Head Over to Sparklecat.com for Sparkle's Memorial

Today is the Memorial Service for Sparkle on her blog.
I encourage you all to go to Sparklecat.com and leave a comment.
Her human is having a commentathon to benefit Tabby's Place in Sparkle's honor.

It is a perfect opportunity to leave a message for Sparkle's human Janiss.
To remember Sparkle.
To make a donation to the rescue if you have some extra monies.

Then we go on with that extra Sparkle in the sky.
Little Summer has already started to make us smile.


Farm Cat Friday will be Farm Cat Saturday this week.

Here's for Waffles and for the ALS #IceBucketChallenge My Way

I am just a goat.
An old goat at that.
My friend Waffles from Glogirly challenged me to the Ice Bucket Challenge in support of ALS.

This has been going around the internet for a while now.
ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease because the famous baseball player had it.
It is a very insidious disease that attacks human's nerve cells and leads to their death.

As far as know it is not something we goats get.
But that does not mean that we cannot help support the cause.
I urge you humans who don't know about it to learn more at the ALS Association website.
I have made a donation from my apple money because even though it does not impact goats I think it is an important cause.

Now, as to this ICE BUCKET challenge.
Goats DO NOT like water.
AT ALL.
The publicist has told you stories of how we MAAAAA loudly to go into the barn any time it rains.
So given this there was no way I was going to have water dumped over my head.
Not to mention the fact that I think it might just give me a goat heart attack!

So I did the challenge in my own special way.....
I hope Waffles approves.


If you cannot see the movie you can watch it on YouTube HERE

Now I hope that you all take the time to goatumacate yourselves about ALS and if you have a few extra green papers make a donation.

There is also Sparkle's Memorial Service tomorrow on her blog. There will be a commentathon for Tabby's Place in her honor. The publicist made a donation in Sparkle's honor from all of us here on the Farm. Please be sure to stop by and leave a comment and make a donation if you can.

I know I am asking for a lot of your monies today but these are both good causes.

In Memory of Sparkle

Image courtesy Sparklecat.com

All of us here on the Farm were very sad to learn that our friend Sparkle was not feeling well.
We were even sadder to learn that she left her life on this Earth.
We will all miss her.

When I first started my blog the publicist had me go out and visit other blogs so I could make some friends.
I am a very shy goat.
There are not many blogging goats so many of my first friends were kitties.
Even though I am not a cat these kitties welcomed me into their world.
Sparkle was one of those kitties.

She was always there to give advice and make me (and the publicist) smile.
Any time I had a special event on the blog Sparkle always was willing to do a guest post and help me even though my blog was a little blog and never as popular as her blog.

The publicist was very happy to meet Sparkle's human at BlogPaws.
She knows how hard it is to lose a beloved furry family member.
We all send hugs to Sparkle's human.
We also send them to Binga and Boodie who will be missing their fur-sister.

But with the sadness of Sparkle's passing there is some joy in to come in the household.
A new kitten is coming.
She will be introduced in the next week.
I won't spoil the surprise but tune into Sparkle's blog to learn all about her.

Despite the loss of such a cat as Sparkle the world must go on and we should celebrate all the good she did through her advocacy on her blog. If not for her there would be so many kitties without homes. Her wise advice will live on through her books.

Goodbye Sparkle.
We will miss you, but you will not be forgotten.
Thank you for being my friend.

Pricilla


 You can read all of the other tributes to our friend Sparkle:

Catastic Event, Day 4 - Guest Post from Sparkle Cat

We Farm cats are so honored to have Sparkle here today with a guest post. When Pricilla first started blogging, long before we Farm cats started sharing our adventures, Sparkle's blog was one of the very first the publicist started reading. Sparkle has been a mainstay in her daily life - she loves to read what Sparkle has to write.  She even got to meet Sparkle's human when she went to BlogPaws! So please welcome her today with her wise advice on how to be a blogging kitty. In honor of her post today the publicist is making a donation to Tabby's Place.


I confess: when the farm cats asked me to do a guest post for their Catastic Event, I
wracked my brain trying to decide on a topic! Then it struck me: why not just write about
what I know? So here is my topic:

How to be a successful blogging kitty!

The steps are quite simple, actually - check it out.

1.  Be cute! Of course, it is really easy when you are a kitten, like I was here, but we cats
     have automatic cute genes for our whole lives! So you will always be able to do that.

2. But always make sure you have attitude too. That is another easy one. I mean, we're
    cats! We are supposed to have attitude. And you can do it with something as simple as
    giving the Back of Disrespect.

3. Let your readers into your personal life. Yes, this even includes visits to the dreaded vet.

4. Comment lots on other kitties' blogs! This is very important, as you want to make lots
    of friends, and how will anyone know you exist if you don't make yourself known to them?

5. Join communities like the Cat Blogosphere and BlogPaws! This is another way to
    make sure other blogging kitties know about you.

6. Also share your blog posts on social media like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. This
     is a lot of work, so have your human do it for you.

7. If you want to be a successful cat blogger, you have to treat your blog like a business!
    Keep track of your stats with Google Analytics, create a Media kit (this can just be one
    page with your readership stats, your mission statement and a pitch about how awesome a
    kitty you are!). If you decide to work with brands, be responsible and post when you say
    you will and if you are getting paid, invoice them promptly.

8. Make sure your blog looks good! Unless your human has a background in web design
    or like my human, is pretty good at faking it, hire someone to help you. You can get
    headers from Ann of Zoolatry, or a whole blog makeover from Glogirly!
    (ED: We here on the Farm can attest that Glogirly does excellent work!)

9. This is the most important step of all: give back! The cat blogging community is a
    generous and helpful one, and we all want to pitch in and help other kitties! Even if you
    don't have much money to donate to causes, you can spread the word on your blog and
    your social media profiles when there is a rescue or special kitty in need. Word of mouth
    is really helpful, and the more successful your blog, is the more you are able to help. I am
    glad my blog does well because I feel it is an honor to be able to help save lives.
    If you follow these steps, you will be a happy and successful blogging kitty!

I don't know about all of you out there but the publicist sure appreciated these tips! She thinks they can apply to ANY blog. I know we Farm cats are going to have a sit down and we are going to meow together about how to help Pricilla make our blog better.  So THANK YOU Sparkle for offering these great tips to help everycat (and goat) be a better blogger!

Be sure to check out the publicist's blog today for a review of the SwiPets Pet Hair Removal Glove!

AbbyDay - I RANT!!!

It's AbbyDay, the best day of the week. I'm Abby - I deserve the BEST.

Guess what?
GUESS?

The publicist left us.
Left ME.

In the care of the male person!
Not that I don't tolerate like the male person but he is no publicist.
AND HE WAS MILKING ME!
Poorly.

CAN YOU BELIEVE SHE DID THIS TO US ME?

She made claims of being tired. Of being in need of a break.
I'll give her a broken knee cap break!
Why would she need a vacation from us ME?

I am the most wonderful goat in the world?
PFFFFFFT to the publicist!
PFFFFFFT to the male person!

She is back now and OK, maybe she is a bit happier.
Maybe she is more relaxed.
And let me tell you it is SOOOOOOO much better having her milk me but SHE HAD BETTER NOT LEAVE US AGAIN.

or else!

Now I do not want YOU to suffer because I am mad at the publicist so I am giving you a movie starring my kids.
Enjoy!


If you cannot see the movie you can watch it on YouTube HERE.

Silly Stinky!
She should not come into the goat pen when their are goats!

Since the publicist was away Pricilla did not tell you about Sparkle's birthday yesterday so I am telling you today. That is also the publicist's fault. Right now I am blaming EVERYTHING on the publicist. Pfffft!

While I do not think that stupid cats will rule the world I do believe in celebrating so go and visit Sparkle's blog and give her some Happy Birthday wishes. You can also enter her giveaways! She has one for US visitors and one for international visitors.

Things should get back to normal around here now.
The publicist was visiting her family - I SUPPOSE she is allowed to do that.

HELP My Friends Monday

Today I am doing something a little bit different.
I am re-introducing you to two of my friends and asking for your help.
You remember Sparkle and Katie?
They are two of my kitty friends and they are in a battle for Cat Ruler of the World with 4 other kitties.

Of course we all know that GOATS will be ruling the world but that is neither here nor there regarding this post.

The Chronicles of Zee and Zoey is sponsoring the Vote for Cat Ruler of the World and you can go there to see all of the details. The big Vote starts tomorrow on September 11th and runs through September 14th.

The big winners in this contest are shelter cats.

That's right. Shelter cats because all of the Catidates are campaigning for a different shelter.

Sparkle is campaigning for Tabby's Place - a shelter for special, special needs kitties. You can read about them by clicking on Sparkle's name above.

Katie is campaigning for the Blind Cat Rescue - a peaceful place for blind cats to live until they find their forever home. You can read about it by clicking Katie's name above.

You can read about the other kitties choice of rescue on the Zee and Zoey site.

The shelter prizes are:

5000 nutritious meals from Halo and FreeKibble.com to the winning shelter and 1000 meals to all runner up shelters, 2000 pounds of absorbent, natural whole-kernel corn litter fromWorld’s Best Cat Litter and 25 Trial Kits for each shelter to give away to new cat owners who have adopted a pet, a $250.00 financial donation and two cases of any choice of odor product, stain & odor product, or litter spray to the winning shelter and a spray bottle odor assortment to runner up shelters from Zero Odor, a $250 financial donation from PetPlan Insurance, an exclusive offer from NVR Miss Litterbox – for each limited edition “Cat Ruler of the World” litter box purchased, $10.00 of the proceeds will be donated to the winning shelter, and, a special offer fromZee and Zoey themselves – for each copy of their book purchased, The Chronicles of Zee and Zoey, $5.00 of the proceeds will be donated to the winning shelter!!

So you can see that all of the shelters will win from this great campaign! 

It is going to be hard for me to choose between my friends but I will because I want the shelter cats to get all of that good stuff. This is why I decided to do a HELP my Friends Monday post instead of a MEET my Friends Monday post - so that maybe some you could go and vote to help the shelter kitties.

All of us Happy Goats and Farm Cats would appreciate it.

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day to all of my readers in the US.
It is good to remember the soldiers. They gave their lives to protect all of us.


I have something else I want to talk about today.
It is about helping shelter kitties and doggies.
My friend Sparkle wrote about it on her blog.
You remember my friend Sparkle - I introduced her a couple of weeks ago on Meet My Friends Monday.


It is called The Pet Postcard Project.

Since I am being a SpokesGoat I will show my headshot.
It's Official Business!


By making a homemade postcard you can help to feed shelter pets. Since Sparkle meows it better than I ever could here are the instructions:


1. It must include a photo of a pet you personally know, not one cut out of a magazine.
2. There are four categories, and the text on your card must fit into one: confessions/ secrets, advice, wishes, “you know you love your pet when…”
3. What you write must be original, not someone else’s quote.
4. You can create your card in a computer graphics program or embellish a postcard-sized photo by hand (hint: the Pet Postcard Human loves the crafty, made-by-hand cards the best!).
5. Each card must be original — you can’t send in the same card over and over again, because only one of them will count.
6. Put your all-original postcard(s) in an envelope and mail it to the address on the Pet Postcard Project site!


The publicist is making one with MY face on it of course because you all know that she loves me. Plus I am VERY original...don't you think?


Sparkle meows: For more about making the cards, go here. If you want some inspiration, you can find cards here. She is one smart cat!


Next Monday I'll be back with another Meet My Friends Monday....

Meet My Friends Monday - Sparkle

It's time for another Meet My Friends Monday!
Today I am proud to introduce another of my cat friends.
It is true that I have been know to send a cat or two flying but that does not mean I don't like cats. I just like them at a distance.
Ah-hem

Sparkle is a SuperStar cat!
It's true!
She works very hard to help save lots of kitties. Sparkle does not like to see kitties without forever homes. She does not like to see kitties in shelters. She does not like to see kitties being abused. (Neither do any of us on the Farm!)
She donates her green papers to help them get good food and to help them get operations if they need them. She is a generous cat!


She encourages her many readers to help them too!


She is also a Famous Author!
Did you know that cats can write books?
Hmmm, I eat books. I do not make money by EATING books, perhaps I should write books like Sparkle's Dear Sparkle and Dear Sparkle, Advice from One Cat to Another. She is so smart!

Sparkle also offers her sage advice once a month on her blog, Sparklecat.
I think all of you cats out there should go can check out her advice. Everyone else should just check out Sparkle! She is one clever cat!

Farm Cat Friday - We All Thank Sparkle!

We Farm cats like to eat.
We are very spoiled by the publicist.
She gives us smelly wet food and yummy, crunchy dry food.
We also get lots and lots of treats.


One day she was visiting one of her favorite blogs, Sparkle, and there was a giveaway for some delicious cat food! The publicist had to guess where Sparkle's human had hidden the food and she guessed in an amoire.

The publicist stole this image from Sparkle's blog. She hopes Sparkle does not mind.

Sparkle showed everyone where all the bags where - there were two other winners.
We were very excited when our bag arrived but only Harry the Farm cat was in the yurt when the box was opened.

He gave it a good sniff.
Of course, the best part of the prize was the box.
We are still playing with it so it was really two prizes in one!
It also came with a beeyootiful card of Sparkle herself!

I asked the publicist to put this in my special place so I could drool over look at it any time I wanted. I love those eyes!


We all wanted to thank Sparkle and her human for having this great giveaway and for sending us the Nature's Variety cat food to try. We like it very much. The publicist leaves it out in a bowl for us so we can eat it any time we would like. She has to keep filling it up!


Yum!
So go on over and see Sparkle's blog. She had wonderful adventures with her roommates Binga and Boodie and she has even written two books! I wonder If I could write a book like Sparkle? Her books are called Dear Sparkle: Advice from One Cat to Another and Dear Sparkle: Cat to Cat Advice.


Excuse me while I go eat some kibble.


PS - The publicist wanted me to tell you that the winner of the NOVICA $75 Gift Card Giveaway was Krista!  Concatulations to Krista and thank mew to everyone who entered!

Catstacular Event - Guest Post from SPARKLE

Today I have another exciting guest post for you.
From a beeootiful lady cat.
I wonder if she will have time for a little post post chat.
Meee-OOOW


Ah-hem. The publicist told me I need to behave. So please welcome Sparkle with some great advice for the humans in your life.

I think I'm in LOVE

Humans! What Is Your Cat Telling You?
By Sparkle


We cats are great communicators. We can convey our needs and desires without resorting to words - or even meows! Unfortunately, humans are terrible listeners. When we are trying to tell them something, all too often, humans tell us we are being "bad." I am beginning to think that there needs to be a cat-human dictionary, but since there isn't one yet, I will toss out a few translations here. I've picked some of the most misunderstood kitty communiques for this post. I hope it helps.


Human Misunderstanding #1: Why does my cat keep scratching the side of the couch? Is she releasing her frustration - she does it with such intensity!
What Your Cat Wants: I know my fellow kitties are saying "duh" to what I am about to say, but... hello! Your cat wants a cat tree! One that has a really scratchable surface! Not one of those flimsy, cheap scratchers. Something she can dig her claws into, something that won't wobble or fall over when she stretches up to scratch. If you want your cat to stop scratching the couch, you should make sure the cat tree's surfaces are more appealing to scratch than the couch fabric. As to why your cat is scratching with such intensity, it's kind of like an English-speaking person raising their voice when they are talking to someone who doesn't speak English. For some reason, they think they may be understood if they talk louder. Of course, that does not work for human language, and kitties, keep in mind that it does not work for cat language, either.


Human Misunderstanding #2: Why is my cat clawing the rug, even after I've told him no? And yes, he does have a cat tree!
What Your Cat Wants: While this is similar to Misunderstanding #1, it requires a slightly different solution (right, kitties?). Your cat wants one of those scratch loungers that are so popular these days. You know, the ones made of corrugated cardboard and shaped like a cat bed. You see, sometimes we cats like to scratch vertically, and sometimes we like to do it horizontally. A scratch lounger works for those times we need to scratch horizontally. If that does not satisfy your cat, then maybe you need a horizontal scratcher made from a different type of material, like maybe... carpet!


Human Misunderstanding #3: My cat keeps chewing on my plants! And it seems like the more I shoo her away, the more she does it!
What Your Cat Wants: Your cat likes chomping on greens, and she is probably bored too. Using your plants as cat grass is killing two birds with one swipe, so to speak. She gets her greens and some excitement at the same time. But what is really going on is that she is telling you to dump your silly plants and buy some real cat grass and catnip plants instead. And throw some interactive toys into the bargain, so she will stop being so bored.


Human Misunderstanding #4: Why does my cat keep jumping on shelves and knocking things off? He even looks at me when he is doing it. Is he trying to spite me?
What Your Cat Wants: Obviously, he is telling you that the shelves are his territory and your dumb knickknacks are getting in his way! (Another "duh," moment, isn't it, fellow felines?) There are actually nice-looking cat shelves and catwalks you can invest in and hang on your walls. Maybe you should get some of those. What if your cat shuns them after you have put them up? Maybe you should put your knickknacks on them and lay down some carpeting on the shelves your cat was jumping on to begin with! The original shelves probably have a better window view of Bird TV, or of the kitchen.


See? Cat language is totally easy to understand!


Now if only the humans will take this advice. Sparkle is a famous author! You can buy her books on her blog, Sparkle, the award winning author, supermodel and Cat. They are called
Dear Sparkle: Advice from one Cat to Another  and Dear Sparkle: Cat to Cat Advice. You can also buy them on Amazon.


Sparkle does a lot of work on behalf of shelter cats and I, for one thank her for that.


Be sure to head over to the publicist's blog today where Pricilla is making a visit in spite of her vacation to give away three bars of her Cat's Got Your Goat soap.