(www.meowbarkblog.com) — Hat tip to Kim Woodbridge for finding this hilarious video, with a great song to boot.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — I received the message below from friend and colleague Beth J. Bates, who’s raising money to help families keep their pets in their homes. (Read more about how the recession is affecting pets in my post about 46 homeless cats and animal food banks.)

It’s that time of year again! Time to have some fun and help homeless dogs! GoodDogz.org is hosting the 2009 “Tails on Trails” dog walk as part of the Reston Pet Fiesta on May 2, 2009. This dog walk is our primary fundraiser of the year and this year we need your help more than ever. With pet surrenders at an all-time high and giving at an all-time low, GoodDogz.org is doing what we can to help bridge the gap by working with families to help keep dogs in homes and finding placement when it’s just not possible.

Our fundraising goal for this year is $10,000. This money will help us:

- Develop new resources for dog adopters
- Support the efforts of rescue groups through online resources and individual assistance
- Create online educational programs for kids
- Continue to help rescues find homes for dogs in need

Every donation, no matter how small, helps us do what we do.

Please help me reach my goal by making a secure donation at https://www.firstgiving.com/bethbates.

My personal goal is $1,500 – pretty aggressive but I think I can do it with your help! Here are all the ways you can support us:

- Make a donation to my campaign at https://www.firstgiving.com/bethbates
- Set-up your own pledge page and start collecting donations from folks who want to help at http://www.firstgiving.com/GoodDogz
- Participate in the dog walk – http://tinyurl.com/dzct2x
- Be a dog walk sponsor – http://www.petfiesta.org/dogwalk.html

Here is the event information:
Reston Pet Fiesta “Tails on Trails” Dog Walk
May 2nd, 2009 | 10AM
Reston Town Center, Reston, VA
Click here to register for the dog walk!
Click here to get a page and start collecting pledges!

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — This story is so unbelievably sweet it made my teeth ache and my eyes fill with tears. Evidently four puppies were orphaned in Amman when their mother was killed in an accident. Momma cat Smaigel, owned by Mohammad Al-Hamoury, has adopted the puppies as her own. The pictures are amazing.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — Humans aren’t the only victims of the tanking US economy. Sherry and Tim Sterner of Caroline County, Virginia, are in foreclosure and need to find new homes for their 46 rescued cats now that they’re moving to a rental property in nearby Spotsylvania County.

Read more about the kitties, the couple, and the situation at Fredericksburg.com.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — You know we’re getting a trampoline after watching these hilarious animals!

And one more with embedding disabled: Cat vs. Dog on Trampoline

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — Thanks to my good friend Kim Woodbridge for showing me this hilarious video of a cat being played with by a passel of adorable puppies. I’m impressed with Fluffy’s self-control, I have to admit.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — I’ve been putting off this post because I didn’t know how to write it. Julius is gone. He was missing for about a week when we took fliers to all the neighbors, searching for any news of his whereabouts. Julius had always been an adventurer, but when it got to be four, then five, then six days with no sign of him, we got worried.

On Sunday, a neighbor called and haltingly told us that she had seen a cat matching Julius’ description dead on the interstate just over the fence between our subdivision and the highway. It had been there for about a week, the same amount of time he’d been missing.

We took a very quiet, very tense ride one exit south before turning around and heading north again. Two miles before our exit, we slowed and pulled to the shoulder with our hazards flashing. About half a mile later, we saw the remains the neighbor had described, now largely unrecognizable.

Too small to be a dog. Too big to be squirrel. The right color to be Julius. Less than 1,000 feet from the property line of our closest neighbor to the highway.

It’s been almost two weeks since he disappeared now. It had to be him. We’re both devastated. I know you’re not supposed to have favorites, but he was definitely our favorite cat. Orange cats are the best, and he was the best of the best.

We miss him. It’s like a hunger I can’t satisfy, knowing he’s gone. I can’t find anything to fill the hole. Julius is the first pet that was mine I’ve lost since my cat Whispy died of feline leukemia when I was like 10. When my mom’s dog, Rocky, died, it sucked, but it wasn’t like this. I don’t know how to mourn a pet. I don’t want to have to learn.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — Today, I found a YouTube video featuring Charley, a cat suffering from cerebellar hypoplasia. But the thing is, Charley isn’t suffering at all! He may fall down a lot, but otherwise he’s a perfectly normal cat with some balance and motor control issues.

Cerebellar hypoplasia is a disorder found in cats and dogs in which the cerebellum is not completely mature at birth.

Usually symptoms of cerebellar hypoplasia can be seen immediately at birth in cats, but sometimes can take two months or so to become apparent in dogs. Cerebellar hypoplasia causes jerky movements, tremors and generally uncoordinated motion. The animal often falls down and has trouble walking. Tremors increase when the animal is excited and subside when at ease. (source)

The neat thing about cerebellar hypoplasia is that the animal typically isn’t in any pain and doesn’t require any special care (though if you have a large dog with the disorder, for instance, it might make sense to pad pointy objects just to be safe).

Meet Charley, and learn more about cerebellar hypoplasia:

Contents Copyright © 2008 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — I got this today from my contact at 9Lives, and it looks pretty fun.

Cat Lovers: Capture Those Cat Moments and Make Your Cat a Star!

Does your curious cat keep you laughing with his crazy antics? Or maybe your cuddly kitty melts your heart with every purr. If so then grab your video camera and head to 9Lives.com because your cat could be a star!

Morris the cat, 9Lives spokescat, is calling on cat parents across the U.S. to capture those moments that illustrate the important bond between you and your cat. Upload your favorite videos to 9Lives.com for a chance to win a spot in a 9Lives commercial airing on CBS Television Network.

Morris the cat, 9Lives spokescat, is no stranger to the bright lights and silver screen, and he wants to share the red carpet with your fascinating feline.

9Lives and CBS Television Network have come together to further enrich the lives of both pet and owner by promoting healthy pet care and is giving cat lovers across the country the opportunity upload home videos to make your cat a star!

9Lives made the partnership official on the set of “The Price Is Right,” where Morris rubbed paws with The Price Is Right models, and hammed it up on stage with host, Drew Carey. Responsible pet care has long been a driving message for 9Lives and “The Price is Right,” and both are committed to “making lives better” of pet and parent.

Visit www.9lives.com for contest details and upload instructions. Submit your video today, and make your cat a star!

My cats tend to run away when i come near them with the camera, but it still might be worth a shot. Let me know if you enter your kitty in the competition!

Contents © Copyright 2008 by Kristen King

Tags: meow bark blog, pet blog, cat, tv, 9lives, 9 lives, morris the cat, contest, drew carey, the price is right, kristen king

I can’t even get Ty to sit without beating him over the head with a ham sandwich. How did they teach this cat to do all this stuff?