Sammy, being a cat, was naturally very curious.  As a young kitten, he was always touching and smelling things to find out what they were.  Sometimes, this did not make the humans in the household very happy!  His mother tried to teach him what was okay to play with or smell; sometimes he paid attention, but most of the time he didn't.  The humans were getting very frustrated with him and tried using water bottles to spray him when he did something wrong.  He'd just wait until they put the water bottle away and do it again!  His mother was getting angry with him too and would slap him alongside the head with her paw.  Sammy just kept on being Sammy.

Finally, the humans decided to let him go into the yard.  If he played enough outside and explored everything there was to see, maybe he would be tired when he came in and would just sleep.  Sammy was one happy cat!  He practiced his hunting skills with anything that moved, such as leaves, bugs, birds, etc.  Nothing escaped his attention!  He smelled the flowers, the grass, the dirt and decided that this big wide world of a yard was very exciting.  Several months went by and things seemed to settle down in the house.  No more using the spray bottle because Sammy was very content to just sleep and eat.  His mother was very happy she didn't have to bop him alongside the head anymore.

Now the house that Sammy lived in was close to the woods.  And in the woods, there was a pond.  Sammy didn't know this because he was busy just playing the yard and couldn't see over the wood fence.  But, one day, when he made a big leap to try to catch a bird, he landed on top of the fence!  Oh, my!  What is this?  He couldn't believe there was more to explore.  This was a whole new world!  Of course, he couldn't resist the temptation, so he jumped down to see what this was all about.  He was so busy walking, smelling, and listening that he didn't realize how far he was getting away from the house.  Pretty soon he came to the pond.  He was trying to figure out where the bowl was that held this much water.

He heard a strange sound.  There was something that seemed to be floating in the water.  Sammy had never seen a creature like this and had no idea what it was.  It just ignored him and kept floating and making this strange sound.  Pretty soon the creature started to float towards him.  Part of him wanted to run; part of him wanted to find out what this thing was.  So, he sat down and waited.  It came out of the water, and Sammy wanted to laugh.  What a funny looking thing!  It had feathers, big feet, and things that spread out and flapped!  For a few minutes, they just looked at each other.

Finally, Sammy asked the creature what it was.  "I'm a duck", it replied.  "What are you doing here?  Don't you live in the house near the woods?"  Sammy realized that he didn't know where the house was now because he had lost sight of the fence.  "Yes, I do, but I don't know how to get home", said Sammy.  "That's okay", said the duck.  "I'll show you the way."  The duck, did indeed, show him the way home, and they were best friends forever.

As I was struggling to get my coat, my hat, my gloves, etc. on the other day, I looked at Kirby and said to him, "Kirby, you're so lucky that you don't have to struggle with all these clothes!"  (Yes, I talk to my cat as though he is a person because he really thinks he is!)  That brought to mind the Petcentric article I had tweeted the other day.  Spring is just around the corner; however, we still need to protect our pets from the cold.  Just because they have fur or hair doesn't mean they are immune.  Even though my boys are indoor cats, there are basic tips that I need to follow.

 The article suggested putting a warm sweater on your pet.  Lots of luck with mine on that one!!  But, I do have pet beds with blankets and a nice warm lap with a comforter spread across it for them to sleep on at night.  During the day, we keep the shades up on the south side of the house.  My bed is by the south window where they can stretch out on the bed, bask in the sun, and have a wonderful nap.

There are many dangers for pets outside in the winter.  Climbing into places that might be warm, such as a car engine, could prove fatal.  Bang on your car hood if it's kept outside before starting it up.  All of the chemicals used by cities and towns on the roadways are also harmful to your pet.  Wiping their feet with a towel when they come in can keep their feet from getting irritated as well as keeping the chemical from getting into their system when they lick their feet.

For more information on basic winter care tips for your pet, check out the article at http://www.petcentric.com/Knowledge/Articles/Protect-Your-Pet-Against-The-Cold.aspx?articleid=22c4b2fd-e8b4-4ae8-857e-602f66f90f1b