May 31, 2008Avoiding problems at the dog parkHere's a video from petside.com about making the most of your trip to the dog park, useful information if you go to Six Wags, or to the new public park when it opens. If I can add one thing not metioned in the video: Don't stand around chatting with other pet parents. I mean, chat all you like, but keep moving at a leisurely pace. A crowd of stationary people will tend to make dogs territorial, cause tempers to flare and otherwise spoil the fun for the pooches. Besides, you need the exercise, too. Right? May 30, 2008SWoCo kids help St. FrancisHere's a link to the blog on the SWoCo Web site and a great story about kids raising money for St. Francis Service Dogs. SWoCo, by the way, is short for SouthWest Roanoke County. If you live there, check out the Web site for useful information on what's going on in your neighborhood. And if you live anywhere else in the Roanoke Valley, click here to find news on your community. Take Diane homeI will let this kitty tell you her story in her own words that she purred to an Angel: 
"Hi I'm Diane and I’m so glad to be inside. I was living at a trailer park and had never been spayed. I was surely headed for a life of more and more litters when my (pet) mom asked a volunteer to help her. I'm very loving and tolerant of everyone, and have also been around dogs. Please come visit me at the Angels of Assisi Adoption Center any weekday from 2 to 6 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Can't wait to see you!" Diane is estimated to be about 7 years old. She is a tortoise shell-colored cat (I prefer to call this color butterscotch fudge, personally.) This exotic beauty is described as very friendly and should be an indoor kitty. Angels of Assisi is located at 415 Campbell Avenue in downtown Roanoke. May 29, 2008You dirty dogsI have visited Six Wags Dog Park in Salem several times and have always had a wonderful time there with my two hounds, but I had yet to try their doggy bath tubs. The Dirty Dog Clean Dog Wash can be used by anyone, not just dog park members. 
It was in the back of my mind to try it soon, since we are moving from the spring mud season to the summer dirt season and since Coral has discovered the joys of "gardening" under the steps of our deck and is turning our tan carpet a nice shade of terra cotta. Yesterday, I got an e-mail from a co-worker who gave the self-wash stall a try and she loved it. She wrote: "My boyfriend and I have a long-haired Aussie/Chow mix who loves to get filthy and we were paying $30 or more just to get him washed. At Dirty Dog Clean Dog... it's $15 for a wash, or $10 on Tuesdays, or $25 for five washes. Everything is provided - wash bin, shampoos, conditioner, blow dryer, etc. We saved money and had a blast doing it!" According to the Web site, Dirty Dog Clean Dog is offering a bathing, brushing and blow drying class for pet parents of long- and curly-haired dogs, although it does say short-hairs are welcome as well. The class is June 21 at 3 p.m. and costs $50. That could be a real bargain if you save future grooming fees, which for our two short-haired hounds is $30 each. Have any of you tried the self-wash tubs at Six Wags or any other park? Spill the beans on your experience with do-it-yourself doggie baths. (Photo from Six Wags Dog Park Web site) More Storm picsI could not resist. Here are two more pics of our new puppy. 
And I should clarify this point: He is a pit bull terrier, also known as an American Staffordshire terrier, also known as Petey, the dog in the "Little Rascals" series and the pup in the ads for the Buster Brown company. What is it with me and dogs that are also corporate icons? Anyway, the name pit bull has such a negative connotation, and you deal with people like the commenter on this blog who described them as "furry alligators" and the circular thinkers at PETA who believe all my dogs should be destroyed to "save" them from stupid people who make them race or fight. 
The only fighting we plan for Storm to do is with stereotypes, and maybe stuffed toys. May 28, 2008Woofstock this weekendGet your groove on at Woofstock this weekend. The event is scheduled for Saturday, rain date is Sunday. The fun starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m. in downtown Roanoke's Elmwood Park. Storm on the horizonAh, that sweet puppy breath will get you every time. After much thought and planning, we have decided to add a third canine to our clan. 
Meet Storm, a puppy we are adopting from the Roanoke Valley SPCA. We are pretty sure he is an American Staffordshire terrier, dark gray and white with beautiful blue eyes. (He is the color of a storm cloud, hence the name.) We met this little guy at the dog wash fundraiser for the Roanoke Dog Park. His foster mommy brought Storm out for the day, where he proceeded to steal every heart at the event including mine and my husband's. We brought him home last night to meet the other pets in our family, and it went much better than I had even hoped. He played with both of our greyhounds, and he tried to make his tiny legs to keep up with Coral as she did hot laps around our backyard. Dexter is grumpy old man at the young age of five and growled at the baby a few times, but otherwise they got along okay. Storm saw Thai, our cat, but paid him no attention. The pup ran into the velvet paw of India, my daughter's cat, this morning. He yipped and ran away. That's as good as it gets for puppy/kitty meetings. I had to take him back to the SPCA today for his "little boy surgery", his vaccinations and microchip. If all goes well today, I can take him home tomorrow. We have now officially reached the limit for dogs in a single family residence in Roanoke County, so this little guy will be the last one we add to our family for a long while. I admit being a little apprehensive, since it was more than 25 years since I last helped raise a puppy. But hey, life is an adventure and I don't buy expensive shoes anymore, so here we go. Stay tuned for updates on life with our new puppy. May 26, 2008My hounds are stars!
Every other month, I get BarK, a national dog magazine, in the mail. And the first thing I do is open to a regular feature titled "Smiling Dogs," a two-page layout of dogs who are grinning for the camera. Well, in the May-June issue of BarK, in the bottom right hand corner of page 27, there are my babies! I submitted the photo in February and got an e-mail in April alerting me that my dogs with their cheesy grins had been chosen for the next issue. I will get a complimentary renewal of my subscription, my pooches will get national recognition for their sweet smiles. What a deal! The issue hits newsstands last week. If you enjoy reading about dogs, and since you are here I guess you do, then you will like this magazine. I read it cover to cover, and would even if I didn't write this blog. If you have a great picture of your pup showing off his or her pearly whites, e-mail it to smiling@bark.com. And e-mail it to me at pets@roanoke.com. If I can collect enough pictures, the newspaper may run a photo story of happy pooches during the dog days of summer. May 23, 2008Take Cora home
Cora, a corgi mix, arrived at League for Animal Protection from the Regional Center for Animal Control in January. She is a happy dog with floppy ears and a tail that sticks straight up when she runs. She also has no problem meeting strangers; she will gladly come right up and introduce herself. Cora's ready to go to her new home, with all vaccines up to date, heartworm checked, spayed and microchipped. Visit Cora and all her friends at the LAP, 603 Poor Farm Road, in Fincastle. May 22, 2008Angels will clear your fields
If you have 10 or more acres in Roanoke or Botetourt Counties in need of cutting, Angels volunteers will neatly cut and bale your field for free as a tax-deductible hay donation to the animals at the Sanctuary Farm. A combination of last summer's drought-like weather and the skyrocketing prices of hay, grain and corn have left the non-profit farm in need of food and funds. Harmony Farm Sanctuary is home to over 200 cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and one donkey. They also took in 50 bunnies rescued from a Botetourt farm in March. If you or someone you know would like to donate, contact Steve George, the farm manager, at 312-2360 or e-mail at harmony@angelsofassisi.org. May 21, 2008Leader dog training in Blacksburg
Katherine Baker of Blacksburg recently brought home a yellow Labrador puppy. Baker has named the puppy Jackson. She will teach Jackson house manners, basic obedience and expose him to the world. And sometime after the first 12 to 15 months of Jackson’s life, Baker will give the puppy back. Baker is a puppy raiser for Leader Dogs for the Blind, a group based in Rochester, Mich., that trains and places leader dogs with blind people like Eddie Walker of Roanoke. “We would not be able to provide Leader Dogs at all if it weren’t for volunteer puppy raisers. Right now we have about 400 puppies in 22 states and Canada growing up learning about the world around them. The exposure that the puppy raisers provide is an intricate part of the dog’s extensive training needed to become a leader dog,” Beverly Blanchard, puppy program development manager for Leader Dogs is quoted in a news release. May 20, 2008Might as well jump
Did you see the story about Jumper, the little kitten in Radford that's down to eight lives already in his young life? Drivers called animal control in Montgomery County last Thursday afternoon about a kitten who was wandering on a heavily traveled bridge. As he was about to be apprehended by an animal control officer, the tiny orange tabby decided he wasn't going to taken alive and dived off the US 11 bridge onto a tennis court 80 feet below. Dubbed Jumper by the staff at West End Animal Clinic, the little guy suffered only a couple of scratches from his steep leap. Jumper should be released to the Montgomery County Animal Shelter later this week for adoption. After we read about Jumper's big day, my husband jokingly suggested that the New River Valley shelter should stock up on homeless orange tabby kittens, call them all Jumper, and they will all get adopted immediately. Okay, a little unethical, but any idea that gets more homeless kitties a home is a good one to me. Good luck, Jumper. Keep your four paws on the ground, please. Photo by Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times Travel tips for pets on the goAh, vacation time approaches. My hubs and I are bound for Colorado this week so we can attend our niece’s high school graduation and visit with family. Alas, the pets will have to stay home. But they will have our summer class-bound daughter, their favorite pet sitter also known as The Cookie Lady, to watch them at our home, so no need for a kennel on this trip. And the whole family, me, hubs, daughter, and dogs, will all have a nice vacation later this summer, so it's all good. If you are planning to tote your terrier on a trip this summer, here are a few tips from the ASPCA to make your travel safer and more enjoyable. May 19, 2008Good clean funHow do you raise thousands of dollars to build a dog park in this town? One sudsy pooch at a time, that's how. 
Saturday's fundraiser for the Roanoke Dog Park had a line of pooches waiting to lather-rinse-repeat under sunny skies in the lawn in front of Fire Station 8 on the city's south side. Dogs played, dogs frolicked, dogs got a gentle scrubbing, and pet parents got to chat with each and enjoy a nice afternoon out with their pets, just the sort of activity envisioned for a public dog park. Volunteer Lauren Ellerman said there was a steady flow of customers that kept volunteers busy washing, walking and photographing dogs, with all proceeds intended to add a fence and other amenities for an off-leash area in a city park. My husband and I strolled over from the fire station to Fork in the Alley, our first visit to that charming bistro, to have lunch. Fifteen percent of our tab, as well as all sales over the weekend, will be donated to the dog park cause. Smudge makes a friendGeorgia Chapman of Bedford sent this photo of her kitty.  Georgia writes "Our indoor cat, Smudge, gazes longingly at her outdoor neighborhood friend." Ah, a closed door is the sworn enemy of every cat. I am sure both kitties wish they were on the other side. Until they get there. Then they want to be on the other side, and so on. It's one of the things you have to love about a cat: They want it all, right now. Send in your pix of your little sweeties to pets@roanoke.com. May 17, 2008Doggie dietsOkay, it's a little cheesy (no pun intended) but this video from Petside.com has some good information about pet obesity. May 16, 2008Breeder guilty of neglect and crueltyBy Donna Alvis-Banks/ The Roanoke Times A Carroll County business owner who was the target of a puppy mill sting by animal rights advocates was found guilty today of animal cruelty and neglect charges in a Hillsville courtroom. Junior Horton won't serve any jail time and plans to appeal the convictions. Horton, who operated Horton's Pups in Hillsville where more than 1,000 dogs were discovered in November by local authorities acting on a tip from the Virginia Partnership for Animal Welfare and Support, had been charged with 14 counts of animal cruelty, 25 counts of animal neglect and one count of failing to obtain a license tax for 125 unlicensed adult dogs. Horton had kennel licenses for 500 dogs. Many of his stock were very young puppies that were not yet licensed. The charges were brought after veterinarians examined dogs taken from Horton's Pups on Nov. 2. At that time, Horton agreed to surrender a large number of animals to authorities. More than 700 dogs were released in what the Humane Society of the United States called the largest dog rescue operation in the country. Most of the animals were taken to various shelters and private homes for care while awaiting adoption. Veterinarians working with the animal welfare advocates filed reports to the office of Carroll County Commonwealth's Attorney Gregory Goad. The charges accused Horton of depriving dogs of necessary food, drink, shelter or emergency veterinary treatment, and of failing to adequately house, feed, water, exercise or care for animals in his possession. Dry dog food linked to Salmonella outbreakI found this link on another pet-related blog. Here is the report from Rueters. NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Contaminated dry dog food was the source of an outbreak of Salmonella infections affecting people in 19 states, public health officials report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This investigation, the first one to identify dry dog food as the source of human Salmonella infections, demonstrates that dry pet food may be contaminated with Salmonella and be an under-recognized source of human infections, especially in young children, the investigators say. Continue reading "Dry dog food linked to Salmonella outbreak" » Dog gives blind man new persepctiveBy JoAnne Poindexter/ The Roanoke Times
 Eddie Walker is no stranger in his Northwest Roanoke neighborhood. Sixteen years ago, the legally blind veteran was collecting flags for an Avenue of Flags on his street. He then donated the flags to his neighbors who purchased a $35 pole to display them. Walker, 78, recently completed a 26-day, live-in training program at Leader Dogs for the Blind Foundation in Rochester, Mich., before bringing Usher, a black lab, home earlier this month. Take Jessie home
Jessie is a young female border collie mix available for adoption at the League for Animal Protection. She is very intelligent and trainable, gets along well with other dogs and has a good disposition. She's been spayed, microchipped and is current on all vaccines. Her adoption fee, as well as any of the other dogs at LAP, is $90. LAP is a non-profit no-kill shelter housing cats and dogs that have been abandoned or abused. The adoption process from LAP includes completing a detailed questionnaire, vet check and home visit. May 15, 2008Dogs vs. Cats: Can't we all just get along?
Then there are those of us who have integrated households of humans, hounds and kitties. We identify ourselves as a petting zoo, but I digress. According to a study by Ball State University (alma mater of David Letterman and my sweet husband), most pet parents see themselves as either a dog person or a cat person based on the perceived personality characteristics of canines (friendly and submissive) and felines (independent and dominant). But don’t be fooled by stereotypes, BSU researchers warn. “There are friendly cats who want to be around their guardians all the time and dogs that don’t crave constant attention,” professor and personality researcher Lucinda Woodward is quoted in the news release. The study, based on surveys and interviews with 266 college-age pet parents, found that the fit between the personality of the individual animal and the individual human, rather than the pet type, is the best indicator of companion attachment. Continue reading "Dogs vs. Cats: Can't we all just get along?" » May 14, 2008Wine and wagsFor vino fans, here is a paw-friendly wine tasting. Pack a picnic and your pooch for a tour of the Lexington Valley Vineyard on the first Friday of each month, beginning June 6 and running through October. Snack baskets are available for purchase if your don't want to bring your own lunch; the wine tasting, of course, is for two leggers only. The vineyard will provide water and biscuits for the pooches. Admission is free and the tasting begins at 4 p.m. Lexington Valley Vineyard is located at 80 Norton Way, Rockbridge Baths. Call 462-2974 or go to www.lexingtonvalleyvineyard.com for more information. May 13, 2008Top 10 myths about catsI got this list in a press release from Petlane. The italics comments are from me. 
1) Fat cats are not more prone to getting diabetes. 2) Cats cannot be trained to scratch on appropriate scratching surfaces. 3) Physical punishment is a good way to teach a cat to behave. May 12, 2008Dine and wash and build a fenceThe next fundraiser for the Roanoke Dog Park is a weekend-long event. 
Fork in the Alley restaurant will donate 15 percent of all food and beverage sales this weekend, from Friday night through Sunday night, to the cause. There will also be a dog wash at the South Roanoke Fire Station across the street from the restaurant from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For a $10 donation to the dog park, your pooch will be made squeaky clean. And for those of us who are indecisive, you can have your food and wash your dog, too. For an additional $10 donation, a dog walker will parade your freshly-washed pooch around the neighborhood for an hour while you enjoy lunch at the Fork. According to the press release from NewVaConnects, the professional group in charge of raising the funds for the dog park, almost $7,000 has been donated since the campaign was launched on March 11 to build the fence and add other amenities to the off-leash area at Fishburn Park. The goal is to raise $30,000 by June 30. Fork in the Alley is located at 2123 Crystal Spring Avenue in Roanoke. The fire station is across the street at 2328 Crystal Springs Avenue. Donations for the dog park can also be made at its Web site. Downtown dogsI enjoyed reporting the story about living downtown with dogs that appeared in The Roanoke Times Extra section on Saturday. 
I actually had more sources than I could fit coherently into 30 plus inches of newsprint, which in journalism is a pretty nice problem to have. Every downtown dweller I chatted with about pooches, including Robert Natt who is seen here with his dog Scofield, referred me to at least one other person who could comment about the lifestyle of the urban pet family. But I think that's probably true of most neighborhoods: the families with dogs get to know each other. We know Rosie, the Lhasa apso across the street, Bitsy the Austrailan shepherd two doors down, her next door neighbor Bailey, a Maltese, and of course Pepper and Biscuit, the two Scottish terriers who live next door to us and race our greyhounds along our shared fence. And we are acquainted with all the families of these pooches that our hounds count as their playmates and friends. Dog people know each other. Do you find that your dog helps you get to know the families of other dogs you meet in the park or on walks in your neighborhoods? Aren't pooches the ultimate conversation starters for the humans at the other end of the leashes? In an time when it seems we all feel so disconnected with our communities, dogs are a great way to get people together. All aboard Buddy
Hurley Ward of Roanoke sent this snapshot of her horse Buddy and three passengers: Elizabeth (front), Emily (back) and Yuppie, the beagle in the middle. Hurley writes that trainer George Morris says "my horses are spoiled and lady broke, but that I do a lovely job in their education." Great picture, Hurley. Send you photos to pets@roanoke.com if you do the e-mail thing. If you prefer snail mail like Hurley, mail them to 201 West Campbell Ave., Roanoke VA 24011, attention Nona Nelson. If you want the print returned, please let me know. May 9, 2008Ringo settles in to a new homeI got this picture and e-mail earlier this week from the family that adopted Ringo, one of the dogs we shuttled in the save-a-pooch transport last weekend: 
"Thank you to all my transport friends for getting Ringo safely to our home. I cannot tell you how thrilled with are with this little boy. We had lost our beloved shepherd mix, Mojo to bone cancer a month ago (we also have 2 saints, I help with a local saint rescue). He was my husband best buddy. Ringo has taken some of that pain away already, (my husband is calling him Daddy's boy!) He has gotten used to his "big" St. Bernard sisters...lol, had a snooze and a meal. He started to play with a toy my daughter got him too. We will be bathing him in the morning, then it is onto a lifetime of freedom and love! Lori Happy endings feel so good. Take Max homeI have to admit that I am almost hesitant to blog about this particular dog. His name is Max and he is one incredibly sweet pooch; I hesitate to let the world know he's available because I would love to take him home with me. 
Max is a stout boy. One of the volunteers at the League of Animal Protection where Max lives joked that he is part chocolate Lab, "part hippopotamus." He's not overweight; he's just has a burly build. I spent a morning last month at LAP, and found myself drawn to Max, who always came up to the fence to sniff my hand in a "Hello, nice to meet you" manner. Max's bio on the LAP Web site reads: "Max came into the shelter on January 21, 2006. Max is housebroken, sweet and calm. He is a super nice dog and is fine with other dogs and children, too. Max is two years old. Max obeys well and is very intelligent. " So he has spent his whole life in a shelter. And he's still a great dog. If you know someone who wants to add a happy, calm dog to their home, please send them to Max at the League of Animal Protection, 603 Poor Farm Road, in Fincastle. Hurry, before I try to convince my husband he followed me home. May 8, 2008Pooches on paradeThe Pooch Parade for the Franklin County Humane Society is this Saturday at the Franklin County Family YMCA Fitness Trail in Rocky Mount. Registration starts at 9 a.m.; the walk begins at 10 a.m. and prizes will be awarded at 11 a.m. Enjoy a Saturday morning walk with your dog and help raise money for the animals at the Humane Society at the same time. Walkers may pick up sponsor sheets at the Humane Society’s Planned Pethood Clinic. There will also be an agility demonstration by Jim and Cindy Rose of Agile Paws Dog Training and Reiki demonstrations by Diane Novak. Information may also be found online at www.plannedpethoodrockymount.com or call (540)489-3491. All proceeds from the Pooch Parade will benefit the Franklin County Humane Society. Driver kills dog, then sues ownersA Minnesota man is suing the family of a dog that he struck and killed with his 1997 Honda Civic for damage to his vehicle. Jeffery Ely was driving near Cloquet, Minn., the night of Jan. 4 when he struck Fester, a 13-pound miniature pinscher. Fester was killed instantly. Ely is attempting to recover $1,100 from Nikki Munthe, Fester's owner, for damage to his car, lost wages from time spent having the car repaired, and of course, court costs. According to a Fox News report, Nikki Munthe said she was letting her other dog into her house when Fester bolted through the open door. She was unable to stop him before he ran into the path of Ely's car. "We would have never let him off-leash because we're so terrified of this road," she is quoted. That does not matter to Ely, who is quoted saying he has compassion for the Munthe family, but they are responsible for their dog and thus, the damage to his property. The Munthe family has filed a countersuit seeking $2,400 for the loss of Fester, the cost of replacing their pet, and for wages they have lost due to court appearances. As much as we would all like to think we can control our pets and keep them safe, there are times when an animal acts out of its own instincts and does something random, like bolt into a street. While I don't think you can really blame a driver for not being able to avoid a pet running in the path of a car, it seems beyond vindictive to try to make the grieving family of the pet pay for the damage to the car. That's not my idea of compassion. What do you think? Is this something you could see yourself doing? May 7, 2008Driving under the influence...of something furryAssemblyman Bill Maze of Visalia, Calif., would like to limit distractions for drivers in his state. Maze's perception of a highway hazard: lap dogs. 
Motorists cited for driving while petting could face a $35 fine. Maze said he was prompted to draft the bill when he saw a woman with three dogs in her lap while she was driving. He insists the bill is a safety measure and not in response to celebrities like Paris Hilton, who has been photographed often with a pooch in her lap while she is behind the wheel. California law already mandates that animals must be secured in the back of an open bed pick up truck. Our hounds are far too big to climb in our laps, especially with a steering wheel in the way. I admit that, although I know it's a risky thing to do, we do not crate our dogs in the car. Our small SUV would not accommodate a crate large enough for both pooches, and they usually travel as a pair. They hang out on giant pillows in the back half of the vehicle. What do you do when you travel with your dog? Secure the pup in a car harness, carrier or crate, or just let him or her go au natural in the car? Do you find it distracting to have your dog near you while you drive? Give the golden gift to help petsA promotion from Ukrop's grocery store can help you help the Roanoke Valley SPCA. Ukrop's shoppers who used their UVC card between Feb. 4 and March 29 will find Golden Gift Certificates in the mail this week. These gift certificates can be donated to the RVSPCA or another local non-profit organization. The more certificates a non-profit collects, the bigger its share will be of the $400,000 Golden Gift from the Richmond-based grocery chain. The deadline to donate is June 14. May 6, 2008Another successful transportMy hubs and I went on another doggie railroad run this weekend. Sure, getting up before dawn on a Sunday is not appealing, but it feels so good to help dogs find new homes it more than makes up for the loss of sleep. 
This time our passengers were Pizarro, a basset hound, and Ringo, a shepherd mix. Who could say "no" to that face? The run, organized by Gina Austin of Brigthon, Tenn., originally had nine dogs, most rescued from high-kill shelters in the Memphis, Tenn./Bryant, Ark. areas, all headed to new homes organized by a rescue group in New Hampshire. By the time Friday rolled around, the run was down to three dogs, Pizarro, Ringo and a Lab named Leland. A problem prevented Leland's foster family from making it to the drop off area, so it was just the hound and the shepherd for this transport. The two pooches had never met before becoming traveling companions. By the time they arrived at their overnight in Salem, they were BFF. May 5, 2008Double duty this weekBear with me this week, readers. In addition to taking care of the Wag, I am minding the store over at "Idol Times," roanoke.com's "American Idol" blog, while its owner, Wendy Maxey is on vacation. And I blog in addition to my full time job. So, if click into "The Happy Wag" and see a posting about song choices and who got voted off, I must have had a Paula Abdul moment, will correct the error shortly, and return you to news and commentary about dogs and cats. 
If you are a fan of the show, wander over to "Idol Times" and join in the discussion. Just don't disparage Taylor Hicks. I am far too sensitive to be the target of the militant Soul Patrol. For the record, I like Hicks, who I understand has goldfish for pets. (Photo by Fox/AmericanIdol.com) Special Kitty
This week's photo comes from Ellen of Rural Retreat. You may remember Ellen's shot of Bella, the Lab who kindly allows kitties to nap on top of her while she catches a sunny snooze. About this photo, Ellen writes: "The cyber cat is named Special Kitty. My daughter rescued her from under our deck as a kitten. We had to give her breaths (b |
