The two holdouts are Michela Alioto-Pier and Sean Elsbernd.  Their reasoning?  Alioto-Pier thinks the board has better things to do.  Elsbernd is claiming that it’s a matter of choice.

Cat Faeries has called both supervisors offices.   The clerk at the office of Alioto-Pier was rude and hostile.  Elsbernd has not responded to email, snail mail or phone messages.

Even if these two Supervisors remain stuck in their clueless thinking, the 9 compassionate supervisors who are pledged to vote in favor of the ban are what it will take to pass the bill!

The vote is next week (the week of November 9th).   Cat Faeries blog readers will be among the first to know!

More good news.   Berkeley and Los Angeles are also considering banning declawing!  Hats off to West Hollywood for being the first and the inspiration for other cities to follow!

It performs and behaves exactly like the orginal Anti Icky Poo, which we still carry of course because a lot of people love the spicey scent.

For those of us who do not like fragrance of any kind Unscented Anti Icky Poo get the stench of cat urine out of your home without any added aromas.

Believe us when we say that NOTHING works like Anti Icky Poo get rid of cat urine.  Dog urine is a piece of cake to get rid of, but the chemical makeup of cat urine makes removing it tough.

We continue to test other products which say they remove cat urine.  We tested one which we were hopeful about earlier in the year but ultimately it disappointed us and we opted to stick with Anti Icky Poo.

At present Unscented Anti Icky Poo is only avaiable in quarts.  We are told that the pints will be ready sometime in November 2009.

Buy it now at:     http://www.catfaeries.com/cleanup.html

We love our cats, but the peeing thing is horrible, time to reclaim  your home!

http://premiumedgepetfood.com/announcements

Diamond Pet Foods has withdrawn from distribution the following date codes of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat: RAF0501A22X 18lb., RAF0501A2X 6 lb., RAH0501A22X 18 lb., RAH0501A2X 6lb. The calls from pet owners or veterinarians regarding this issue have been centered in the Rochester, NY area. All retail outlets shipped the above lots were contacted, asking them to pull the product from the store shelves. The retailers were also asked to contact their customers via email or telephone requesting them to check the date code of the food. However, if you or anyone you know has these date codes of Premium Edge cat food, please return them to your retailer.

Symptoms displayed by an affected cat will be neurological in nature. Any cats fed these date codes that display these symptoms should be immediately taken to a veterinarian.

Product testing proved no contaminants were discovered in the cat food; however the cat foods were deficient in thiamine. Diamond tracked the vitamin premix lot number that was utilized in these particular cat foods and have performed testing on another lot of Premium Edge cat food that used the same vitamin premix, and it was not deficient in thiamine. No other neurological signs have been reported on any other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods.

At present only one city in the US has successfully banned the procedure which declaws cats.   Several years ago West Hollywood banned the cruel, painful, and unncessary amputation of a cat’s joints.

Santa Monica is “considering” a ban.   What’s up with the good people of this country?  Nearly every European nation has banned this horrible operation!   Why are we lagging behind?

Tragically, the San Francisco SPCA is no longer the cutting edge shelter it once was when it lead the way for the No Kill movement under the guidance of Richard Avanzino.  Under the direction of controversial Jan McHugh Smith they are refusing to support the ban!     Heck, with her at the helm, they are not even a No Kill shelter any longer!

People just do not realize that de-clawing a cat can cause the cat to be in life long pain.  De-clawed cats can be more prone to biting.  A cat without claws is defenseless.  De-clawed cats are often more inclined to not use their litter boxes.

Martha Stewart once had an episode of her TV show inside one of her homes.  The camera went to one of her sofas to reveal that the arms of the sofa had been shredded by her cats.  Martha chuckled and said something like “when you live with cats, you live with this.”  Now really folks, if Martha Stewart can live with a few shreds so can we mere mortals!

But what if you can’t live with a shredded sofa arm?  Trim the cat’s nails!  It’s beyond easy once you get the hang of it.  Your veterinarian or a vet tech can show you how.  In a matter of minutes you’ll be as good at it as they are.

You can purchase professional cat nail clippers or use the straight edge toe clippers you probably already own!   Trim your cat’s nails every 10-14 days and everyone is happy!

San Francisco is where Cat Faeries lives and works.  We are actively getting petitions signed, and we will make a formal statement before the Board of Supervisors.  And we will keep you posted about the ban.  Please see if you can be a pioneer  and get de-clawing banned in your community!

Are you a San Francisco resident who wants a petition?  Email us and we’ll send you one as an attachment.  We need it mailed back to our PO Box by October 15, 2009.  Not a resident?  Send us a letter and we’ll include it with the petitions?   Cat Faeries, PO Box 31885, San Francisco, CA 94131.

You’ll be seeing spots very soon, and they are all over our catnip mice and catnip carrots! Whimsical dots and spots on pastel colored fabric, coupled with our legendary catnip, artfully sewn up in two of our most popular cat-pleasing shapes await your cat’s playful paws.

Go to our Legendary Cat Toys page and order what you want ~ a grab bag of 1 toy, or a set of 4, 10, or 20 toys.  Make note in the Comments on the shopping cart that you want dotted mice or carrots or a mix of both.  If your cat is dotty for dots, our latest catnip toys will hit the spot.

Did the state kill my cat?

Fire-retardant chemicals required by California in furniture may be poisoning us.
By Arlene Blum PhD

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-blum17-2008oct17,0,819903.story

From the Los Angeles Times Opinion  October 17, 2008

My beloved cat, Midnight, died a few days ago — possibly because of toxic chemicals in my furniture. In two years with hyperthyroid disease, Midnight went from a plump 14 pounds to a skeletal five. A year ago, a veterinary epidemiologist found that Midnight’s blood contained among the highest levels of  toxic PBDEs documented in animal research. That’s when I learned that the chemicals in my cat came from my couch. And that my furniture is uniquely toxic because I live in California.

Since the 1980s, fire-retardant chemicals such as PBDEs have been added to furniture to meet a California-only requirement that the foam inside resist a 12-second exposure to an open flame. The chemicals evaporate from the foam, settle in dust and coat walls with a thin film. Cats that groom themselves and toddlers who crawl in dust show especially high levels of PBDEs, but everyone with this chemically treated furniture gets some exposure.

In dozens of animal studies, these fire retardants also have been shown to harm reproduction and scramble brain development. Studies are underway to determine if PBDEs are contributing to increases in autism, hyperactivity, birth defects, infertility, diabetes and obesity in people.

On average, dust in California homes contains 10 times the PBDEs found in dust from other states and 200 times the amount in houses in Europe, according to a new study from the Silent Spring Institute. Worse, Californians have twice the level of this fire retardant in their blood as do people in other states. A recent research report by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group showed that American toddlers have, on average, a level of fire retardant in their bodies that is three times higher than that found in their mothers.

Every evening for the last year, I put a needle into Midnight’s scruff to give her fluids to keep her alive. As I watched the slow drip of the liquid, I wondered whether the PBDEs in my cat caused her disease. The fire retardant is known to cause thyroid problems in rats, mice, kestrels and frogs. The EPA suspected a link after its 2007 study of cats found substantially higher levels of PBDEs in the ones with hyperthyroidism. In 1980, when PBDEs were first added to furniture, hyperthyroid disease in cats hardly existed, according to my veterinarian. Now it is an epidemic in California.

Were Midnight and my family safer from fires because of the toxic chemicals in our couch? Probably not. Furniture fabric in California is not required to be fire resistant. In a fire, fabric burns long enough to ignite even treated foam.

Happily, the death rate from house fires has gone down considerably in California since 1980. But it’s dropped a similar amount or more in states that don’t require retardants in their furniture. A decrease in smoking, more smoke detectors and better enforcement of fire safety standards are credited with this large decrease in fire deaths.

San Francisco Democratic Assemblyman Mark Leno’s AB 706, a bill that sought to remove toxic fire retardants from California furniture and maintain fire safety, was just voted down by the state Senate. Manufacturers of fire retardants — Chemtura Corp., Albemarle Corp. and Israel Chemicals Ltd. — spent millions on lobbying to stop it.

Instead, more Californians may soon be sleeping in a cocoon of chemicals. Technical Bulletin 604, a proposed state regulation requiring comforters, mattress pads and pillows to resist an open flame, is expected to be enacted soon by the California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation. Yet the state has not asked for any information on the health or environmental effects of the chemicals likely to be used.

As I stroked Midnight before she died, I thought about the canary in the coal mine warning of lethal gases. Perhaps the story of Midnight’s death can help protect us all from unneeded toxic fire retardants in our homes.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has the authority and responsibility to protect our health. He should instruct the bureau to stop California from being the only state requiring flame-retardant bed coverings, pillows and furniture. It’s too late for Midnight, but hopefully our governor will withstand chemical industry pressure and act to protect our cats and our children from unneeded toxic chemicals in our homes.

Arlene Blum PhD is executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute and a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley’s Department of Chemistry

Arlene Blum, PhD
arlene@arleneblum.com
Telephone: 510 644-3164  Mobile: 510 919-6363
Executive Director, Green Science Policy Institute
Web: www.greensciencepolicy.org, www.arleneblum.com
Arlene Blum
Phone:  510 644-3164
Fax: 510 644-2164
Cell: 510 919-6363
E-Mail:  arlene@arleneblum.com
Web site: www.arleneblum.com

Certainly there are days, or cycles, where its darned hard to rise above our own sorrows, worries, grief, anger, and fears. But if we work at it every day, little by little, we can all master the art of letting the feelings of happiness flow through our bodies, hearts, and minds. We’ve got to. For ourselves. Our loved ones. For the survival of our species and planet.

And right now with the financial pickle we’re in its imperative to remain calm, sane, and rational. Its absolutely mind blowing how every time we are out in the world in The Cat Faerie Mobile (a blue 2006 Prius) driving the speed limit that some miserable being in a ridiculously huge truck or SUV hits the accelerator to whip around us in a blaze of screeching tires and false machismo. We chuckle “well, there went $4 in gas.”

Be seriously, slow down. Conserve resources both outer (gas, electricity, your worldly goods, and so on). Conserve inner resources. Its the inner resources of steady nerves, a sharp thinking mind, the benefits of 8 hours sleep, the benefits of drinking several quarts of alkalized water every day, eating only healthful and vital food that serve us. Especially in these seriously difficult times.

Because we want to be a part of solution soon we will be sending out a newsletter with our latest promo. We are still working on the details but it was involve another of our famous “gift with purchase.” The gift will be A Ball of Twine . . . calming music for your cat. Guess what? Yes, it’s going to calm your cat, and it will calm YOU too!

Staying calm allows you to think clearly and to make logical, prudent, and compassionate decisions for every aspect of your life.

Thank you Cheryl W. for giving us the inspiration for this blog posting. Yes, staying calm and happy is definately a choice. Just like it’s a choice to barrel through life with rage, anger, hatred, fear, and with a soggy mind that’s making very foolish decisions. Happiness is your birthright – cultivate it and feel it, and spread it around.

The cats who live at Cat Faeries are known as “the little old ladies” and we’d say that what Dr Benfatto is telling us is very true. Sadly, Betty (age 17.5) and Tasha (age 17 or 18) have both completely lost their hearing in the past year.

Their deafness has been very upsetting to us. They never get to hear us tell them how beautiful they are, how much we love them, all those little sweet sayings which we lavish upon them, are no longer heard. Spookie at age 20 still hears most pitches and tones, but she’s hearing less and less as time goes on. Torti at 14 still hears it all, in particular, the dinner bell!

The sense that never seems to go away, and in fact can get stronger and more sensitive, is the sense of smell. Because the Feliway pheromone works with a cat’s sense of smell to send the message “I don’t pee here” we know that the calming message that it sends is more important than ever to an aging cat.

Feliway is known to have a calming effect on most cats which is partly why it’s so successful for getting cats to stop peeing on naughty surfaces. So, even if your cats are purrfect litter box users you will want the scent of Feliway in your home simply for it’s calming benefits for cats of all ages, in particular older cats with hearing loss or who are deaf.

Place a Comfort Zone with Feliway diffuser in the rooms where geriatric cats spend their time snoozing. The smell of Feliway will be very assuring to a cat who can’t hear well. Or use the spray form and apply it to cat beds and perches. The smell of Feliway will provide pleasure to your cats.

Its been scientifically proven that calm beings live longer and healthier lives. And for our aging kitties, that means fewer vet bills and stress put on the human family members.

More wonderful reasons why Cat Faeries loves Feliway! Spread the joy with Feliway!

“My calico LOVES her corn cob and has destroyed her last two. Nothing else (carrot, pepper, strawberry) gets her going like the corn cob. Something about the shape, I think. Juno (the calico) would greatly appreciate it if you could ship her 4 more right away!”

We shipped immediately! Juno is a very happy girl! See the video of Juno playing with her new corn cob on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmcYIkK6M-k

But who will help you with your daily obligations, like feeding the cats and scooping litter boxes when you can barely get out of bed? Who will help you get the medication for yourself from the drug store, or supplements from the health food store? Who will cook for you? Who will do those little things or errands while you are sick or recovering?

If there are no family members close by or you can’t ask or trust neighbors you need a “personal assistant” or a “personal concierge.”

In the past few years people who are burnt out on soul sucking corporate America have gotten creative about making an income, and they have become personal assistants who you can call upon when you need help.

Generally they charge by the hour. These resourceful folks will do the stuff you are not able to do.

Even if your not sick, but you are super swamped and crazy busy, they can pitch in and run errands, tend to your animals, keep food in the fridge, and so much more.

Before you get sick, or before you need to leave for a trip, start looking for professional cat sitters or/and professional personal assistants. Find out their rates. Find out what they are willing to do, as well as what they are not willing to do. You’ll find a person who’s just right for you and your needs.

Do the research now so that the next time you are sick in bed and cannot tend to your cats or yourself, help is just a phone call away.