Tag Archives: #adoptdontshop

cat facts, donation information, shelter information, Uncategorized

All I Want for Christmas is….

My human came up to me yesterday and asked me “Angel (that’s what she calls me now, along with “Sweetie”, “Sunshine”, “Baby”, oh, and “Norman”) what do you want for Christmas?” My answer was easy, but I really wanted some belly rubbing first and cat kisses next, and then some petting time, but then after all of that – my answer was…

All I want for Christmas is ….

For ALL the felines to be adopted at El Refugio Animal Shelter in Costa Ballena, Costa Rica. I know that may be a big wish, soo how about just the felines who have been at the shelter longer than a one year – “the long-timers” we call them. I was one of the founding members of the long-timers club. And honestly, I wouldn’t lie to you, this is a good group of felines. Not only are they smart, super socialized, and confident; they are talented in ways you can’t even imagine. Let me tell you about some of them. And, to see their gorgeous coats and find out more about them, just click on their names.

HUNTER is a lover. You will find him most days cuddled up next to another cat (or kitten) or giving them a bath. He wants a home with another cat or two or three…

PRINCE is a human cat. He loves humans, he might actually think he is one. He is a little timid around other cats and wants a home where he can spoil a human on his own or with just one other cat purrty please.

Hunter and Bryan dreaming about each other.

JACOB, ALICIA, and BRYAN are all orange tabbies like me. So they are all pretty awesome and have many Tabby Talents.

CADBURY, ROLO, and TWIX are all siblings and were abandoned at a bus stop as kittens. Thankfully, they were rescued and brought to the shelter by a wonderful human. As their names imply, they are yummy SWEET.

BANDIT is a black beauty. She is really friendly and confident. As one of my previous blogs pointed out, she really is the Envy of Us Cats.

SNICKERS is a sensitive Tortoiseshell cat with a little bit of Tortitude. She is sweet as her name implies but also is independent and curious.

MÁGICA is a beautiful calico cat. She has special needs so she needs an extra special human to adopt her. She would do best in a household without those clumsy dogs but friendly cats are fine. Remember, Calico cats will bring you Fortune.

MICKEY is a gorgeous Tuxedo cat. He is super friendly with humans and other cats. He is confident and quite sassy. He has a little bit of Tuxitude and a lot of love.

Mickey at El Refugio

TONY is a Mackerel Tabby but we call him Tony the Tiger at the shelter. And, since he is a Tabby, he is very intelligent and curious. Plus, he is super friendly. Even though he looks like a Tiger, he is as gentle as a pussy cat.

SMOKY has SuperPowers. Seriously, he can fly. All the cats at the shelter marvel at his jumping abilities and his prowess.

So, there you have it. My Christmas Wish. While yes, adopting any of these gorgeous felines will give a wonderful Christmas gift to them, you cannot even imagine the gift it will bring to you and your family. You know, A Cat is just an Angel with Whiskers. Who doesn’t need another Angel to help out on this place we call Earth.

If you can’t adopt now, although I hope that you can, would you consider donating for their care. You can even pick one of their names and donate in “his” or “her” or “their” names. It is super easy to do. There is even a Monthly Donors program. Every amount counts because every paw matters, and El Refugio Costa Ballena has lots of paws to take care of at the shelter.

Until we meet again sweet Humans, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Norman

“Don’t listen to them

You’re not fat, you’re fluffy”

Mickey is full of Fluff
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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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Ollie Photo Credit: Dasha @daryaseafilms
cat facts, funny, love, shelter information, Uncategorized

Whoever said Cats don’t speak never stopped to truly listen.

Have you ever wondered what your feline friend is talking (meowing) about when you arrive home? Or, did you actually think you understood your cat but thought you might be going crazy (lol). Well, I am here today to confirm, yes, you are crazy (ha ha, just kidding) and yes, you can understand what your cat is telling you if you know how to listen. In this blog, I will share with you some of our fantastic feline communication so you can hear what your cat is telling you.

What are your feline’s different meows telling you?

  1. A Short meow: “Hi, how are you?”
  2. Multiple meows: “I am so happy to see you, where have you been?” I do this a lot. My humans talk right back to me, but I have no clue what they are saying!
  3. Mid-pitch meow: “I’m hungry or I want to go outside.”
  4. Drawn-out mrrraaaaaoooow: “Did you forget to feed me, seriously?” I meow like this every morning. My human Leo is definitely getting trained (lol).
  5. Low pitched mraaooww: “Really, this is what I get for dinner,” or similar complaint.
  6. High-pitch RRRROWW!: “OUCH!!”
  7. Purr: Usually a sign of happiness, but can also be a sign of fear or pain. My human loves when I purr. She gets this pretty smile on her face and starts to pet me. Purring is magic.
  8. Hiss: “Keep away, I am angry right now.”
  9. Clicking or chirping: Cats who are watching prey will make this sound. I live in the rainforest of Costa Rica, and I love watching the parrots and toucans from my window. I know my chirping is bringing the birds closer. I can’t go outside, but sometimes I sure want too.

What about that tail of ours, is it telling you humans something? Yes!!

  1. Tail straight up in the air. Confidence and Contentment.
  2. Tail is straight up with a curl at the end: Happy to see you. Time for Fun.
  3. Tail swishing side to side: Excited, watching her prey.
  4. Tail wrapped around you or another animal. Similar to a human wrapping his arm around you. Love.
  5. Straight in the air and shakes/vibrates. Excited for you and or food (always!).
  6. Puffy tail. Frightened.
  7. Tail held low and tucked: Frightened, uneasy.

Eyes. Have you ever noticed that us cats don’t have eyebrows? Whereas humans do (of course) and so do those smelly dogs. Just call your dog’s name, well, you may have to call it a few times for him to actually look at you (ha ha) but when he does, do you see his eyebrows? Do the same to us cats, and yep, no eyebrows. But, we do have very telling pupils. Read on.

  1. Dilated (large) Pupils. Excited and maybe fear.
  2. Constricted Pupils, which means eyes are big and round and their pupils are the size of pinpricks. We are preparing to attack!
  3. Squinted or half-closed eyes. Affection, relaxation, and possibly that we are just going to fall asleep.
  4. Blink at your cat. When your cat is staring at you (which she will), try blinking at her. If she blinks back, she trusts and loves you. These are called cat kisses, they are lovely (for us cats too).

Head. What is going on with our ears, and all those mysterious things we do with our head?

  1. If our ears are pinned back, your cat is frightened or anxious.
  2. Rubbing head against human or animal. Your cat is staking ownership or just saying hello.
  3. Head-butting. This is a sign of affection and friendship.
  4. Wet nose kiss. Affection
  5. Licking. The best sign of affection, or you forgot to clean up after dinner.

Now that you know our secret communications, you can watch and listen to what your favorite feline is saying to you. In my next blog, I will share with you how you can speak Cat too!

Cheers,

Norman

“Oh no! I overslept! I’m late! For my nap.
– 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

Ollie from the El Refugio Shelter Costa Ballena Costa Rica

Ollie Photo Credit: Dasha @daryaseafilms

Hi, my name is Ollie. I am a very young cat, and full of fun and sass. My nickname is “Socks” because I have white socks on my feet. I can purr, and I can make you giggle and laugh. Come meet me at El Refugio in Costa Ballena. Hugs Ollie

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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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cat facts, funny, health benefits, love, shelter information, Uncategorized

Do Cats have SuperPowers? Most Definitely!!

Super Cat to the Rescue photo by Bestfriends.org.

My human was sick this week. She was reluctant to go to work at the El Refugio Shelter because she was under the weather. I encouraged her to go because I just KNEW it was the catnip she needed. When she arrived back home, she was BEAMING, with a HUGE smile on her face. She said that when she arrived at the shelter, so many of my feline friends gave her lots of extra attention. And not just the ones that are always flirting (you know who you are Keylor and Mickey!) but other cats that are usually a little more reserved with my human (Bandit, Papaya, and Cadbury). It was truly a Cat Therapy session FREE of Charge with lots of FELINE HAPPY.

Here are just a few of our FELINE SUPERPOWERS!

Cats have the Power to Make You Happy. After just a few minutes with your favorite feline, your cortisol level (the hormone related to stress) is lowered and your serotonin and oxytocin levels (your hormones that make you happy) are raised. This is definitely something to SMILE about!

Cats have the Power to Lengthen your Life. Having a cat in your life, lowers your blood pressure and also lowers your risk for a stroke or heart disease. Your doctor would definitely approve!

Doctor Norman

Cats have the Power to Heal your Injuries. Having a feline companion will help heal your bone and muscle injuries just by being near her Purrs. The Purr of a Cat ranges from 20-140 Hertz, which is the frequency range where bones and muscles grow and repair themselves. PURRfect medicine!

WONDER cat Photo by Bestfriends.org

Cats have the Power to help Heal your Anxiety. Studies have shown that cats can be life-changing for people with mental illness. It has been shown that cats can sense emotional changes in their humans, and be there to give a much needed leg rub, or an ankle nudge, or a kiss when needed. Also, therapy cats provide support for the elderly, people with dementia, and even autism! Wow, all, I can say is WOW!

So, there you have it, us cats DO indeed have Superpowers! We may not wear a fancy cape (PLEASE no CAPE!), or fly through the air (although, Smoky at El Refugio definitely can fly!) but we do indeed have the ability to help make you HAPPY, LENGTHEN your life, HEAL your injuries, and TAME your anxiety. Please consider adopting one of us SUPER cats. Not only will we help SAVE your life, but you will SAVE our lives too. And, if you know of someone who needs some healing, please SHARE my blog and even better, ADOPT a cat for them too!!

Cheers,

Norman

“Time spent with cats is never wasted.” – Sigmund Freud

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

Baby Priscilla

Hi, I’m Priscilla. I was found at the beach with a broken leg. I’m all better now and ready to bring you lots of giggles and smiles. I’m waiting for you at El Refugio Animal Shelter in Costa Ballena. xoxo Priscilla

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cat facts, funny, love, Uncategorized

Why do cats STARE at you – because we LOVE YOU Silly!

This blog is dedicated to the MANY ways us cats show YOU how much we love you!

  1. When she looks at you with half-closed eyes while slowly blinking, she LOVES YOU! These special blinks are actually called “Cat Kisses” in the feline world. While dogs will give you messy, sloppy, kisses with their tongues (yuck!), us felines are much more dignified – a stare and blink are our PURRFECT way to KISS. Wouldn’t you agree?
I LOVE my human! I’m giving her KISSES right now (purrrrrrr)

2. When he is Curving the Tip of his Tail, he LOVES YOU! You may think a cat with a straight-up tail shows fear or aggression, but look for the curve at the tip, and you can rest assured your kitty cat is showing you how much he LOVES you! You may also notice your favorite feline wrapping his tail around you or his favorite feline or canine, and maybe even resting his tail on them. This is considered pure kitty happiness – sometimes referred as the “happy tail dance”. I LOVE a good happy tail dance!

The “happy tail dance” – cat with tail turned up and with a curve.

3. When she is Giving you a massage with her paws (ME-OW), she LOVES YOU! I give my human FREE massages sometimes when I lay next to her. I really get in there too with my nails because I know how much she loves a good massage. I am not sure why she looks a little pained when I do this, because who doesn’t like a good massage??

Sometimes a head rub and a massage are purrfect medicine!

4. When he is Purring, he LOVES YOU! Remember how purring can be good for the heart, well, it can also show how much your feline friend loves you and your family. When accompanied with cat kisses (eye stares and blinking) along with head butting (see below), your feline is feeling safe and content. Good job human!

5. When she is Head bunting you (aka head bumping or head butting), she LOVES YOU! When your feline family member gives you a gentle head bump, it is a sign that she truly cares about you and TRUSTS you. She is also indicating a STRONG bond with you. If you have more than one feline in your family, you may see this action between felines. Our cheeks and our heads are where we carry “secret” scent glands. So, when we rub our cheeks and head against you, we are claiming you as our own by sharing our “secret” scent with you. We are making YOU a part of OUR family.

So, there you have it. Five ways we show YOU our love! There are so many more ways too (such as nipping you, showing our bellies, following you), so please comment below on how your special feline shows you she LOVES YOU!

You deserve to be loved, so please (if you haven’t already) adopt a shelter cat and let him LOVE YOU! Life is worth SHARING and LOVE is the best catnip you can find!!

Cheers,

Norman

I have felt cats rubbing their faces against mine and touching my cheek with claws carefully sheathed. These things, to me, are expressions of love. –

James Herriot

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

Tina Louise at El Refugio Shelter in Costa Ballena, Costa Rica

Tina Louise

Hi, I’m Tina Louise. I have two first names because I am extra special. Plus, I have lots of extra love and cat kisses for you. Come meet me at El Refugio. xoxo Miss Tina Louise.

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cat facts, funny, love, Uncategorized

Do Cats Dream? Let’s ask the experts (and ME).

You may have noticed your feline family member tends to sleep a little, okay A LOT! Did you know adult cats sleep 12 -16 hours a day, while kittens and senior cats may sleep up to 20 hours a day (Wow, fur real?). That is what I would call professional sleepers!

Siblings Andy, Bear, Ollie, Spot, & Tina Louise dreaming about their next meal with mama Graycie.

But, most of the time we are just snoozing – have you ever heard of a catnap? About three quarters of our daily sleeping is actually considered catnapping (or dozing) where we are sleeping light enough to pounce at a moment’s notice! We may even have one eye open – watching you (lol).

Twix is definitely a one-eye-open kind of cat!
Alicia keeping an eye on you because you are sooo dreamy!

Cats spend the remaining one quarter of their sleep in a deep sleep. Senior cats spend probably more like forty percent of their sleep in deep sleep. Deep sleep helps us regenerate and stay healthy, and, YES this is where we DREAM!

You may see a cat’s whiskers or paws twitching, this is probably a dream in the works. Also, in dream sleep, you may see a cat with his paws or tail over his eyes, like an eye mask.

Who turned the lights on?!?

Okay, so cats dream, but what do they dream about? Well, thankfully you have a cat writing this blog, so you can be comfortable knowing you are getting the facts!!!

We dream of being on the hunt. For my wild cat friends or those that aren’t lucky enough to be living in a house, they dream about being on the hunt. They will dream about whatever prey they were chasing in the previous night, what they caught, and what got away (sigh). An interesting fact, us house cats actually sleep more than our wild feline friends because we don’t have to worry about a predator coming after us! Now, just a friendly reminder here, cats that stay indoors stay alive longer, and so does the wildlife.

We dream of the entire day. For most of us felines, we dream about what happened during the day. Maybe we saw our human do a funny thing (like always!), or maybe we played with the resident dogs (NOT!), or maybe we watched the birds in a nearby tree. But, most often I will dream about the fun times I had playing with my humans during the day.

Hunter and Bryan probably dreaming about each other. They are best friends at the shelter.

We dream of YOU. Now, don’t let this go to your head, but YES, we dream about YOU. We dream about your face, your smile, your voice, your smell, your laugh. We love you, and we dream about you. We cannot wait to see you again when we wake up.

Jacob says “Peek a Boo”!

Now, what about the cats at the shelter that do not yet have a human? Who do they dream about? Well, they dream about the day that YOU will come rescue them. Are you ready to make a special cat’s dreams come true? There are so many wonderful cats waiting at a shelter near you.

If you are in the Costa Ballena area of Costa Rica, come stop by the El Refugio shelter and meet some of our professional sleepers that I have mentioned in this post. Maybe they are dreaming about YOU right now.

Well, all this talk about sleep sure has made me sleepy. It’s time for a catnap.

Wake me up when it’s time to eat!

Cheers,

Norman

“All I do is eat and sleep. Eat and sleep. Eat and sleep. There must be more to a cat’s life than that. But I hope not.” – 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

Graycie at El Refugio, Costa Ballena Costa Rica

Graycie

Hi, my name is Graycie, and I bring Sunshine into a room on a Cloudy Day. Do you want some sunshine in your life? Come meet me. xoxo Graycie

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Before you adopt, cat facts, health benefits, Uncategorized

I’ve Adopted a Cat, now what? I’m so glad you asked! Ten tips to prepare your home for your new feline.

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on becoming an even better, more amazing human being!!! Bringing a cat into your family will not only make your kids healthier, but also will make you healthier, less stressed, and definitely more attractive (mainly because you are healthier & less stressed!! – DOUBLE ME-OW LOL!)

First Tip. Bring a cat carrier for the ride to pick up your new cat. Us cats don’t like moving vehicles – they are scary, they are fast, and they are smelly. Having your new cat in a carrier will help with some of the anxiety that will most likely occur when in a scary, fast, and smelly car.

Second Tip.  Have a nice, “safe” room for your cat. It doesn’t have to be a suite like I have, with an amazing mountain view no less!  But, a room that has a litter box, bowls for food and water, a toy or two please, a scratching post of course, and a shelf or somewhere high for your cat to perch or rest. 

Third Tip for us sound sensitive cats (which are most of us!).  If your feline friend chooses to hide for awhile, no worries, let him hide. He will come out eventually. He is just getting used to all of the new smells and sounds.

Fourth Tip, although I can’t believe I need to share this one. The litter box and food and water bowls should NOT be in the same area. You wouldn’t want to do your business where you eat would you? We aren’t talking about dogs here, us cats are refined and have manners! 

Fifth not so messy Tip. If you can, use the same brand of litter that your feline friend had at her animal shelter. You don’t have to use the same brand forever, but just until she acclimates. You will be REALLY glad you listened to me on this one!

Sixth tummy Tip. Also, use the same food she was eating at the shelter. When starting to introduce a new food, it should be gradual. Our tummies can be sensitive at times.

Seventh fun Tip. A toy or two or three please!  Although, the best toys are toys that my humans play with me. 

I LUV my stuffed animals to play with!

Eighth super fun Tip. A cat tree would be awesome for your new feline. But, if you don’t have a cat tree available, a tall shelf in your cat’s new room would be helpful for them to have a place to jump up and feel safe.

Ninth very important Tip. If you are bringing a feline friend home to a home that already has a cat or dog, please be patient. While most of us felines get along well at the animal shelter, being in a new place can be very stressful for both resident animals and new cats. It may take only days but could take weeks or even months to have them all get along. The best introductions are very brief, and monitored interactions with humans involved.

Tenth very VERY important Tip. Never let your dog chase your cat – very uncool!  Also, when you are not able to supervise the new feline family member with your other household animals, please keep them separated. Honestly, we might never become friends, but we can surely coexist.

Oh, and one more thing, get ready to BE AMAZED, at all things FELINE AND FABULOUS!

Cheers,

Norman

“I had been told that the training procedure with cats was difficult. It’s not. Mine had me trained in two days.” – Bill Dana

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

Prince at El Refugio

PRINCE

Hi, my name is PRINCE.  I am an adult male. I am a little shy around other cats, but I LOVE my humans. I love ear scratches and just hanging out.  Let’s chill out together!  Come meet me at El Refugio. xo Prince

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cat facts, funny, shelter information, Uncategorized

Black Cats – the envy of us all!

In the shelter life, us shelter cats are soo envious of our feline friends that sport an all-black coat because of the good fortune they bring with them. In the United Kingdom, Ireland and Japan, black cats are known to bring good luck and were even worshipped by the Egyptians. But there are many more reasons being a Black Cat or adopting a Black Cat is just plain lucky!

Black Cats NEVER have bad hair days. Their coat always looks so shiny. I just don’t understand it. Take a look at Bandit at El Refugio. She is drop dead gorgeous all of the time. Look at how shiny her coat is. Oh, I am so envious of her!

Bandit

Their color is slimming! This is no secret of course. We have known for the ages that wearing black is slimming. One of my human’s favorite Netflix shows Queer Eye’s fab Five, illustrates to us that All-black is one of the strongest palettes you can wield (but make sure that your shades match up). Take a look at sweet Dulce (another El Refugio fashion diva) sporting an almost all black attire. She even has had kittens and she looks strikingly slim. Way to go Dulce!

Dulce

Black cat hair doesn’t show up as much as other fur colors! Really, I’m serious, I have the research to prove it! But, if you have white carpeting or are wearing a white suite (aghast!) black fur would not be your friend. But wearing an all white suit would probably not be your friend either (lol). Black really does go with everything!

So, there you have it, I do have one flaw. I am envious of my feline friends who have all-black coats because of their ability to NOT have a bad hair day, NOR a drab, dull coat, and YES, they are super lucky to have around.

Life is better with a beautiful feline by your side, or on your lap, or in your desk drawer (lol ME-OW).

Cheers,

Norman

A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere. – Groucho Marx –

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

Snickers at El Refugio

Snickers

Hi, I’m Snickers. I know I’m not a Black Cat, but Norman says I am the sweetest thing since sliced bread. I am not sure what that means, except maybe he is really hungry. Anyways, I would love to meet you. Come find me at El Refugio in Costa Ballena, Costa Rica. xo Snickers

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