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Caturday: Who’s Crate Is It Anyway?

Several months ago I took a dog travel crate out of the attic to take Noel to the vet. I like to use the dog crates, even though I have smaller cat crates for each of the cats (in case we ever have to evacuate), just to give them room. Anyway, the minute I got home with Noel from the vet, Jolie, who loves crates, was not happy that a cat was using her crate and she decided that this crate should stay in the living room all the time so she can keep an eye on it. So it has.

However, when Jolie was getting ready to go in the crate the other day she found a surprise. Mini Cooper, the cat dog, had taken it for her own. Slowly, Jolie backed up and went to sleep on the cat bed.

Yes, now the cat sleeps in the dog crate and the dog sleeps in the cat bed (sort of).

I cannot imagine a life without cats!

Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
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Posted by on February 3, 2024 in Cats

 

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Monday Mischief: Weather Whiplash

Bearnard here – I can tell you that I am not used to snow days. Actually, I don’t think I ever saw the white stuff before. Being Littles, the snow is right up to our bellies. And worse than the snow on the ground was the Arctic freeze. Mom would not let us outside without our sweaters on because it was -9 degrees with the wind chill and she was afraid that we would become pupsicles. The snow was wet and stuck to Jolie’s hair in clumps. Lucky me, my fur is thick and resilient.

What a week of snow and ice it was, but then it changed to 75 degrees and foggy. I am happy that we were able to go for long walks in the grass again, even though there were still some snow banks left over from the days before. Now everything is wet and muddy (including our bellies), but puddles are fun for me. Sadly, Jolie hates the rain and the puddles because of her burned paws, but she does it.

Mom says this weather reminds her of some science fiction books where planets have such varying temperatures between night and day that the humans have to be prepared to freeze when the sun(s) go down and roast when the sun(s) rise. I do hope we don’t get to that point. Was it too cold to play outside by you, too? – Your friend, BearBear

What kind of mischief did you get into today?

V took that great picture of the bluebird and the squirrel tail by the feeder. Those critters sure did eat a lot during the storm days. 

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
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Posted by on January 29, 2024 in Dogs

 

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DogDaz Zoo: An Icon is Gone

Unexpectedly, on Thursday, January 11, Noel, the Christmas cat, the Queen of the DogDaz_Cats2 zoo, left this earth and passed over the rainbow bridge, to the big cat tree in the sky.

Not that you can say the passing of an almost 17-year-old cat (3/17/2007) is unexpected, but we really thought she was going to be our 20+ feline. It seems that she just started to go downhill healthwise since the summer and she developed diabetes and kidney issues (dropping 4 lbs in the last month). The poor sweet thing was just so unhappy and needed to be at peace.

Noel came to us on death’s door all those many years ago (Christmas 2007), with feline herpes. She was maybe 9 months old and we rescued her with another cat, Constance Kitty, who left us back in 2012. Click here to read Noel’s Story 

She started out as this shy little white thing who didn’t know how to play but over her many years, and the many animals, she became the boss; the blogger; and the Queen. If you search Noel on the sidebar you will find years and years of stories and pictures. She saw us through 3 growing children and many many rescues.

Noel & Jolie 2023

Sleep my precious angel and know that you added so much love and happiness to our zoo.

Noel and Mr. Nine 2020

Noel & Muffy 2010

Noel In Charge 2013

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
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Posted by on January 16, 2024 in Animals

 

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Wonderful Wednesday: Now On To 2024

Noel, the Christmas Cat, here. I know you heard some stories about the stupid dogs during the holidays, but no matter what I put in their path (chocolate, garbage, and other dog-killing things) they seem indestructible.

I, on the other hand, had a wonderful holiday and Mom has started to give me some extra yummy wet food (I am not supposed to know that there is medication hidden in it). V calls me ‘Poodle Paw’ because the fur on my leg, where the IV was when I had my teeth cleaned, is finally growing back in, but really slowly. Since Mom realized that Jolie was sneaking onto the kitchen table and stealing my food, which has been solved, I get my full servings – though I always cry for more.

I hope that you got everything you wanted for the holidays. Even though I can’t get rid of those darn dogs, I will continue to remind them who is Queen.

Have an awesome start to 2024!

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
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Posted by on January 3, 2024 in Dogs

 

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Wonderful Wednesday: Could have been dead by Christmas

The holiday was great but it almost wasn’t. You see I did a bunch of stuff that I shouldn’t have and scared Mom half to death; I could have killed myself.

Last Wednesday before the holiday, V was making candy and stuff for the holidays and had to stop because it was time to go get a haircut. When no one was looking I managed to steal a block of Baker’s Chocolate. Yes, that deadly stuff that could kill dogs, especially little ones. Mom was out at the gym and when she got home (about 30 minutes after V left), I had already eaten about 2 ounces of it and pooped on the floor. She wasn’t sure if Bearnard ate it too because he had his nose in it also.

She quickly tried to figure out how much I had eaten and went online to the Dog Chocolate Poison Toxicity Calculator. It was semi-sweet baker’s chocolate so I was somewhere between possible seizures and death.

Of course, Mom was freaking out.

Lucky for me, however, I did not only steal the chocolate, I also got up on the kitchen table and knocked over my canister of dog kibble. (More about getting on the table later.) Mom thinks that all the dog food helped me not get “as sick,” from the deadly chocolate because it may have absorbed some of the poison.

Chocolate has things called Theobromine and Caffeine in it. These chemicals create Methylaxanthines which are harmless to humans but can be deadly dangerous to us pets. Animals metabolize food in a different way than humans.

I wasn’t done yet, however. Even though Mom had holiday presents hidden in her office for months, now that I had the smell of yummy deadly chocolate on my mind, I went into a cardboard bag, in a plastic bag, in a cardboard box of presents in her office, and I ate 4 milk chocolate balls a few hours later. Mom didn’t even realize that I had that great a nose. I had not bothered any of her gifts that she had been hiding, so it didn’t even enter her mind that I would rip open a closed package. I went downstairs and pooped in the same place Mom had just shampooed from my earlier exploit. Wasn’t that nice of me?

At this point, Mom figured she should contact the vet, but it was already 8 PM and they were closed, so she called emergency to ask if she should do something called ‘induce vomiting,’ which sounds terrible. The nice lady on the phone said to watch me closely, and she could use hydrogen peroxide if she wanted to, but that was up to her. So she didn’t thankfully, because I was acting mostly myself, except I needed to go potty every 30 minutes. Bearnard was fine. I don’t let him get much food if I can help it. He doesn’t care and I want everything I can eat.

I woke Mom every 2 hours during the night for 3 days to go outside. At least it was not raining or snowing but it was dark and cold.

I need to tell you about the kitchen table. Since Noel is so old, she can’t jump up on the counter and eat in her herb window anymore, so Mom has been feeding her on the kitchen table. She can get up there by jumping on a cabinet in the living room and then going through the dining room to kitchen pass-through window. Well, it did not take me long to figure that out. So I have been stealing her food when Mom wasn’t looking and Mom thought that Noel had finished her dinner. Mom caught on to my antics when she saw me up on the kitchen table one day, so she stopped feeding Noel there if she wasn’t watching. Mom thought she had me fooled.

However, I got up there the day that I ate the chocolate and I knocked down my food canister, which was supposed to be secure Mom said, and helped myself to 1/2 a bag of dog kibble. So then Mom moved the cabinet in the dining room from under the window so that I could not follow Noel and get on the table. My access was gone (or so she thought).

But wait! Mom put a box of Christmas presents under the window so that she could wrap them on the dining room table. It was a low box, so she figured it was safe. Oh, did I tell you Mom loves to bake (LoriansKitchen.com). She had made this awesome gluten and dairy-free chocolate walnut strudel with amazing little leaves and acorns on it. Yep, you got it. I am really smart. Mom was cooling her treat on the kitchen table and I managed to help myself to all her beautiful handy work. (Before and after pictures below)

My Mom really doesn’t understand that I have the most incredible nose and can jump like a cat and get everywhere, especially when it comes to food. Now she thinks she has removed every way for me to get on the table except the cat tree, which is how Noel is getting up to the kitchen (she path below).

I think I will try that next.

My gift to Mom this year was to survive the holidays. What did you give your Mom? – Jolie Olie, the best nose in the business.

May your New Year be merry and bright!

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
6 Comments

Posted by on December 27, 2023 in Dogs

 

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Wonderful Wednesday: It Is Almost Time

We are waiting and hoping that our stockings will be filled with wonderful treats and toys. Mom said that if we are extra good and behave ourselves the next few weeks there may be a special holiday dinner in our future. We are thinking sweet potatoes and turkey, maybe even green beans (we love those).

It’s almost time!

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
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Posted by on December 13, 2023 in Dogs

 

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Wonderful Wednesday: Hanukkahs Past

Noel 2020

Charles, Louise, and Sofie 2017

Nine and Mini Cooper 2017

Stella and Noel 2015

Sofie 2014

Over the years the animals have enjoyed many holiday celebrations. This year, they will light the lights of the menorah to celebrate Hanukkah once again. Here are pictures of some wonderful holiday moments from years gone by.

By the way, there is no wrong way to spell, Hanukkah. You may have seen the holiday spelled like Hanukkah, Hannuka, or Chanukah… the list goes on. The most common version is probably Hanukkah, but all of the spellings are actually accurate. Because there is no correct way to directly translate the Hebrew sounds to English, it could be spelled in a variety of different ways, each equally correct.

Eat some doughnuts or latkes and enjoy the festival of lights for 8 nights.

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
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Posted by on December 6, 2023 in Dogs

 

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Wonderful Wednesday: Thankful Beg-a-thon

Mom says I am the Queen of Begging. Especially when there is really really really good-smelling stuff to beg for.

Can you find me trying to sneak onto the table? (pic by K8 – thx)

My Aunt B asked Mom why every picture of us looked like we were asking for food? That’s because we always are.

We hope you got all the turkey and fixings of your dreams. Now Mom is getting ready for the next holiday cook – potato latkes!

Did you know that Mom has a food blog? lorianskitchen.com  You can find many of her gluten-free, dairy-free, and occasionally vegan recipes there (Peanut was vegan for 6 years but now is Pescatarian). Why doesn’t Mom have her dog food recipes there? We want to know!

– Jolie Olie the Queen of Begging (don’t tell Noel because she is the Queen of Everything).

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2023 in Dogs

 

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DogDaz Zoo: Turkey Time

Mom wasn’t ready to put the gorilla away, so he became a pilgrim for Thanksgiving. Wishing everyone a wonderful turkey time. This time of year is when we need to really think about those things that we are thankful for and let the people we care about know that we care about them.

We are thankful for all of you! 

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
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Posted by on November 17, 2023 in Animals

 

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Wonderful Wednesday: Wherever I Am, There’s Always 2…

Two helpers in my office

Do you know that poem by A.A.Milne: “Wherever I am, there’s always Pooh, There’s always Pooh and Me. Whatever I do, he wants to do, “Where are you going today?” Says Pooh: “Well, that’s very odd ‘cos I was too.”?

Three amigos on the couch

Well, such is my life at the DogDaz Zoo and if it isn’t two, it’s three or four. They all want to do, whatever I do.

As Pooh says, “It isn’t much fun for One, but Two,” and here we add just a few.

Two sleeping dog on the recliner

“Us Two” – A.A. Milne

Wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,

There’s always Pooh and Me.

Whatever I do, he wants to do,

“Where are you going today?” says Pooh:

“Well, that’s very odd ‘cos I was too.

Let’s go together,” says Pooh, says he.

“Let’s go together,” says Pooh.

“What’s twice eleven?” I said to Pooh.

(“Twice what?” said Pooh to Me.)

“I think it ought to be twenty-two.”

“Just what I think myself,” said Pooh.

“It wasn’t an easy sum to do, But that’s what it is,” said Pooh, said he.

“That’s what it is,” said Pooh.

“Let’s look for dragons,” I said to Pooh.

“Yes, let’s,” said Pooh to Me.

We crossed the river and found a few-

“Yes, those are dragons all right,” said Pooh.

“As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.

That’s what they are,” said Pooh, said he.

“That’s what they are,” said Pooh.

“Let’s frighten the dragons,” I said to Pooh.

“That’s right,” said Pooh to Me.

“I’m not afraid,” I said to Pooh,

And I held his paw and I shouted “Shoo!

Silly old dragons!”- and off they flew.

“I wasn’t afraid,” said Pooh, said he,

“I’m never afraid with you.”

So wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,

There’s always Pooh and Me.

“What would I do?” I said to Pooh,

“If it wasn’t for you,” and Pooh said: “True,

It isn’t much fun for One, but Two,

Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. “That’s how it is,” says Pooh.

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
4 Comments

Posted by on November 8, 2023 in Dogs

 

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