Thanksgiving Aftermath

 Whoa Nellie!

The Thanksgiving holiday, observed last Thursday here in the USA, can exact a toll:

Ouch!: photo by Cliff Hutson

Between the Thanksgiving Day meal itself, and making use of any leftovers, many people have trouble following their regular food regimes.  And, at least one of us apparently paid the price. [Those are my feet in the above photo.]

Turkey & Biscuit Sandwiches: photo by Cliff Hutson

I have a particular fondness for the rolls or biscuits severed with dinner. My late wife used to make a batch just for me. Those that I don't polish off then are used to make sandwiches with the leftover turkey. On this occasion, I went with avocado - I actually prefer jellied cranberry sauce from a can.  That may sound odd to you, but I have been doing that for years and have made some converts to the cause.

Pumpkin Pie: photo by Cliff Hutson

Pumpkin pie is also a favorite. I bet that I will not get many arguments with that.

 Homemade Apple Pie: photo by Cliff Hutson

Apple pie, of course, is nothing to sneeze at. This serving was presented with a topping of Dulce de Leche ice cream.

I hope that, if Thanksgiving Day is a holiday on your calendar, it was good one. 

GLOBAL CAT DAY & More Seafood

Global Cat Day

Cat Crossing: photo by Cliff Hutson

October 16 is Global Cat Day which recognizes the need to adopt and foster cats. There have been two official Hutson family cats - the late great Pumpkin (זצ״ל) and Mini, the patch cat. Both were rescues.

Pumpkin and Mini: photo by Cliff Hutson

My neighbor does not actually adopt feral cats, but she practices Trap-Neuter-Return which benefits both the individual cat and the environment.

Wall Cat: photo by Cliff Hutson

Global Cat Day is also known as Feral Cat Day. Either way, it is a good day to reflect on how to help our furry neighbors. 

Neighborhood Cat: photo by Cliff Hutson

Seafood

Lobster Tacos: photo by Cliff Hutson

My daughter and I met for dinner, this past Monday, at La Grande Orange Cafe in Pasadena, which led to a very fortunate National Seafood Month encounter. 

One of that night's specials was Lobster Tacos. Our server highly recommended this entree, but we were a bit leery - imagining some chopped up "lobster" in a taco shell. However, we both ordered it and were blown away by the dish. 

I guess that one could call it a deconstructed taco as what was placed before us was an actual lobster tail, with marvelous tortillas on the side. (Sadly, in my excitement, I neglected to include a tortilla in this photo.) Thus we I had to build my own tacos and enjoy one of the best meals that I ever had. 

Days of the Cat

Mini and Pumpkin: photo by Cliff Hutson

This week has two days involving cats. National Feral Cat Day is observed annually on October 16. And, October 17 was the twelfth anniversary of a cat, who became known as Pumpkin, walking up our driveway while my wife was gardening in the front flowerbeds, and convincing her that he should live with us.

Feral Cats

Feral Cat: photo by Cliff Hutson

A feral cat is a cat that has been born to a stray or another feral cat and is unaccustomed to interacting with humans. They may be so afraid of people that they are unable to be handled, let alone adopted.

Many people object to feral cats as they can create problems by urinating, defecating, digging in yards and gardens. I did not really mind them  jumping on my car, but some people can see why others take umbrage at the paw prints.  The feral cats can also be upsetting to owned cats. But, perhaps the main problem is that, left to their own devices, they will reproduce like the proverbial rabbits. Since a female cat can become pregnant as early as five months of age, the number of feral cats in a neighborhood can rapidly increase if cats aren't spayed or neutered. Trap-neuter-return (TNR) is a solution to this problem. 

TNR is a program through which feral cats are humanely trapped; sterilized and medically treated. The tip of one ear surgically removed - a "tipped" ear is the universally-recognized sign of a cat who has been spayed or neutered. The cat will then be returned to the location where they were found. Those cats found suffering with terminal or untreatable illnesses or injuries are euthanized. 

My next door neighbor participates in TNR. She feeds them after their return, so they tend to stick around and form a colony. Her cats like to hang out on our adjoining wall, and in my drive. (They also liked to sleep on the hood of my car. I don’t think that they have fully forgiven me for switching to a SUV which is too tall for them to reach.) Many people on the block assume that they are mine. This enhances my reputation as "that strange old man".

Actually, only two cats, Pumpkin and Mini, live with me. Both were stays.

Stray Cats

Pumpkin: photo by Cliff Hutson

A stray cat is a pet who has been lost or abandoned, is used to contact with people and is tame enough to be adopted.

Pumpkin had a collar, but no tags nor ID. Our first thought was to find his owners by putting up posters. We took him in to the IVHS to see if he was chipped - he was not; or if anyone would inquire about him - no one did. So, he came to live with us. We thought we were really clever naming an orange cat "Pumpkin". (Especially in the month of October.) But, it seems we were not the first. "Pumpkin" is fortieth on the list of 100 popular cat names.

Mini: photo by Cliff Hutson

We adopted Mini not quite a year later. She came from a cat rescue group that had found her in a vacant house. Picking a name for her was more difficult. It seems that during the first week it changed on a daily basis, if not hourly. She was very tiny, being only about five months, and it looked like she would always be small. So, I hit up on "Mini", after the car, and it stuck. 

Cats make great companions in the right household. My cats and I have what could be called a strong bond. Both got along well with our dogs, too. The only downside for me is that they never encourage me to go for a walk, and I have gotten a little lazier as a result. 

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Cats and Health

I read in Spry Magazine that owning a cat has a real benefit to my health. Cat owners are 40% less likely to of a heart attack and 30% less likely to die of stroke, heart failure, or cardiovascular disease.

The blurb said that one reason maybe that interacting with cats reduces anxiety and stress. However, I find that cat ownership certainly has its own set of demands. As the joke goes - "Cats, e.g. Pumpkin (pictured) and Mini, are alarm clocks that need to be fed."

Having a dog like my Holly, of course, encourages many people to get more exercise through taking walks, playing fetch, and the like. However, Spry maintains that pets, even fish, are associated with better health in their owners.