Feline Friday: Chowing Down

Feline Friday was begun by Steve, the Burnt Food Dude, and i'm going to say it's because he likes cats, and wanted them to have their own day each week.  (We already know that every dog has its day, after all.)


It's always time to chow down around here, espcially with all of these now weaned and soon to be at the shelter for adoption kittens.

When i come downstairs at 5am, i set down a platter, scatter kitten kibble all over it, and let them go at it.  While they eat this, i mix formula and give them some in bowls, and fill bottles for the as yet unweaned little ones.

Stephen Hayes has pointed out that there seems to be no shortage of kittens needing bottle raising around here, and he's right.  Many people don't spay/neuter, leaving cats to have litters which are abandoned.  Many cats are feral, the cast offs of the people who formerly owned them, or are born to such abandoned pets and end up wild, reproducing and if their litter gets orphaned, there's a chance i will end up raising them.

Several rescue groups are working in the area to try to trap, neuter, and release as many feral cats as possible, to encourage owners to spay and neuter, and to end these heartbreaking problems.

For now, though, there are times like this, where i end up with 19 kittens from 8 litters, sponsored by 3 different rescue groups.  Eight of those are young enough that they still have to have a bottle, 3 are nibbling the dry food and taking some of their milk from a bowl, but still wanting the bottle, and the rest are weaned and go up for adoption within the week.

Today is:

Arcola Broom Corn Festival -- Arcola, IL, US (includes a parade; through Sunday)

Armed Forces Day -- Sao Tome and Principe

Defense Day -- Pakistan

Dri-jerbal -- Marshall Islands (Labor Day)

Ear and Trumpter Contests for Mice -- Fairy Calendar

Festa Della Rificolona -- Florence, Italy (one of Florences oldest and most colorful celebrations; through tomorrow)

Festival of the Vine -- Geneva, IL, US (celebrating the flavors of fall, especially good food and wine from around the world; through Sunday)

Flag Day -- Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

Freddy Mercury's Montreaux Memorial -- Montreaux, Switzerland (annual tribute to the work of Freddie Mercury; through Sunday)

Great Canadian Beer Festival -- Victoria, BC, Canada (through tomorrow)

Lazy Moms Day -- a day for mom to be lazy, and let the kids do the housework!

National Coffee Ice Cream Day -- Sweetie swears the best ever was at Howard Johnson Restaurants back in the day

Norwalk Seaport Oyster Festival -- Norwalk, CT, US (vintage ships, crafters, entertainment, oysters, and a Kids' Cove; through Sunday)

Ohio River Sternwheel Festival -- Marietta, OH, US (a three day riverfront extravaganza)

One Arm Dove Hunt -- Olney, TX, US (a one-of-a-kind event, begun by two Texas politicians from Olney who were both amputees, they and the town of Olney invite every amputee or person who has lost use of a hand or arm to come to "The Friendliest Town West of the Mississippi River" for Texas food, fun, a glove swap, musical entertainment, one arm jokes and tales, one arm golf tournament, the famous 10 cents a finger breakfast, a Cow Chip Chunk'n, Amputee Vs. Politician, and the big dove hunt; through tomorrow)

Popeye Picnic -- Chester, IL, US (celebrate everyone's favorite cartoon sailor in the town where his creator, E.C. Segar, was born; through Sunday)

Puyallup Fair -- Puyallup, WA, US (one of the top ten fairs in attendance in the world; through the 22nd)

Read A Book Day -- can't find the history on it, but enjoy!

Rosh Hashanah -- Judaism (ends today at evening)

Sacrifice to Hera Thelchinia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (date approximate)

Somhlolo Day -- Swaziland (Independence Day)

St. Magnus of Fussen's Day (Patron of crops; against caterpillars, hail, lightning, reptiles, vermin)

Stillbirth Remembrance Day -- Canada (some Provinces); US

Thiruvonam Festival -- KL, PY, India (start of the ten day festival of Onam)

Unification Day -- Bulgaria

Walker Cup -- Southampton, NY, US (biennial competition between amateur teams from the US and UK; through Sunday)


Birthdays Today:

Jeff Foxworthy, 1958
Jane Curtin, 1947
Swoosie Kurtz, 1944
Jo Anne Worley, 1937
Joseph P. Kennedy, 1888
Jane Addams, 1860
Marquis de Lafayette, 1757


Today in History:

The Victoria, the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, returns to Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, becoming the first ship to circumnavigate the world, 1522
The Spanish "Silver Fleet" disappears off the Florida Keys, 1622
Founding of Salem, Massachussetts, 1628
The first US lighthouse is built in Boston, 1716
Hurricane hits Martinique and Guadalupe, hundreds of ships sink and thousands die on land and at sea, 1776
Thomas Blanchard patents the lathe, 1819
Oberlin Collegiate Institute of Ohio becomes co-ed, with 4 women and 30 men in attendance, 1837
Louisa Ann Swain of Laramie, Wyoming becomes the first woman in the United States to cast a vote legally after 1807, 1870
Juliana becomes Queen of the Netherlands, 1948
Canada's first television station, CBFT-TV, opens in Montreal, 1952
Nine Israeli athletes are killed during a rescue attempt after being kidnapped at the Munich Olympic Games; two had died during the kidnapping the day before, 1972
The Soviet Union recognizes the independence of the Baltic states:
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and restores the name St. Petersburg to Russia's second largest city, 1991
Cal Ripken Jr of the Baltimore Orioles plays in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking a record that stood for 56 years, 1995
Diana, Princess of Wales is laid to rest in front of a television audience of more than 2.5 billion, 1997