Today is the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth President. Let’s learn more about his love for animals.
He loved cats and could play with them for hours. When asked if her husband had a hobby, Mary Todd Lincoln replied, “cats.” President Lincoln visited General Grant at City Point, Virginia in March of 1865. The civil war was drawing to a close and the enormous task of reuniting the country lay ahead, yet the President made time to care for three orphaned kittens. Abraham Lincoln noticed three stray kittens in the telegraph hut. Picking them up and placing them in his lap, he asked about their mother. When the President learned that the kittens’ mother was dead, he made sure the kittens would be fed and a good home found for them.
President Lincoln’s compassion extended to turkeys, too. Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation on October 3, 1863, setting aside the last Thursday of November, “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise.” A turkey was sent to the White House for Thanksgiving dinner in 1863, and Tad, Lincoln’s son, named him Tom. Tad befriended the turkey and pleaded with his father to grant “Tom” a stay of execution. Abraham Lincoln took time out from a cabinet meeting to issue “an order of reprieve,” sparing the turkey’s life.
Mr. Lincoln’s compassion extended to dogs, too. Fido was a mixed breed with floppy ears and a yellowish coat. When fireworks and cannons announced Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the Presidential election of 1860, poor Fido was terrified. The Lincolns were worried that the long train trip to Washington, D.C., combined with loud noises, would terrify Fido. John and Frank Roll, two neighborhood boys, promised to take good care of Fido. Mr. Lincoln made them promise to let Fido inside the house whenever he scratched at the front door, never scold Fido for entering the house with muddy paws, and feed him if he came to the dinner table. The Lincolns gave the Rolls their sofa so Fido would feel at home! Did you know “Fido” is Latin? Fido is from “Fidelitas,” which translates as “faithful.”
Nanny and Nanko were White House goats. Tad and Willie liked to hitch the goats to carts or kitchen chairs and have the goats pull them through the White House. Both Nanny and Nanko liked to chew things. Nanny got in trouble for chewing up the flowers at the Old Soldier’s Home. Nanko got in trouble for chewing the bulbs planted by White House Gardener, John Watt.
The Lincolns also had rabbits and cats. Mr. Lincoln named his horse Old Bob. Old Bob was the rider-less horse with a pair of boots turned backward in the stirrups in Abraham Lincoln’s funeral procession.
Internet photo of male and female Eastern Bluebirds
We are blessed to have Eastern Bluebirds spending a great deal of time in the yard this year. It is probably because V has discovered that they love mealworms and is mixing them into the feeders. We have waited years for Bluebirds. V even put a Bluebird house, perfectly positioned on the big maple out front, so that we can watch it when doing dishes. Last year a male came and checked it out but never moved it. I wonder if he will try it again this year?
Now that Noel can no longer get on the counter unless Mommy picks her up (which means that she can’t get into the herb window above the sink without assistance), Mini is deciding whether sunning in the herb window is her thing. I think the court is still out on that decision.
P.S. Noel still takes her meals in the herb window. She jumps on a low cabinet in the dining room, into the pass-through window from the dining room to the kitchen, then gets onto the kitchen table, and screams until she is picked up (see pic below) and placed on the kitchen counter so that she can get into her herb window. For those of you that think cats on the counters are disgusting; we wipe down all our counters/tables every day with antibacterial agents. If you can’t stand the idea of cats on your counters, then don’t allow it. Here at the zoo we protect ourselves and try to minimize the possibility of issues with clean sponges, antibacterial wipes, and healthy animals.
These Ground Hogs are such funny weather predicting creatures. They have names like woodchuck, land-beaver, and whistle-pig. Our regional prognosticator is named Punxsutawney Phil. Phil is known as the “Seer of Seers,” the “Prognosticator of Prognosticators” and the “Most Photographed Pennsylvanian.” People in Pennsylvania dress up in top hats and tails and have this whole big event each year to see if we are going to have an early spring or late winter. Leave it to a rodent to let us know.
Groundhog day actually designates the middle point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. There are 6 more weeks until the Vernal Equinox, which marks the beginning of spring. No matter what Phil says – SPRING IS COMING!!!!! Make way for crocus and daffodils.
Do you have a snuffle? They are mats that are perfect for hiding treats in so we have to work at finding them.
Jolie is absolutely obsessed with nose work; Charles, not so much.
Snuffling is a brain game. This is like dog scent hide-and-seek. Since dogs have millions (or more) scent receptors than we do, this is a great way to activate that part of their brain. According to The Dog People at Rover.com, the scent-processing part of a dog’s brain is about 40 times larger than in humans, making it about 1/8th of a dog’s total brain space.
Snuffle mats have a lot of benefits:
Slow down a fast eater
Encourage reluctant eaters
Help anxious or bored dogs burn energy and distract them
Help with cognitive decline/dementia
Do you want to learn more about using a snuffle mat? Check out this info from RUFFLE SNUFFLE, they say they are the original.
DogDaz Zoo 