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.

Marmots Unite!

Free Mukmuk: the 'other' Olympic mascot

I am one those people who likes to do a vanity Google search from time to to time. If I were to be perfectly honest I will have to admit that I actually use "Google Alerts"to let me know when "The Marmot" or "Cliff Hutson" is mentioned in cyberspace.

Most of the hits I get on "The Marmot" are for the clothing company or some guy in Korea. Depending on how active I have been, not much lately, my Flickr and PBase work will show. However, tonight, Google came up with this touching little story, in the Vancouver Sun, about a fellow marmot (see the top link).

How can I not take up the banner for Mukmuk? We have to stick together even if I am not Canadian. I also love to eat, think orange is a great color (or colour), and would hibernate if I could get away with it.

So, lets hear it for the Marmot!