Category Archives: health benefits

advocacy, Animal Organizations, animal rescue, health benefits, love

Our True Nature is Love

I recently started volunteering again at a local animal rescue and shelter El Refugio Costa Ballena in Uvita de Osa, Costa Rica. This organization helps abandoned, homeless, and injured dogs and cats in the Costa Ballena region of southern Costa Rica. My specific volunteer duties are at the animal shelter for a 3 hour shift helping with the care of the cats and dogs. 

After my first volunteer shift, I had wobbly, tired legs (from walking and running dogs), dirty, sweaty clothes (and probably smelly too) from cleaning the dog kennels and playing with the animals, and a heart so full and an energy level so happy I thought I was going to burst! But, I thought to myself, “let’s see how the next shift goes,” as I attributed this happy state to my return to animal shelter work. After my next volunteer shift at the shelter, I again left with wobbly, tired legs, and probably even dirtier, sweatier, and smellier clothes (puppy dogs poop a lot! lol), but my heart felt even happier.

As a reflective and curious person, it gave me pause as to why I was having this enormous feeling of happy. Was it being around the animals again? Being part of a team that focuses on animal care? Or was it getting my 10,000 steps in before lunchtime (lol). Volunteering can make you healthier!

For some, being around cats and dogs that have been abandoned, neglected, abused, or never had a home to call their own, can be depressing and almost unbearable to think about. But, on the other hand, having the opportunity to help animals that are now rescued, safe, and no longer abused or neglected, is a reflection of hope and human goodness in a world where there is so much suffering. 

Stepping into the animal shelter, I could feel the oneness, the forgiveness, and the unconditional love from the animals – their true nature. It reminds me of my own, and all human beings’, true nature and our ability to BE this oneness and unconditional love. Just seeing the change in an animal from one week to another proves love’s effects. Where a dog had been abandoned by it’s family and ill from lack of medical care and wouldn’t even allow being touched by the shelter staff because of fear and pain, to one week later the same dog falls gently asleep by your side as you pet her. A true testament of an animal’s true nature of unconditional love from the gift of human kindness.

Of course, it’s not all sloppy puppy kisses and kitty cat cuddles in animal rescue . It doesn’t take much social media scrolling these days to see the latest headline where animals are on the receiving end of a human’s pain, of a human’s ignorance and suffering. You can tell alot about a human’s heart and a community by how they treat their animals. But there are many MORE good humans out there dedicating their lives to making the world better for animals and humans alike. And yes, there are many instances (more often than not) when animals come to an animal shelter or rescue group where they need time, medical care, and patience to heal from their injuries. But, amazingly, with the right care and attention, it doesn’t take long for the animals to heal (inside and out). 

Getting puppy dog kisses at El Refugio

Now this isn’t a plea for you to volunteer at an animal shelter or other volunteer organization, just a sharing of my recent personal experience. It’s not even a plea for you to choose to adopt a shelter or rescued animal rather than purchase one from a breeder, although I hope you do consider the former. But, if you do consider volunteering your time and talents to a local cause that touches your heart or choose to adopt rather than buy your next four-legged family member, you will have given the world a lot more happy to share. And when we as a society start focusing more on our oneness with each other, rather than our separateness (what makes us different) we will lessen the suffering in the world for all beings.  Using our voices, our actions – together, we are stronger!

Blessings❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤍

Alexis

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education, health benefits, Mindful Activities, Mindful Eating, Mindful Living, Mindful Meditation

Let me introduce myself to ME! – Part 3 of a three-part series.

Did you know that being mindful, specifically the practice of mindfulness meditation, can help you learn more about yourself? And, what better person to learn more about!

Sitting with our breath, our mind, for just a few minutes a day, can help shine a spotlight on our habitual responses, our self-talk. Sometimes our self-talk is reassuring and helpful, but other times it can be negative, cause turmoil, and lead us to make wrong choices or decisions. We can be our own worst enemy. But, when we take the time to learn more about ourselves, our thought patterns, we can become more accepting and compassionate towards ourselves and towards others.

In my three-part series on Mindful Living, I have discussed two ways of living mindfully – Mindful Eating and Mindful Wakeups. Today’s blog post is about mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is a seated meditation practice where you focus on your breath, your thoughts, your emotions, but let them pass without judgment. I have practiced and taught this form of meditation for many years. As someone who has dealt with anxiety and stress over the years, this form of meditation has helped me learn about my habitual thought patterns and as a result learn how to become more calm and more relaxed. In addition to potentially relieving stress and anxiety, mindfulness meditation can help improve sleep, improve health, and even improve brain function! The Harvard Gazette says “Doing mindfulness is like a fitness routine for your brain,” she said. “It keeps your brain healthy.”

Before I give a few suggestions on how you can start your very own mindfulness meditation practice, I first would like to tell you what mindfulness meditation is NOT:

  • It is NOT a religion.
  • It is NOT a relaxation exercise, rather it is a way of understanding (through practice) of how our mind behaves and how our mind and body work together as a whole.
  • It is NOT going into a trance.
  • It is NOT escaping from reality.
  • It is NOT for only monks.

Rather, Mindfulness Meditation is a study of ourselves and an exploration of our life experience. It reminds us of what we are supposed to be doing and who we are. It helps us truly live!

Let’s get started in Mindfulness Meditation:

  • Find a quiet place to sit without being disturbed.
  • Decide on a specific time for the meditation session. If you are a beginner to mindfulness meditation, I would suggest you start with 5 minutes. The Insight Timer is a great app you can download onto your phone. This app also has guided meditations!
  • Wear loose, comfortable clothing. A meditation cushion helps in both comfort and posture. Find a seated position that works best for you and your degree of flexibility. Sit up tall. Place your hands palm-up on your knees. Or, if you prefer, rest your hands (palms-up) in your lap, or another hand gesture you are comfortable with. Heathline.com gives some additional options on seated meditation positions.
  • Relax your shoulders. Tilt your head slightly forward so your gaze is naturally directed to the floor in front of you. 
  • Relax your jaw and mouth, with your teeth slightly apart. Do not clench your jaw. Your lips are slightly touching. Tip of tongue touching back of upper teeth, or rest behind your lower teeth.
  • Close your eyes: Breathe naturally. Sit for about one minute before you begin – allow your heart and breathing to slow.
  • Gently bring your attention to your breath and begin the meditation session: There is no particular goal. Just sit and breathe. Allow yourself to be absorbed in the practice.
  • Allow your thoughts and feelings to come and go without attachment: Don’t try to control your thoughts in any way. Don’t follow them. Just note them and return to your awareness of the breath.
  • How to handle distractions:  There are quite a few ways to handle distractions, and I will note a few here, but in time you will find techniques that work the best for you. Deep Breaths – take a few deep, quick breaths when you realize you have become distracted.  Counting – on your inhale count “one, one, one” until the lungs are full of air, then on your exhale count “two, two, two” until your lungs are out of air; continue this until you reach ten and repeat if needed.
  • Meditate in this way for 5 – 20 minutes (beginners for less time). It is more important and beneficial to meditate for 5 minutes each day, rather than an hour every two weeks. Daily practice is an essential element of effective meditation.

Are you ready to meet YOU? Are you ready to explore and learn more about your beautiful, divine self?

I hope this blog gives you the gentle nudge you need to try this profound meditation practice. Please contact me if you want to learn more about mindfulness meditation. As a practitioner and teacher of this mindful practice, I would love to help you along your mindful living exploration.

Blessings to you,

Alexis

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health benefits, Mindful Activities, Mindful Living

Daily Mindful Living – part 2 of a three-part series

When you think of mindfulness, do you visualize a person sitting on a rock with a picturesque background with sounds of water trickling nearby? While this is a nice visualization of one form of mindfulness, it is a tiny part of a huge world of mindful activities. Or maybe you think mindful living can only be done by a monk, or someone who practices buddhism or another form of spiritual practice? Everyone, no matter what spiritual practice, religion, or no religious affiliation at all, can (and should) practice mindful living. It is a way of life. A way of living consciously. Or in even simpler terms, a way of truly living.

To summarize from part 1 of my three-part series on mindful living Are you living mindfully? to live mindfully, is to live with intention, with conscious awareness, and the understanding that every action (or inaction) has a response, a consequence. Every activity in your day can be done mindfully. It is the simple act of being present and aware of what you are doing at that exact moment. The more you practice mindfulness, the easier it becomes, and the more benefits you will reap in your daily life.

Mindful.org lists five mindfulness practices for your daily life. I encourage you to check them out. Here is one that I highly recommend to start practicing today.

  1. Mindful Wakeup: Start with a Purpose. When we set an intention, our underlying motivation is aligned more with our actions and reactions throughout our day. Scientifically, “from the brain’s perspective, when we act in unintended ways, there’s a disconnect between the faster, unconscious impulses of the lower brain centers and the slower, conscious, wiser abilities of the higher centers like the pre-frontal cortex.” Therefore, when we set an intention we strengthen the connection between our higher and lower brain centers. In doing so, our actions, our responses, will be more mindful, more compassionate, and align more with our purpose and our core values. Sounds amazing, right? Here are steps to start with your intention every day.
    • On waking in the morning, take the time to breathe and notice how you feel.
    • Take three long, deep, breaths. Notice how the breath feels. Notice where your breath is settling in your body.
    • Ask yourself – “What is my intention today?” or “How might I help myself or others today?” “What do I want to improve on today?” (Mindful.org has many great prompts and suggestions for you.)
    • Set your intention for the day. Some examples, “Today I will take good care of myself.” “Today I will eat healthy.” “Today I will help others.”
    • Throughout the day, check on your intention. Take moments throughout the day to pause and breathe. Review your day and notice if you are following the intention you set for the day.

The more we practice living with intention, the more we will be truly living in the present moment. We will live less on autopilot (our fast brain) and more mindfully (with our slow brain). Let’s get our brain centers working together! There is so much beauty in this world. Let’s not miss it!!

Blessings,

Alexis

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education, health benefits, Mindful Activities, Mindful Living, Mindful Meditation, poetry

Your Mindfulness Breath

Your Mindfulness Breath

Sit still
think of nothing
only your breath 
coming in and going out

Do you hear it
the silence in your mind 
and the awakening in your heart

Do you feel it
the warmth in your body
the lifting of the life weight off your shoulders 
and the opening of your soul

Can you see it 
the lightness before you
the path to your true calling

Can you touch it
the beauty that lies before you
beckoning you to come closer

Will you allow it
this mindfulness
this path to true discovery

Will you accept it 
this beauty and love that surrounds you

It is always there for you 
waiting in your mindfulness breath

Sit still
think of nothing
only your breath
coming in and going out.
-Alexis Cress

Have you ever tried mindfulness meditation? As my 3 part Mindful Living series will demonstrate, you can practice mindfulness doing anything and everything (which I hope you do!).

The American Psychological Association describes mindfulness meditation as paying attention to what is happening in the present moment and then accepting what is happening without judgement. For example, when you are in a seated meditation focusing on your breath, and your mind starts to wander or a specific thought comes into your mind – no worries – just become aware of this without analyzing your thought or yourself, and come back to your breath. I will discuss more about mindfulness meditation in Part 2 of my Mindful Living series, as well as in upcoming blogs. It is one of my favorite meditation practices. Stay tuned!

Be mindful today, and experience your life in a whole new, glorious way!

Blessings,

Alexis

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education, health benefits, life lessons, Mindful Eating, Mindful Living

Are you living mindfully? Part 1 of a three-part series.

To answer this question, you may want another questioned answered first – “What does it mean to live mindfully?” There is a simple answer, but to live this way regularly is by no means simple! To live mindfully, is to live with intention, with conscious awareness, and the understanding that every action (or inaction) has a response, a consequence. I will soon delve deeper into 3 different areas of mindful living, but first I will share a brief summary of them all to hopefully peak your interest and help you learn mindful living benefits and ways to start living mindfully today! Today’s blog will be on Mindful Eating.

So, let’s get started by talking about Mindful Eating. Everyday Health describes mindful eating as “Mindful eating is a concept and a practice that’s centered around being present while making choices around the food that we eat”. Easy right? Not so fast. Many of us have grown up in a western society where time is money. Taking time to eat mindfully is often out of the question, especially during the week when our meals are around (or during) business meetings, catching up on the news, or talking with family.

Harvard School of Public Health lists “Seven Practices of Mindful Eating”. For this post, I will go over just a few of my favorites that I try to follow daily, but they are all so good!

  1. Honor your food. For example, when I take my first sip of coffee, I take some time to acknowledge all those that helped this yummy coffee find its way in my cup today (the human who planted the seed, the farmers who cared for and nurtured the plant, nature that watered and helped it grow, the people who harvested and packaged the beans, and any other beings that helped me come to enjoy this daily cup of my favorite joe). For my meals, I try to also practice this mindful process.
    • Now, you may find that you don’t know where the food came from or how it was prepared. This is where awareness and curiosity comes in. Depending on where you live and its climate, along with the choices available (or not available) for fresh produce or communication with the farmer on the process of the item you are consuming, this can be a challenging (but very important!) step in honoring the food you are choosing for your body (physically, mentally, and emotionally). I encourage you to take the time to ask the questions of your local farmer/rancher, your local supermarket, about the food you are purchasing with your hard earned money, and nourishing your body (and mind) with. For me personally, I find the more steps there are from the farmer to my table, the less likely I will want to consume this food or drink item.
  2. Engage your senses. Really see and taste the food. Before you take the first bite, look at your plate. Is it a rainbow of colors or just one or two colors of foods. More vibrant colors on your plate may make you smile and also give you more overall nutrients for your body. Take in a whiff. Does it smell good? Your senses affect your emotions, your mood, and more importantly relating to your food – your digestion. Also, chew slowly, which gives you the added benefit of not eating too much! Now, as you eat, notice how it makes you feel – its texture, its taste, both emotionally and physically. Are you eating nutritious foods for your body? Which leads to my final mindful eating suggestion for today.
  3. Consider the long-term effects of your food choices. This conscious awareness brings a unique connection to your food and drink choices and the rest of the world, your community, the environment. (I will go deeper into this mindful way of living when I talk about your super human power as purchaser and consumer in the market place.) Stay tuned!
    • For some, this step of mindful eating will be choosing only locally grown produce (farmers and growers in your community). This can be more challenging for those that are living in an environment where choices are limited because of climate and other farmer/grower-to-table options.
    • For others, this choice of mindful eating may be choosing an only plant-based diet; whether for making better choices for your long-term health benefits, or honoring the humane treatment of animals, or the long-term effects on the environment. This point is connected with “Honor the Food” above. If it is important to you, take the time to find out about the food source, where the food source came from, how the food was made, how the food was grown, and (if an animal source) how the animals were treated along the way.

Are you ready to practice mindful eating? (If you already practice mindful eating, I would love to hear more about your process, your tips. Please leave them in the comments.) For those of you who are ready to start this mindfulness practice but are feeling a little overwhelmed, I suggest you start with the first suggestion “Honor your food”. Take just one meal (or just one daily drink) and before you consume it, reflect on the many hands that helped this food come to your table. Breathe in a moment of gratitude. Just one moment of gratitude ignites calming energy within your body and also shares this amazing energy of gratitude to the world around you.

Your choices, as simple or as complex as they may be, will make a huge impact on your health, your life, and the world around you. Thank you for being mindful today!

And as they say in Costa Rica – ¡Buen provecho!

Blessings,

Alexis

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Before you adopt, cat facts, funny, health benefits, love, shelter information, Uncategorized

Life is better with a Cat – an ADULT CAT that is!

UNLESS, you want claws on your legs, claw marks on your arms, and four kitten legs crawling up your very expensive curtains! And, don’t forget about the dancing sessions kittens like to do at 3:00am in the morning on your bed! WOW-MEOW If you would prefer a feline with lots more manners and definitely more calm (and less paw prints on your ummm curtains), then an Adult Cat is what you crave.

There are so many PURRfect reasons to adopt an adult cat.

They’re not needy. Cats love their independence and privacy. You can leave them home for hours and not feel guilty about it. Kittens, on the other hand, do need a certain amount of socialization and human interaction. But, don’t confuse kitty neediness with cat kneading. Some cats will perform this quirky but common behavior. It is also called “making biscuits” where the kneading is a motion made by pushing in and out with their paws, alternating between right and left, with their claws retracted or extended. This is often accompanied with a contented purring sound, and if the paws have claws extended on your leg, maybe a human yowl will also accompany cat kneading (lol meow).

At the shelter, you will often see cats kneading each other. Here are cats Rolo and Gody.

What you see is what you get. Their personalities are pretty much set as an adult cat. When you visit them at the shelter at El Refugio Hogar Animal Costa Ballena (or your local animal shelter), you will see some cats who want to cuddle with humans right away. Other felines might actually prefer felines MORE than humans. You will also surely see felines that are very playful, while others will observe humans from a distance being more timid and reserved. But kittens are pretty much all the same. They are adorable, crazy, and funny toddlers at their kitten ages. Not until they are adults, will kittens show their true PURRsonalities.

Adult Cats are better with kids. Adult cats often have more patience and tolerance with kids (not all kids though!). Kittens, on the other paw, have less patience and tend to scratch and bite until they have learned good manners. But remember, even with adult cats it is always best to have an adult human supervising young kids with cats.

Magica will always play nice with your kids. She is available for adoption at El Refugio Costa Ballena.

Good cat karma will come to you! While every shelter cat and kitten deserve a loving home, often kittens are adopted first, leaving more and more adult cats left in the shelter. Knowing that you helped give a shelter cat a loving home and a second chance at life will definitely bring good karma into your life.

Life is definitely better with a Cat – an Adult Cat that is!

Cheers,

Norman

Why do cats always get their way? They are very purr-suasive!

Don’t forget to spay & neuter your cats & dogs.  There can be too much of a good thing!  There’s only so much catnip to go around. 

Cats and wildlife live longer when cats stay indoors. 

FELNE FAVORITE OF THE DAY

Mickey

Mickey at El Refugio Costa Ballena is the sweetest cat ever. He is a Tuxedo Cat, which are known for their gorgeous coats. He is friendly and happy. He is often seen near the water bowls at the shelter with one paw in the dish! He is going to make a family very happy with his unconditional love and purrsonality.

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Before you adopt, cat facts, health benefits, life lessons, Uncategorized

I am Proud to be called an Indoor Cat!

I am an Indoor cat. I am not ashamed. I am Proud to be called an Indoor Cat.

Us Cats do get a bad rap when it comes to outdoor living. We have a strong, natural prey instinct, that yes, includes prey! Prey really is anything that wiggles, or scurries, or flies. Did you know, loose cats are estimated to kill hundreds of millions of birds each year!

What are the benefits of being an OUTDOOR Cat? Well, the biggest benefit is probably that your feline will be more trim because he is often the one being HUNTED! Depending on where the cat calls home, there could be fox, coyotes, snakes, alligators, and even the neighbor’s dog hunting your cat! Oh boy, if this isn’t enough to bring your cat indoors…I don’t know what is.

What are the benefits of being an INDOOR Cat? There are sooo many! But the best reason is…

YOU will have many many more years with your feline friend. An Outdoor cat will (if she is lucky) live just 2 years – while an indoor cat could live over 17 years! Now, that is a lot of kitty kisses, purr healing magic, and cat snuggles. Just think, I am almost 3 years old. If I lived outside, I would probably be on my 2nd, 3rd, or maybe my last life! I would not even have met my human family yet (big double meow sigh).

Do I miss outdoor living? Not at all, I haven’t been there (ha ha). But, like all cats, us Indoor Cats need exercise, mental stimulation, and ways to be a “cat”. So, we need things like scratching posts, toys, perches to rest on, and other cats to play with. Even a friendly family dog will do (sometimes)! Plus, of course, we need our humans to interact with us on a daily basis. If you are thinking of bringing home a new feline family member, and an indoor one – thank you!, here are some tips to get your home (and your family) ready.

If you still insist on having an Outdoor Cat, please consider the following:

  1. Keep your feline updated on all necessary vaccinations (you will need lots more for an outdoor cat)
  2. Bring your feline indoors at night (every night!), and most importantly – consider keeping your cat indoors all of the time (hey, can’t blame a cat for trying).
  3. Also, when you adopt a cat from a shelter (thank you!), and plan to have your cat be an outdoor cat (although, I would love you to reconsider), please keep your cat Indoors Only for the first 3 months! A cat needs this amount of time to learn where “home” is. Unfortunately, I have heard recent stories of adopted cats from shelters sometimes getting lost and not finding their way back to their new home or even running back to the shelter (where they called home), because they just weren’t ready to be outside yet. Please give your new cat time to feel comfortable in your home. Some cats just take a little longer than others.

So my Feline Friends – Stand Tall and Be Proud to be called an Indoor Cat.

Cheers,

Norman

Cats and wildlife live longer when cats stay indoors. 

Don’t forget to spay & neuter your cats & dogs.  There can be too much of a good thing!  There’s only so much catnip to go around. 

FELNE FAVORITE OF THE DAY

Cadbury at El Refugio Costa Ballena

Cadbury

Hi, my name is CADBURY. My siblings and I were found at a bus stop when we were tiny kittens. Thankfully an El Refugio volunteer saw us and brought us to the shelter. 

I am now a young male cat.  If you like sweets, I’m your cat!  With my purrs, my eye kisses, and my paw tickles, you will be the happiest human ever. I love getting petted on my back too! Let’s make chocolate together!  I am waiting for you at El Refugio. xoxo Cadbury

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cat facts, funny, health benefits, life lessons, love, shelter information, success story, Uncategorized

How to talk Cat. I’ve got the secret catnip!

Have you ever wondered how to talk to your Cat? In my last blog “Whoever said Cats don’t speak never stopped to truly listen” I shared with you how to listen to your feline friend’s meows and know what he is saying to you.

Now, I will share with you the secret language between felines and humans. So, go find your favorite feline and cuddle up for some tantalizing catnip. Both you and your feline will be soo happy you did!

First things first, bring up my last blog “Whoever said Cats don’t speak never stopped to truly listen” and reacquaint yourself with how a cat speaks to you through verbal meows and body language.

Remember, cats rarely vocalize with other cats (unless they are angry), so the meow you hear from your feline family member is targeted at you (oh, aren’t you lucky!). She is trying to say something special to you. Open your ears and and also watch her body language to start the communication. Here are three purrfect ways to speak Cat.

Tone. The tone of your voice is very important when communicating with your cat. Let’s say your feline has a bad habit of jumping on your keyboard when you are working (hmmmm, I NEVER do that).

For us to learn this isn’t acceptable behavior, a firm “No” with a stern voice helps us cats know we did something that wasn’t acceptable. While we might try it again (and again, and again…), we will eventually figure it out with consistency. Consistency is the key (ha ha, get it? “key” – keyboard).

And for praise, we love your high pitched happy voice with a smile. A smile always goes a long way with communication. Keylor at the El Refugio Costa Ballena animal shelter is one of the most vocal cats at the shelter and he has the coolest smile.

Keylor at El Refugio Costa Ballena

And, here’s awesome Rocky from the El Refugio Costa Ballena shelter. He was talking to my human while she was at the shelter.

Rocky loves to MEOW

What do you think he is saying to her? I’ll give you three guesses. Yes, you are right! He is saying “Adopt me, take me home with you!”. Thankfully (for me), she didn’t understand him because she hadn’t read my previous blog yet! (I want my human all to myself.) And, I hear through the catvine that Rocky was recently adopted, so all is purrfect.

Hand Commands. When my human wants me to cuddle with her, she pats her hand on the couch for me to join her. Or, if she wants me to jump down from the counter because she doesn’t want me eating her dinner (sigh), she will say “Down” sternly and point her hand towards the floor.

Give your cat Love Blinks. Oh, I love this one! I LOVE when my human love blinks me. At least, I think that is what she is doing. Anywho, to practice a love blink, do this – close your eyes slowly as you think “I,” hold them closed as you think “love,” and open them slowly as you think “you.” This will surely make your feline Purr. And, the beautiful sounds of a purring cat not only make my human happy but also help alleviate her stress, her anxiety, and help heal her body. Aren’t cats amazing!

Now go practice some love blinks with your favorite feline. And, I’ll go take a well deserved catnap.

I LOVE my catnaps.

Cheers,

Norman

“I hate Mondays. – Garfield”


Don’t forget to spay & neuter your cats & dogs.  There can be too much of a good thing!  There’s only so much catnip to go around. 

Cats and wildlife live longer when cats stay indoors. 

FELNE FAVORITE OF THE DAY

A video of Cats that have been at the El Refugio Costa Ballena Shelter longer than 1 year!
Let’s ADOPT them all!!
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funny, health benefits, life lessons, love, Uncategorized

Are you searching for a Fortune? Search no further because…

Calico Cats are HERE to bring YOU good fortune.

A LONG Long time ago, Japanese sailors would bring Calico Cats aboard their ships because they believed the cats would keep the ship safe from harm (Wow furtastically amazing – ME-OW).

And in Japan, the calico cat is actually considered to be a symbol of fortune, where their signature lucky cat is a statue called Maneki Neko.

Maneki neko

Maneki is the Japanese word for “beckoning” and Neko is the Japanese word for “cat”. You will find these cat statues in many households and businesses throughout Japan. If the Maneki Neko is beckoning with its left paw up it is believed it will attract customers (great for businesses) and if the right paw is up, it is believed to attract success and money. And, the higher the right paw is raised, the luckier you are going to get!

You can also find the Maneki Neko in different colors. The most common and most sought after color is, yes, of course – CALICO, and it symbolizes EXTREME luck.

While you may not find a lot of Maneki Neko statues in Costa Rica (or in your home country), you will find some beautiful and actually quite rare real life Calico Cats, which are just as lucky as the Maneki Neko! For instance, at the El Refugio Costa Ballena animal shelter in Costa Rica, I think there are almost 40 cats right now at the shelter, but only 3 of them are Calico Cats (quite rare indeed!).

So, what is a Calico Cat? A Calico Cat is not a specific breed but a cat with the colors (typically) of mostly white body with orange and black spots. And, did you know there are 3 variations of the calico cat coloring? There is the standard calico with the mostly white body and patches of orange and black, like unique Mágica at El Refugio Costa Ballena Animal Shelter,

Mágica

and then there is the dilute calico with mostly white body with patches of gray, cream, and light orange like sweet Papaya also at El Refugio.

Papaya

And, finally there is also the calibby (Yes, part Tabby, part Calico – my favorite!) which is a cat with the same color variations as a calico cat but with the added signature Tabby stripes and the signature “M” like El Refugio’s Sun (and I heard Sun was just adopted, someone just got really lucky!!).

Sun with the “M” on her forehead and the signature stripes!

Now, if you don’t remember what “M” stands for you must read my previous blog “Why M stands for Tabby“. It is quite fascinating, as are all us Tabbies!

Another interesting cat fact about Calico Cats, is they are almost always female (99.99% of the time!). Some believe that the very rare male calico cats bring a lot of luck, but unfortunately not so much for the cat because often the male calico cats are born sterile (Yow!) with unfortunate health issues.

And one more very interesting fact about Calico Cats, is they have BIG personalities. But, really now, what cat doesn’t??

Okay, so if you are looking for more luck or fortune in your life, or more success in your business, your search is over. Because all you need to do is adopt a Calico Cat. A Calico Cat will bring you lots of LUCK, and definitely lots of LOVE, and as always lots of PURRSONALITY!

Cheers,

Norman

Look on the bright side…Monday only happens once a week.

– Garfield the Cat

Don’t forget to spay & neuter your cats & dogs.  There can be too much of a good thing!  There’s only so much catnip to go around. 

Cats and wildlife live longer when cats stay indoors. 

FELINE FAVORITE OF THE DAY

GODY at El Refugio Costa Ballena

Gody

Hi, my name is Gody. I am a young male cat. I was found in the ditch – can you believe it! Now, I wear a Tuxedo day and night – rags to riches for sure! I am a little shy but do love humans and get along well with other felines. I am waiting for you with my dancing shoes on. Come meet me at El Refugio Costa Ballena. Hugs Gody

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cat facts, funny, health benefits, love, Uncategorized

Are you a Crazy Cat Lady? Impossible, it isn’t a thing!

I’m sure you have probably heard the old saying “Crazy Cat Lady.” Maybe it conjures up an image in your head of an older, single, crazy woman hoarding hundreds of cats. I’ve been told shows like the Simpsons, or the Office had their very own crazy cat ladies too. Angela Kinsey from the Office says being referred to as a cat lady is actually cool.

But all kitten aside, the stereotypical Crazy Cat Lady just isn’t true! Look at these 11 Celebrities Who Make Cat Ladies Cool and who have had no problem finding love and sharing their life with feline family members.

While there may be women (and men) that hoard lots of cats (or dogs, or pigs, or snakes, or horses, you see where I am going with this), that is a totally different and very unfortunate subject. But, in regards to the stereotype Crazy Cat Lady, society has unfairly labeled (only) women who adopt multiple cats as Crazy Cat Ladies. Remember my blog I’ll Get You a Date, If You are a Man That Is, it actually proves that if you are a man and own a cat, cats actually help MEN find dates, and find LOVE. ME-OW, that just isn’t fair (to women) although great for us cats (ME-OW ME-OW lol)!

A recent study at UCLA in fact concluded that owning multiple cats does not mean you are crazy mad, anxious, or sad, but proves you are absolutely PURRFECT! Which honestly just means you love cats (and if you love cats, you really are PURRFECT!). And, as I have previously blogged about, owning a cat can actually lower your stress level, lower your anxiety level, and make you more happy. This doesn’t sound like crazy behavior to me at all!

So, if you are a woman, and if you love cats, stand tall, and be proud. If you have considered adopting another cat but have been worried about being called a Crazy Cat Lady, don’t worry about it, it just isn’t true! Because owning more than one cat doesn’t make you a Crazy Cat Lady, it actually makes you a super SMART human being who will be HAPPIER, less stressed, and of course proves you have a BEAUTIFULLY huge heart.

Now, my PURRFECT humans out there, please post a picture of yourself with your amazing, beautiful felines in the comments section. Let’s share the love and continue to save each other’s lives Purrrrrrr.

Cheers,

Norman

Just watching my cats can make me happy

Paula Cole

Don’t forget to spay & neuter your cats & dogs.  There can be too much of a good thing!  There’s only so much catnip to go around. 

Cats and wildlife live longer when cats stay indoors. 

FELNE FAVORITE OF THE DAY

Hunter at El Refugio Costa Ballena

Hunter is LOVE

Hi, my name is Hunter. I love humans, dogs, and of course felines! I would love to come home with you, especially if you have other cats. I would be PURRFECT for a PURRFECT cat lady. Hugs, Hunter

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