and all of his animals have now been turned over to animal control so that they can get ready for adoption to their forever homes!

Millie has taught me that sometimes it does pay to listen to your heart, I am so glad I did! I hope you enjoy my story, see below for a picture of , my Princess Millie!

This story was sent in by: DLM designsbysandy. Sandy has a studio on Artfire and is a member of our Crafting For Animals Guild/CFA-Guild.

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We love hearing about the rescues of many types of animals and each of us has our own pet or pets stories we'd like to share with our readers. You can even tell us a story of a family member's pet or rescue experience. We just want to keep these our personal experiences & within our families, a member of our guild or even an animal lover who follows our blog, I would love to post your pet and/or animal rescue story.
For more information, please visit our Members' Only Page at: https://sites.google.com/site/crafting4animals/cfaactivities/get-your-pet-story-published