What a remarkable day this is. I am yawning and laughing at the same time. Looking back over the last two years – where we started and where we got to – can be pretty darn tiring and completely exhilarating all at once.
We have had fits and frustrations over the why’s and wherefore’s of keeping up a web site. We are still trying to get it all sorted out. But today. we forget about the tears and only remember the laughter. We are motivated and excited. Most of all, we are having fun. This adventure will not come to an end anytime soon!
Thank you to our readers and all the wonderful critters who write to Ask Fisher for advice. Thanks to my editor and his staff, my advice column continues to publish in the tbt* Tampa Bay Times. Without you all, we would surely lose momentum.
Just for kicks and with a slight bit of embarrassment, I thought it would be fun to re-post (without re-editing) my very first blog. The only difference is we added a photo to show how intimidated I really was. tee hee

Hello world!

Hello!
My name is Fisher.
This is my fist blog and I am very excited to talk with you. I decided to start this blog in order for us “pets” to discuss matters that are important to us in our world. To me, the idea of getting advice is to get another perspective on things that concern us.
What qualifies me to give advice, you might ask? I have been a cat for at least 6 lifetimes now, and have seen some pretty interesting stuff, met some interesting people, and been in some strange situations. For some reason, through all this, I have developed an ability to tune in to other beings. I suppose you could call me a kitty psychic, but you can just about imagine what the talk shows would do with that one! I don’t think your humans would be happy about that at all! Some of them don’t realize how much we think about things and have opinions about things, and oh yeah – have reasons for our actions.
We love our humans an awful awful lot and most of us are really really happy with them, but sometimes we just want to express ourselves without them suddenly up and changing our cat food because we are acting a little weird that day.
This blog is all about community – you might want to tell a funny story about your human, or your sibling, or the other pets in your household. You might want to whine a little. Admit it – we all do that at some time or other. You might want to ask your new community why your human insists on putting bows in hair, or whose idea was it to decide that you are Irish on St Paddy’s day anyway?? Why not go where you can really share with others of like mind. Your humans do it. You can too. Just ask.

Your friend,
Fisher

It’s a movement.

It’s a beautiful idea.

It’s happening!


Operation Happy Sock —

give a homeless cat a lift!

Your local shelter probably has limited funding for cat toys, but now you — or your kids — can help out. It’s a great idea whose time has come.

Operation Happy Sock is a fun, simple way for kids (or anyone) to help homeless cats at their local animal shelter.

Collect unwanted socks and turn them into simple — but very effective and highly desirable — catnip toys!

Happy Socks are super simple to make: just take a sock and stuff it with a fistful of poly fill and a big pinch of catnip. Tie a knot in the ankle and you’ve made a Happy Sock!

Happy Socks can be made from almost any kind of sock. And cats love Happy Sock catnip toys because they’re big, fluffy and durable.

Dipper with the very first Happy Sock!

For complete details and how to get started, go to: Happy Sock headquarters.

Send suggestions to add to the list of groups and organizations:

1. Brownies, Cubs and Scouts
2. Any festival or event that has a special kids area
3. Meet-Up groups for animal welfare

Please pass this message along!

sxc.hu/gallery/dirtypaper

For those who are convinced that a black cat crossing their path is bad luck, I just want to say, some of my best friends are black cats. They are not all that different from me or my other friends, who are orange, gray, tiger striped, or a huge mix of other colors. According to Mary Anne Miller, in her article The Mystique behind Black Cats, “One of the three prevalent superstitions alive in our culture today concerns the black cat. These superstitions are: the number 13 being unlucky, you don’t walk under an open ladder, and if a black cat crosses your path, it is considered bad luck.”

But, there is no convincing some folks who really believe in such bad luck superstitions. I wonder if they ever have nightmares about, oh, let us say, 13 black cats all sitting under a ladder! Mercy.

Ms. Miller explains that in ancient Egypt, the black cat and good luck went together hand and paw. One very special black cat named BAST was so revered for her powers of riches and prosperity, she became the official deity. The history of the black cat and good luck is very positive in Sumatra, the Yorkshires, and much of Europe and England.

So what happened? The Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock and changed history in more ways than one. Their fear of witches who often kept company with black cats just ruined the reputation created by so many wonderful black cats across the water.

Halloween will soon be here. Some revelers will take the opportunity to seek out and cause harm to cats – and these types really do not care what color. These trouble-makers are suspicious and afraid of cats. This is the night for you to stay home, wherever it is. Be safe. Be aware.
So what do you think of black cats?
- Fisher