NORWEGIAN FOREST CAT NO MORE

Artie and I have decided that we can no longer call the Norwegian Forest Cat by that appellation. He (at least we think he's a he) is adorable and oh so friendly. He sits on our front porch patiently waiting for us to bring dinner every evening.

Lately, he's been spending a good part of the day sleeping on our wicker love seat. He's surprisingly affectionate for an outside cat, talking to us, rubbing against our legs and enjoying it when we pet him. I love it when he runs up to me talking away or tries to follow me down the block.

He really doesn't look like a Norwegian Forest Cat. I see some Maine Coon in him and probably some Norwegian Forest Cat with Calico markings on his muzzle. Anyway, he has a beautifully surreal face. When I look at him I see the beast from Jean Cocteau's film Beauty and the Beast. I want to call him Beast or Marais after the actor Jean Marais who played the beast. We tossed around Cutie but abandoned it and we've been calling him Baby but it gets a bit confusing for Annie since I sometimes call her Baby too.

Lately I've been putting his plate of food in our front hall. He's been very reticent about entering the hall until finally the desire for food overrode caution. Yesterday I managed to shut the door without him knowing. It was interesting to see a peculiar look steal over his face when he realized he was in a quiet contained place.

He looked around; realizing the door was closed he leaned up and looked out the glass front door panel. He started to howl so I opened the door and he scooted out on the porch where he finished his meal. I want to bring him inside to protect him from a hard life outdoors. We're both determined to take care of him and give him the life he deserves.

MILITARY DOGS AND PTSD

OK, canine military having to deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a topic that never crossed my mind but it stands to reason. Animals have feelings and emotions so why wouldn't they be affected by their military experiences like their human comrades-in-arms?

A short MSN article alerted me to this issue (http://now.msn.com/dogs-are-returning-home-from-war-with-ptsd) and the online New York Times printed and in-depth article addressing the same issue (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/us/more-military-dogs-show-signs-of-combat-stress.html?hp).

Rather than rehash the information here, read the links to understand this emerging canine condition. Curiously, I've known about PTSD in dogs for decades. More than 20 years ago, my dog Buster suffered from this condition. In his case, it was triggered by my Dad's hospitalization for emergency ulcer surgery.

In closing I will mention an item from each article:

• Canine PTSD will most likely lead to a better understanding of  Human PTSD.
• Management of the condition will be key since dogs never forget.

GET ACTIVE!

With all the stress of holiday time upon us, we need to remember how important it is to exercise. The kitty in the video stays limber by playing ping pong. A great way to keep trim, rev up the old brain cells, wind down from the stress of the holidays, limber up the body, you get the idea.

Enjoy the holidays and don't forget to relax between the craziness. Take a cue from this furry cutie.
http://now.msn.com/cat-plays-pingpong-against-owner-in-viral-video 

OUR THANKSGIVING DAY

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with family.

Annie had to stay home. We thought it best since her two feline cousins would not be appreciative of Annie's overenthusiastic response to seeing them. On the other hand, Annie's single mindedness would not be appreciated by her human relatives - pet parents included.

The arrival of the turkey 'doggie bag' smoothed over any hurt feelings as Annie received a doggie-sized share of turkey breast and crispy skin (a small piece because I know she loves it and can tolerate it).

Anyway, our cousins are pet parents to two beautiful cats named Lucky and Athena. Lucky has always been fine with us. She mixes with us, enjoys a few pets and sometimes even sits with us or seeks out our company.

Athena generally disappears when we're around preferring to hide in the master bedroom or scoot down the basement. However, this Thanksgiving we were surprised that our presence didn't bother her all that much. In fact, Athena ignored us and spent a good part of the day curled up on the couch. She is a beautiful, medium grey, long-haired cat with a bushy tail.

Unfortunately, Artie couldn't get a good picture of her since she made sure to hide her face while napping. He had better luck with Lucky!

I see you with that damned camera!  Snap away, this Thanksgiving you're not getting the chair.