thoughts on "the cat in art," 1901

IF the cat has been exiled from ecclesiastical architecture, she has triumphed in Christian art. The early Italian masters admitted her over and over again into their sacred pictures, painting her lovingly, and with a delicate appreciation, not only of her grace, but of her domestic character, as though they sought to represent through her the human, earthly, simple life which they blended so sweetly with the mysterious and divine. In many pictures of the Annunciation we find a cat drowsing upon the Blessed Virgin's work-basket, or curled up on a corner of her azure robe. We see her repeatedly in paintings of the Last Supper, the Marriage Feast at Cana, and the birth of the Blessed Virgin; which final subject — so dear to the Italian heart — was seldom deemed complete without the introduction of a cat into the spacious bed-chamber of Saint Ann.

This is all the more pleasing because of Pussy's conspicuous absence from Pagan art. The dog leaps by the side of Artemis, or bays at the moon while Endymion slumbers. The kid drinks from the shepherd's bowl, the young bull is led garlanded to the sacrifice, the stag falls, pierced by the hunter's dart. But of the little fireside Sphinx we have no sign nor token. She and she alone finds no place among the marble animals of the Vatican. Those wise and watchful hounds, those lions and wolves and spotted leopards make no room for her. We see the hare couching upon her form, and the lobster lying on its rocky bed; but for the most beautiful of domestic animals we search, and search in vain.

Only in the Capitoline Museum may be found a spirited bas-relief, of a late period, which represents a woman trying to teach her cat to dance to the music of a lyre. The cat, a sullen beast with no love of music or dancing in its soul, has paused in the unwelcome task to snap viciously at a young duck, which, with obvious lack of caution, is thrusting forward its inquisitive head.

-- from Agnes Repplier, The Fireside Sphinx (Houghton, Mifflin and Co., 1901), pps. 104-5 (the beginning of Chapter VI, "The Cat in Art," which includes the illustration above. Text and image not in copyright.)

Thanksgiving Hazards for Household Pets

By Suzanne Alicie

Thanksgiving is coming up soon. We all know what that means – indulging in all kinds of traditional foods and desserts, visiting with family, and enjoying the blessings of all we have. As enjoyable as Thanksgiving is for humans, the holiday offers many dangers for our household pets. As a responsible pet owner, there are things you should watch out for with dogs and cats in the house on Thanksgiving.

The following items are hazards that could cause you to end up spending the holiday evening at the vet’s office or the emergency pet hospital instead of watching the football game with your family.

1. Many Thanksgiving foods are bad for your pets. The main foods to make sure your pets don’t eat are turkey and turkey bones. Turkey contains L-Tryptophan which is known to induce sleeping. Because of the size of your pets’ body this can lead to listlessness and lethargy. The real danger is in the turkey bones, which can cause intestinal obstructions, punctures, tears and internal bleeding. Turkey bones, like most other poultry bones, splinter and have jagged edges. For more information, read Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog.

2. Guests and pets don’t always mix well. If there are small children who may upset your pet in their excitement, or guests who may be allergic or just not “pet people,” keeping your pet confined away from the guests is probably the best choice for the day. Many times even calm and friendly pets get a little nervous when the house is full of people and children. The noise and activity could lead to a scratching, hissing cat or a snapping and growling dog.

3. The kitchen can be dangerous place for your pet to be, with hot dishes everywhere and people bustling around to get the Thanksgiving dinner on the table. Pets in a busy kitchen can get accidentally stepped on and tripped over. Again, confining your pet in another room for the day is the best choice for his health and the safety of the people in the kitchen.

4. If you have to sequester your pets for the day, they may be feeling a little left out. Give them something special by providing a healthy treat such as CANIDAE Snap-Bits™ as you visit them throughout the day. You could even prepare a small Thanksgiving treat for your pet, making sure to avoid the dangerous foods that you have on the table. Avoid fat trimmings and foods that pets shouldn’t eat, and don’t go overboard. A few bites is plenty and won’t cause stomach upset.

Keep both your pets and your guests safe and healthy through the holiday season by practicing common sense and doing everything you can to ensure your pet’s comfort during this time. The upheaval of being confined, of lots of different smells and voices in the house and not being able to have their normal routine can cause your pet to act out, or feel resentment. Be sure to praise your pet when they’re behaving, and visit with them often throughout the day.

No matter how many guests you have, your pet is also a family member and doesn’t understand what Thanksgiving is. Imagine how you’d feel if your spouse locked you in a bedroom and disappeared for the whole day, while you could smell wonderful foods and hear people talking and laughing. You wouldn’t be very happy, and that is about how your pet would feel too. Simply appearing to visit with them and pet them for a few moments throughout the day will reassure them. 

Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie

Putin Falls in Love

Russian PM Vladimir Putin hugs and kisses the Bulgarian Shepherd puppy that his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov presented to him in Sofia on Saturday, Nov 13.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister has a passion for canine pets and the Bulgarian Shepherd Dog is his favorite breed. He states that politicians should be like these dogs, explaining that a Bulgarian Shepherd is "faithful, strong, fights predators and bad people, and is a very good guard."

Another male puppy of Borisov's is reportedly being secretly trained as a gift for present US President Barack Obama.

Source

portrait of a little dog

public domain, thanks again wikimedia commons

"Portrait of a Maltese dog, oil on canvas, 40 x 31.5 cm. 19th c. Anonymous British painter." I have to admit I do not find this a completely well-executed work: though the brushwork and handling is competent, the background is an unpleasant rusty color and little is provided in the way of personalizing this fellow. Plus his nose is so shiny. Have you ever seen that shiny a nose on a dog?

I wonder if this isn't a work meant not so much for a fond owner, but for some kind of catalog, perhaps a breeder. Yet there's the funny salmon-colored pompom collar, which is unusual - well, maybe this was a private "snapshot." It was the pompoms that sold me on choosing him today, anyway.

How to Curb Your Dog's On-Leash Aggression

By Linda Cole

Going for a walk with your dog is a great activity you can enjoy together. It’s a chance to get some exercise, fresh air and quality time to bond. But it’s not much fun if your dog turns into a snarling, excited dog who drags you down the street as he races towards everyone and every dog he sees. Some dogs become so excited that their eagerness turns into aggression towards you and everything else within their reach. On-leash aggression is a serious dog behavior issue that needs to be corrected as soon as possible.

I have a 10 month old Border Collie who can't wait to get outside for a walk or to play in the dog pen. She's fine once we get her outside – it's the transition that creates an aggressive behavior with the other dogs and sometimes with us. Putting on her leash only adds to her aggression.

Any kind of aggression should never be allowed to continue because by not correcting this type of behavior, the dog learns it's acceptable and their aggression will only get worse. On-leash aggression needs a firm hand, but not in a forceful manner. Matching your dog's aggressive behavior with equal force will only make him feel more stressed out, adding to his excitement and aggression. Positive reinforcement is your best option in correcting your dog's on-leash aggression. It's also important for you to remember to stay calm when your dog is on a leash. He will pick up on this and react to the same type of energy you're putting out. Dogs are experts at picking up our emotions and if you tense up, he can feel that energy through his leash which will increase his on-leash aggression.

Positive reinforcement is a combination of praise and plenty of your dog's favorite treats, such as CANIDAE Snap-Bits™. As with any dog training session, stay consistent, calm and patient. Have fun with your training and make a game out of it. Teach your dog to focus on you when you call his name. My dog's name is Keikei, and I say “Keikei, focus.” You can use any word you want such as “look” or “here.” Just make it something simple and easy for them to understand. As soon as your dog makes eye contact with you, give him a treat and praise.

The goal is to get your dog to focus on you and not on an approaching dog, cat, squirrel or person. Instead of grabbing the leash in an effort to pull him closer to you, you're teaching him to look at you instead, which helps calm him down. When your dog is making eye contact every time you give him the command, start to move away from him to really get him to focus on you. When you call him and he makes eye contact, move a few steps away from him. He should follow you as you move. Reward him for following and then making eye contact with you in the new spot.

This is an exercise you will need to practice every day, and you need to begin in an area where there are no distractions for your dog. As he begins to understand what you want, then you can add distractions to continue your dog's training. After your dog consistently ignores other distractions when you call his name, you can stop giving him treats and continue with praise, but carrying treats with you on a walk is no big deal and that added incentive can make a difference.

This is an important dog training exercise to help curb your dog's on-leash aggression because it will also change his body language and the signals he's sending to other dogs. When he breaks his eye contact with an approaching dog and focuses on you instead, he's giving the other dog a non-threatening signal which can also help keep that dog in a more relaxed state of mind.

Aggressive behavior is not something that's corrected overnight. We've been working with Keikei for two months. On-leash aggression can be dealt with by teaching your dog that good things happen when they look at you and an approaching dog or person is nothing to feel anxious about or intimidated. You're teaching your dog that when other dogs are around, it's good for him because he gets a treat and lots of praise.

On-leash aggression is serious and can be dangerous for you, your dog and to other people and their pet. As responsible pet owners, we need to have control of our dogs at all times. Positive reinforcement can give you a well-trained dog who understands what you expect from him and helps you keep him under control when you need him to behave.

Photo by Clix

Read more articles by Linda Cole

Cute Cat Crafts to Make

By Tamara L. Waters

Meow! Cats inspire more than just cartoons and humor, they can inspire crafts too. If you are a cat fan or know someone who is, try out a few homemade projects to decorate your home or give as gifts. If you have kids, they will also enjoy these kitty cat crafts on a rainy day or to bust some boredom.

Printable Cat Crafts for Kids

For young children, printable paper crafts are fun and easy to do. Whether you are looking for templates to create toilet paper tube kitties, cross stitch patterns or other simple cat crafts, this website has lots of them. This is my favorite go-to site for simple crafts for the kids.

Kitty Treat Jar

Save a plastic peanut butter jar with lid to create a cute kitty treat container. Wash the jar out thoroughly. Use felt to cut out cat eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Glue them onto the jar to create a cat face. Be sure you don't glue anything in such a way as to obstruct the lid. Store your kitty treats in the jar.

Assorted Cat Crafts

I found a great website that offers a variety of cute crafts: daniellesplace.com has cat-inspired crafts that are fun to make and appeal to all ages. From a decorated tuna can food bowl to placemats for feeding your kitty on, to simple paper plate crafts and more, you can find it here. There are step-by-step instructions and links, and it is definitely a craft site worth checking out. About.com also has a listing of assorted cat crafts and links to websites featuring cat crafts.

Cat Face Luminary

For this craft you will need craft paint, slick puff paints, clear spray paint (to seal the paints), a glass jar and a candle (a battery operated tea light will be safest).

Start by making sure the jar is clean and dry. Use the puff paints to create a cat's face on one side of the jar. Leave parts of the face open (the mouth, the eyes) to allow the candle to shine through. Paint and decorate the rest of the jar so it looks like a cat. Use a fine-tipped paint brush and black paint to create whiskers. After all of the paint has dried, take the jar outside and spray the outside with clear spray paint to seal it. Allow the jar to dry thoroughly, add a candle and you've got a unique decoration!

Sock Mouse Toy

This craft is more for your kitty than for you, but you will benefit from the fun of watching your kitty play. Cut the toe end off of a sock – any color will do. Put a jingle bell and a bit of crinkly cellophane (or use a piece of a grocery bag – you know, the noisy kind) in the sock piece. If you have catnip, add some of it.  Sew up the sock piece then sew a length of yarn for a tail onto one end. Tie another jingle bell onto the end of the tail. For a variation, use a pipe cleaner instead of yarn (you might have to attach it by pushing it through the sock material then twisting it back onto itself). My cats seem to adore pipe cleaners. Don't forget the jingle bell on the “tail.”

Books

There are lots of books that offer instructions for fun cat crafts. I checked Amazon.com and found "Cat Crafts (Kids Can Do It)" by Linda Hembry, "Cat Crafts: More than 50 Purrrfect Projects" by Dawn Cusick, and "Sassy Cats: Purr-fect Craft Projects" by Sheila Haynes Rauen. Browse through your local bookstore or library to see what is available, and enjoy your crafting fun!

Photos:  paper plate cat crafts, daniellesplace.com

Read more articles by Tamara L. Waters

Video: Rescued Baby Hummingbird

Awwwwwww . . .