Hi! HAPPY NEW YEAR from the SouthWoods™

     I will not let it get by me this year.  I will get MY say in concerning the last holiday of the year.  And here it is!

     I, The KnightOwl, the humble servant of the most right orneyrable and fussybutted House Panther, one MikiCato want to take our turn in wishing you all the best of the New Year to come.  We've had many wonderful things happen to us this year just ending, and YES, we have had some very unhappy things happening, but all in all, we're still here, you are still here, and we will see this one to an end, and then the new one begun.  Life is good, the Cats and Dogs and Birds and all the other delightful little creatures that populate our world and demand our every waking moments attention, are good.

MikiCato does not know what it means Happy New Year, or DOES HE?
I wonder about that a lot lately!
He does know he doesn't like the fireworks, and will run to me and try
to crawl into me.  It's a really sad, scared little kitty that looks up at me.
But we make it through, and we have fun and we celebrate with all the others.
I know he wishes everyone has as much fun as he, his sissfurs and brofurrs do
each and every year we do this end of year hell raising blowout.

     So let there be Peace, Love and Happiness to all.  Be safe, stay warm and dry, and don't forget the little outsiders, both domesticated and feral.  Baby, it's COLD outside.  

'Click the link to visit MikiCato's home Blog.'

Thursday - Merry Christmas from MikiCato at Five Oaks Manor

     "Dis ma chanct to says Merry Crissymuss to all da House Panthers and der servunts so I jus had to dress up fur da occasun.  I hopes everbodies has a goodun, and Sandy Paws rememberers everting on the 'gotta has' list.  Please be safe, stays warm and dry, and rememberers da outside critters.  It not a nice place to lives out dere wifout da warmz and dry place to curls, and plenty of waters and din dins."

"Frum me, and Ms Princess, da House Panthers
at Five Oaks Manor, and alsos wif da oder
fuzzballs here, we hopes everbodies has
da mostes and da bestes of Funs and Happies."

"Dis our Crissymuss pretties dis years.  Large One and da
Small One not into da big decoration thingie anymores.
Us kitties happies wif some boxes and some papers to
plays wif, and some stinky goodness to maks da hongries
goes away, oh, and a clean blankey to curls on nex to da
beans in da big featery bed.  We no laks da small Manor
Cluttereded up wif big tree and stuf and tings da beans
has to put in da boxes and hide agin.  We laks it!  We happies!"

     Lisa and I wish a most happy season and memorable gatherings for you all.  Here's hoping you have the best you've ever had, and that each and every season hereafter is one better than the one before.  
     MikiCato and Ms Princess, our resident House Panthers, along with Buddy  Bear, Tegar, Rowdy and little Ms Smokey are safe and secure here at Five Oaks Manor, enjoying the warm and good food.  I do wish all the little kitties, and too, the other small creatures Man has domesticated, get half the security, love and care we manage to give to our furrchildren.  
     Be happy, and Y'all have a GoodUn!   And y'all come see us at Buddy's Place sometime soon!   

Midnight Monday with Tillie

Happy Monday friends !!

As you can see, I am having a nice 

little nap.I got to have fun with Mom when she

stayed home Sunday. After lots of fun,a nap is good.

But!!! You know how it goes. Moms think you

 look "cute" and drag out that darn flashy box!

Who can nap with flashing lights?!!

Come on Mom!! Adjust your camera so 

it does not flash!!!!

Gee!!! Now I'm wide awake!

Well, I guess I will get up and check

around the house to see what I can find.

Maybe a mouse will sneak indoors and we can

have lots of fun!!!

I hope your Monday is lots of fun too!!

But be good, cause Santa Claws comes this 

weekend!!

Holiday Gift Plant Reminder

The ASPCA lists many common plants that are considered highly toxic to pets, including many given as gifts during the Holiday Season.  My added text is in red.

Pointsettias
Irritating sap, can cause irritation to the mouth and stomach, sometimes causing vomiting, but generally over-rated in toxicity.  
Keep any fallen leaves and petals picked up, and if your cat gnaws on the plant, put it into an out-of-reach place.  I've found that usually one taste of the milky sap is enough to keep cats from chewing on Pointsettias.

Lilies
Members of the Lilium spp. are considered to be highly toxic to cats. While the poisonous component has not yet been identified, it is clear that with even ingestions of very small amounts of the plant, severe kidney damage could result.

Many types of oriental lilies are included in flower arrangements, and the Easter Lily shows up in the spring in grocery stores to tempt us with its bright white petals and fragrance.  However, this is one flower that should be kept well-away from cats because of the danger to feline kidneys.  Any lilies in fresh flower arrangements also can be dangerous to house pets!

Azalea/Rhododendron
Members of the Rhododenron spp. contain substances known as grayantoxins, which can produce vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, weakness and depression of the central nervous system in animals. Severe azalea poisoning could ultimately lead to coma and death from cardiovascular collapse.
Another popular flowering plant that shows up in grocery stores and florists year 'round, azaleas come in many colors and are very tempting to purchase as a quick gift.  Keep azaleas outside as a landscape plant.  They are deer-resisitant to deer for a reason!

Cyclamen
Cylamen species contain cyclamine, but the highest concentration of this toxic component is typically located in the root portion of the plant. If consumed, Cylamen can produce significant gastrointestinal irritation, including intense vomiting. Fatalities have also been reported in some cases.
Who can resist this flowering house plant in the grocery store?  Well, you should.  Not only is it toxic, but because almost all cyclamen plants are prone to mite infestations, the plants are drenched in insecticides by the florist industry - insecticides that are treated to remain on the leaves to keep the mites off - these insecticides can rub off the leaves and make humans and pets ill if ingested, making the plants a no-no in my book.

Kalanchoe
This plant contains components that can produce gastrointestinal irritation, as well as those that are toxic to the heart, and can seriously affect cardiac rhythm and rate.
Okay, this one I did not know about until I read it on the ASPCA website.  I grew up with cats and kalanchoes living in harmony, and no cat I ever had tried to chew the fleshy succulent leaves.  These plants are very popular in the mass-market florist trade because their long-blooming sturdy flowers can handle transportation and have a very long shelf-life.  Found year-round at almost every grocery store's florist nook, they're great houseplants, but keep them where cats cannot reach them.

Amaryllis
Common garden plants popular around the holidays, Amaryllis species contain toxins that can cause vomiting, depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, anorexia and tremors.  
My favorite blooming houseplant of all-time.  The flowers usually aren't attractive to cats to eat, and neither are the floppy, strappy leaves.  I have had both amaryllis and cats for years.  My advice - just keep the leaves up away from cats, and provide cat grass as a more tempting alternative to nibble upon.  If you don't feel like taking care of the bulb after it has bloomed, give it to a gardening friend who can cherish it.

Chrysanthemum
These popular blooms are part of the Compositae family, which contain pyrethrins that may produce gastrointestinal upset, including drooling, vomiting and diarrhea, if eaten. In certain cases depression and loss of coordination may also develop if enough of any part of the plant is consumed.
The common mum.  As cut flowers and seasonal potted plants, it is hard to get away from a mum.  Pyrethins are used as insecticides, so best to keep mums away from nibblers! 

Peace Lily (AKA Mauna Loa Peace Lily)
Spathiphyllum contains calcium oxalate crystals that can cause oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing and intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips and tongue in pets who ingest.  Many years ago, Spooker chewed on some Peace Lily leaves and got blisters on her lips and gums, so I know first-hand that this common houseplant can be harmful.  If you have it in your home, be aware that it has the potential to be hazardous.


A video by the ASPCA of toxic plants can be viewed by clicking here.
Keep your pets safe and happy, all year, but especially during the holiday season!
~ Not The Mama

Midnight Monday with Tillie

Oh hi, Tillie here. 

I am enjoying a nice afternoon

on the rug.

Wait!!! I think I hear something!!

Do you hear it Mom?

No Tillie.

Seriously!!! You do not hear anything??

No Tillie, I don't.

It's coming from the bathroom.

Mom, are you sure that there are not any

mice inside the walls??

I am sure I can hear something in there!!!!

Well Tillie, if there are any mice, I am not 

going to tear apart the shower to get them!!

Awwwwwww,darn!!!!

Thursday! It's Me, MikiCato, from Five Oaks.

    "Hi!  I has funs in da bathrooms wif da Large One when him takes da plaskit shoppin baggies to da storage box in dere.  Him lets me plays wif da ones him says has holes and not good for linins for da wastes baskits da Small One has all over da Manor House."

"I askes Large One real nice lak if I can has da bad bags to plays wif.
Him allway gives to me.  Him is MY big buddy.  Him tink I spechul."

"Lookie at me ..... I has bags, I has bags.  I is happy kitty!"

"BAD bag, bad, bad bag!  Is no good bag what gots holes in,
sos I gets to makes more holes and plays big times.  I has fun!"

"I kills bad bags.  We no needs bad bags ......
Waits ..... Iffin we has no bad bags, I has no bags to play wiffs.
Dat not fair.  Maybes I makes holes in all da bags sos I can has
bags to play wiff everdays."

Midnight Monday with Tillie

Hi!! Tillie here to tell you about the weekend.

Mom went to her sister's home near

Wolfville, but up high on the mountain.

There are nice views up there,so Mom says.

Mom and her two sisters then went to visit 

Grandbean.

On the way to Grammie's house, they stopped

at a place called Halls Harbour to take pictures.

Some beans were decorating this tree which is on 

a wharf. You can see in the background,

that the tide is out.

The tree was put next to a lighthouse

that is a "wishing well" 

Maybe they want good luck when the boats 

go out to catch fish and lobster.

Mmmmmmmm!! I would wish them luck if I 

could have some of their catch! Heehee!

Yesterday it was sunny and not too cold, 

so Mom put up the outdoor lights.

She puts tree cuttings  on the railings so the lights

show up better.

The railing out front is quite long.

Looks quite festive

especially at night!

Looks good Mom, now,how about some

scritches?

OK Tillie.Here I come!!!

Thursday! It's Me, MikiCato, from Five Oaks.

     Can you believes it?  Dis de furs day of December, jus 24 more days till all da good eats you can has will be on da tables and da kitchen and da whole house smell lak good eatin.  Even us kitties will has good stuffs ta eats.  I tinks dis year da Large One be in a betterer mood den years past.  We is workin on gettin him dat way.  Small One say him might make it afer all.
     Us not gots much to talks about, cept maybes da snow we had da oder day.  Had some big ole fat chunks of dat cold white stuff falllin down, but it onlies stayed overnights.  Just covered da car.  But dat were went by 9 da nex mornin.
     Da fun rooms is gots threads and yarns all overs.  Small One in a big tizzy knittins and sewins and makin tings for da Lil One, da lil Morgan.  She be five soon, but she still love da Sandy Claws unner da tree and all dat, so Small One make pretties for her.
     We talks more bout da holeyday fixins and stuff nex time.  Rat now we just say for everones to look to da outside kitties and doggies, and da oder little critters what you has outside all da times.  Makes sure dey gots a warm, dry, place to sleeps and keeps outta da rains and snows, and sees dat dey gots lots of fresh water what not freezed up.  Don forgets da food too.  It would be bestes if all da little ones could be insides da buildins wif some heat lak our Ms Princess and Ms Smokey.  Dey gots da laundry room all to derselves wif heat lamp and a big tick heavy blankey over da lil entrance to keeps the warm inside.

Dis year I heps Large One wif
da Chrisymass fixins lak dis agin.
 Maybe betterer.

     Everbodis keeps warmz, and sleeps good.  And come sees all us House Panther kitties here.  We loves to sees everbodies visitin.  Leaves some linkies to your bloggies and web sites sos we can come visits wif youall.
     Our home page gots all our linkies to all da sites what da Large One done started for us kitties at Five Oaks Manor, SouthWoodsUSA.  Da linkie to it is HERE!   Our Blog is HERE!  An don forgets to go sees da Large One (KnightOwl) at His Place.
     I gone.  Y'all comes sees us wherever and whenever.