It’s cutest kitten picture of the week time! This week’s photo is from the Webshots album of “ MD72.” This person has an entire album of cats and kittens and the kitten pictures in it are absolutely adorable. I mean, most kitten pictures ARE adorable if you are a cat-fanatic like I am, but these ones are really special.

I couldn’t resist this one for obvious reasons: they’re called ears. The kitten picture info from Webshots says that this cat is an Ocicat named Domingo. How cute! They should have called him Dumbo though

Check out the MD72 “Cats and Kittens” album for more pictures of this little guy and some other really sweet kitten photos. Or visit the Pets Category on Webshots.com. They have great stuff over there!

It’s time again for the cutest kitty of the week!

This week’s cute kitten picture is of a Bengal baby named Clyde. I found this kitten picture album in the “musselburghmaw” kittens album on Webshots.com. I just had to feature two kitten pictures this week because this little guy is just so adorable. He’s ALL legs! And EARS!

For more cute kitten pictures, visit this person’s “My Bengal Kitten and Favorite Cat” album on Webshots.com or just go to the Pets Category page on their website.

It is so sad.

The shelter I volunteer at locally has seen a HUGE increase (over 30%) in surrenders this year (over last year at this time). Be it foreclosure, vet bills, or whatever… people just don’t have the money to pay for their pets’ care anymore because the economy is so bad.

I can see right through people’s usual excuses when they drop off their lifelong pet for adoption. Most are just too lazy to care for them or think they aren’t as cute anymore once their adults (and not “cute” puppies and kittens).

But people lately have legitimate, bona fide reasons for surrendering their cats and dogs.

Let’s see… fix Fido’s hips or fill up the gas tank so I can get to work. Essentially: fix Fido or get fired.

Hmmmn.

It’s absolutely heartbreaking.

I just found this story on MSNBC.com talking about other areas hard hit by foreclosures and the economy and the effect that it’s having on pet owners. Have a look…

FRANKLIN, Mass. - Diana Bardsley wiped tears from her eyes as she recalled taking food off her plate to feed her beloved spaniel Hunter and two Siamese cats.

Her greatest fear: that she could be forced to surrender the animals as she struggled to stretch her food stamps and Social Security income to meet the escalating cost of living.

Some hope was restored after she visited a local food pantry, which has started offering free pet food to help owners keep their animals out of shelters.

“I know a lot of people will probably say, ‘Well, if you don’t have enough money to be able to feed your animals, that you shouldn’t have pets,”’ said Bardsley, 53, of Franklin, as Hunter played in the living room with three of her grandchildren.

But, “Just because financially you may go downhill a little or a lot, doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give up the part of your family that you love,” she said.

For some pet owners, though, there is little choice.”

Check out the rest of the article here.  ** WARNING: You will probably need Kleenex.**

Did you know that this month is the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal’s Adopt a Shelter Cat Month?

The group has all sorts of cool activities on its website and they’re all about kitties. All month. There is a photo contest, a fun cat quiz (well it’s actually a survey but it’s still fun), a Cat Care Guide, and all kinds of other neat stuff.

Do you know someone who is interested in getting a little furball for themselves? Send them to an ASPCA shelter in their area for a rescue pet! Whatever you do, DON’T let them go to a breeder!

It’s time for the cute kitten of the week! (I love this time of week.) This guy looks like he is preparing to climb his human’s leg for a little treat or something. Perhaps he smells fish…?

This photo is courtesy Judy Thornsberry and Webshots. Check out Judy’s full album of kitten pictures or go to the Pets Category on Webshots for more cute kitten pictures.

Okay so I couldn’t resist posting this cat picture (even though it’s not a kitten picture) because it’s of my little man, Theodore. He is such a cuddler in his old age. Check it out…

It’s time for the kitten pictures of the week again!

These guys look like they are taking over the family business in this home office. The human world is their jungle gym…

This cute kitten picture is from one of my favorite photographers in Webshots.com, Judy Thornsberry. Visit Judy’s Kittens Album for tons more cute kitten pictures, or take a gander at the Pets Category in Webshots.com.

According to BlueMountain.com, its Hug Your Cat Day! I don’t need a special reason to hug my cats - they get tons of love every day of the week, but how cool is this eCard? Send the Hug Your Cat Day eCard to all your fellow cat-lovers!

It’s time for the Cutest Kitty of the Week! This cute kitten picture shows how this little one has wedged himself between a bag of cat food and some kind of grate. What would kittens be if not mischievous?!

There are many other kitten pictures, namely of this littly guy, in the KelliMays album at Webshots.com. Webshots also has an extense Pets Category with tons of other great pet pictures!

So you want to go on vacation but don’t want to leave poor Fido in doggie-daycare and poor Fluffy at the kitty-inn… And who could blame you? Pets are part of the family so why shouldn’t they get to come on vacation, too?Whether you’re looking to take your pet on “vacay” or you’re moving and need to travel with pets, there are plenty of options out there for pet-friendly travel, transportation and pet-friendly hotels.

** First and foremost, before you leave make sure your pet is healthy enough to travel. Sometimes your vet may recommend he/she is not fit for travel based on age, temperament, health conditions, etc. Also be sure your pet has been properly vaccinated and is up-to-date on all other shots.**

For air travel
Check out the airlines’ pet travel policies before you book tickets. Most major airlines allow small animals to travel in the cabin with you but 8 weeks advance notice (for permission) is required. There is a cap on how many animals can be in the cabin so its first come, first serve. Also, you must check in at the ticket counter and are not permitted to take your pet out of its carrier if it’s in the cabin with you.

For car travel
Dogs:
Most people will tell you that unless you have a leash run and dog seatbelt in the backseat of your car or truck, your dog should be kept in a carrier when traveling in the car. We, however, drove from California to Ohio with two 85-lb Golden Retrievers comfortably napping in the extended cab of a Cadillac Escalade. They were very well-behaved. They had plenty of water and blankets and were able to stick their heads out the window if they wanted. If your dog is somewhat hyper I do not recommend this. After reading PetTravelCenter I do not think I would do this again.

Cats:
We also had three cats roaming free in a separate car. They were sedated however so they slept the whole time. We provided water and a litter box for them (they chose to use the litter box only when we were stopped). Although we read that its better to contain your cats, our cats become extremely tense and anxious when they are put in carriers and the vet said that based on that, we could let them roam free while mildly sedated.

So aside from my experience, PetTravelCenter offers all kinds of travel tips, such as the following:
“You should safely secure your pet while traveling. An unrestrained pet can become a deadly projectile in the event of a sudden stop or crash, causing serious injury (even death) to passengers. For example, an unsecured, 25-pound dog in a 40 mph crash becomes a 1,000-pound mass (half a ton) flying uncontrollably inside the vehicle.”

Click here for more helpful tips from them.

Pet Friendly Hotels
The best place to find pet-friendly hotels is through the American Automobile Association (AAA). If you are not an AAA member, you can find pet friendly hotels online. www.PetsWelcome.com has the most extensive list online of pet-friendly hotels and they are organized by state for easy navigating. You can also check out www.doginmysuitcase.com. All you do is pop in your travel information by city and they present you with an extensive list of hotels and motels of all sizes.

Happy Travels!