OUR FIRST AUTUMN FRIDAY

It began as a dreary Friday morning filled with heavy and light bursts of rain. Somewhere after noontime the sun came out and it looked like we might catch a break from the depressing weather. Unfortunately, the optimism lasted only a couple of hours as the skies started to cloud over again lessening the sun and bringing back some of the dreariness.

According to the weathermen we're due for more rain all evening into the night and early morning. I decided to feed Silver Grey and her baby early since they were out taking advantage of the break from the rain. The baby is adorable - silver grey like Mom but with startling blue eyes, white paws, a white chest and a tip of white at the top of the tail.

Both sit and watch me from the other side of the fence as I change their water and put out their food. The baby is somewhat braver now, coming through the fence before I finish but then scooting back to Mom if I move unexpectedly.

Silver Grey will not come into the yard when I'm there. This is definitely a step back. When I first starting the feedings, her hunger overcame her fear and she would come very close to me as I put out the food. Since her baby was born she stays far away.

Today I did manage to get some great photos. The baby has grown and I need to make plans for TNR now!

Dinner!

I can't wait.

Can't you spoon that out faster?

Better do as Mom does.

Will  you leave so we can eat now?

Mom watches as baby eats.

A HARLEQUIN DAY

Well, it certainly has been busy around this house the last few weeks. I think summer wanted to go out in a burst of activity and it certainly has. I've been busy with Annie, my feral colony, cooking, cleaning, shopping and paper, paper and more paper! And don't get me started on emails. With business, personal and blog email addresses, boy do I get plenty of them!

  

In the animal kingdom, the word harlequin means varied in color or having a white coat with irregular patches of  black or some other dark color; a Harlequin Great Dane is a perfect example. But in the world of women the word Harlequin can only mean one thing. BOOKS! And that goes double for someone like me since I work in the publishing industry.

Imagine the shock to find I'd received an email from Harlequin asking 8 Paws and 2 Tails to participate in a blog book tour for a new non-fiction book. What an honor to have been invited and I'm totally delighted to have 8 Paws and 2 Tails included in the tour.

The Harlequin Official Blog Book Tour will stop by our blog Thursday, October 4th. The title of the book on tour is A Dog Named Boo: How one Dog and One Woman Rescued Each Other and the Lives They Transformed Along the Way. The author is certified professional dog trainer Lisa J. Edwards.

Stop by October 4th to learn Boo and Lisa's heartwarming story.

What?! A book tour? That's great, Mom, now let's play.

PET SEAT-BELT LAW

I'm sure this is going to invite quite a bit of controversy. New Jersey is considering putting a pet seat-belt law into place to prevent pet-caused car accidents. Is this a good idea? I know it is. It isn't prudent to ride with a dog or cat loose in your car. And driving with your pet in your lap? Definitely not a smart move. Loose animals become projectiles during accidents. The consequences of a small pet going under the driver's legs is too horrifying to contemplate.  

Annie has always ridden as the front seat passenger in our car with her doggy seat-belt holding her securely in place. Buddy had other issues. Riding in his cat carrier gave him car sickness. Poor old Buddy would vomit and be totally wiped out by the time we reached the vet (his only car trips). Dr. Young thought not having a clear view while the car was in motion was the contributing factor for his nausea. She was right. Buddy's nausea and vomiting ended once we devised and kept to this routine. 

I would sit in the back seat directly behind Annie with Buddy and his carry case next to me. We purchased and used a small dog harness on Buddy with a matching leash, bright blue the same color as his collar. This is New York after all and it just wouldn't do for Buds to go out without coordinated accessories. Annie's seat belt was black to match her black and gold collar-just what any New York woman would wear, basic black.  As soon as Artie was ready to start the car, I would place a towel on my lap and take Buddy out of his carry case. He would stand with his hind legs on my leg and his front paws on the window ledge and look out the window. Not only did this keep him entertained but it kept him from getting sick.

The best part of this setup? All the smiling faces and startled looks from other cars stopped next to us at red lights. Everyone thought it was great to see a dog in her seat belt and a cat in harness riding right behind her.

The point of all this is neither of our pets caused any accidents and all of us and our fellow 'road warriors' were safe because of it. If the law needs to be tweaked so be it but it definitely is one for the books.

Read a bit more about it:

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/blogs/autosblogpost.aspx?post=a82fed96-03aa-467e-8f84-45e5e99e2da7&icid=autos_3510

UPDATE TO THE HERO CAT POST

My friend Terri tells me Nino, the hero cat who was the subject of Wednesday's post, is still in foster care patiently awaiting his forever home.

It anyone is interested in adopting Nino, or another cat in need of a loving family, please contact City Critters at their email address, adoptions@citycritters.org.

If you have the room and the love to share, share it with a rescue. Rescue a life and the life you rescue will capture your heart.

Nino

(Photo from I Have Cat blog)