I can’t believe that it has already been a year since Sofie left us (1 year today). There is never a day that her presence isn’t felt in my heart. She was such a unique spirit and not having her here, in the house, in the yard, continues to feel odd. I know that Charles missed her terribly after she passed as did I. They say that time heals all wounds and what is a year in the scheme of time, so I will just have to give it more. I miss you Sofie Bear but know that you are out of pain and stress and anxiety. I hope you and Louise and Nine are all there on the bridge waiting for me.
Puppy Sofie
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, animals, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, lorian lipton, nature, pet blog
What do cats see off in the distance? Is it dust dancing in the light? Is it paranormal mist? Why do cats stare at what appears to us to be nothing, but to them, clearly something?
(Photo credit: V)
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: animals, Cat, Cat People, cats, caturday, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pets
Dear Noel, My human tends to forget about keeping my kibble bowl filled to the brim at all times of the day the way I like it. She tends to give me a few kibbles here and there when she wants, not when I want. How do I get her to listen to my needs? – Please help – Frustrated in Philidelphia
Dear Frustrated, I get you! I have the same problem at my house. What I do is get in my human’s face and complain and complain until they have no alternative but to feed me again and again and again. I know that it is really hard to train them, but we must be consistent in our barrage of meows and destruction. Sooner or later they will learn. Best of luck. Noel, the Queen who knows all.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: animals, Cat, Cat People, cats, caturday, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pets
I sit in my recliner mostly these nights. Mini loves to sit on my lap. As a matter of fact, she requests a certain blanket on my lap so that she can be more comfortable.
Noel does not like to sit on anyone’s lap. However, she wants my attention. And, she wants all my attention on her. So she gets on the table next to the recliner and she paws at me constantly. She meows at me and then paws some more. She did once actually jump on my lap for a second to wake me up because I was not paying enough attention. But, it was only for a second. She did not stay.
Mini demands the lap. And this is why you cannot have more animals than you have hands. One for each.
Of course, there was that time when Jolie decided she also wanted my lap (usually she is on Louise’s bed on the floor sleeping or begging for food over by V).
Now that was interesting with 3 of them.
(Mini won, btw. Jolie left and Noel got confused so she ran down the hall to my office.)
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: animals, Cat, Cat People, cats, caturday, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pets
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.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, animals, Cat People, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pet blog, presidents day
Noel’s unrequested assistance on certain tasks in the office is starting to get out of hand.
And, the boss found her sleeping on the job, AGAIN!
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: animals, Cat, Cat People, cats, caturday, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pets
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.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: animals, Cat, Cat People, cats, caturday, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pets
Google images
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.
Just another DogDaz morning at the Zoo 
Tags: animal awareness, Animal welfare, animals, DogDaz, ground hog, land beaver, lorian lipton, whistle pig, woodchuck
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