More than one way to wash a cat

Ever tried to wash a cat? Normally you don't have to, but if their fur ever gets really matted, you sometimes have to intervene. I've done it from time to time, and have never escaped without scratches all over my body and a seriously disrupted bathroom.

Here's an interesting idea, though I'm not sure what to think. Cat's view baths as evil no matter how they're done, but is this cruel and unusual punishment?



They were talking about this on the radio here in Colorado, and it's obvious the hosts hadn't seen the actual video. Their understanding was that the cat was placed in a regular (laundry) washing machine for entertainment. They spent 30 minutes harping on how horrible it was that teenagers today viewed this as entertainment and would enjoy seeing a cat tortured. Well, maybe the cat was tortured, but all baths are to cats (and some kids). I'm not sure what to think of this device. Would you wash your cat in this thing?

Barbaro Put Down

Man, things seemed to be going so well. The Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro has been put down after a spirited fight against a shattered hind leg. All of America was pulling for him. Today is a dark day.

Birdy Blues

My daughter has a little Quaker Parakeet named Oatey (get it?). We've had him for almost a year, and he's been a great little bird. Quakers are about the size of a Cockatiel, but a bit leaner. On a recent visit to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (a pretty cool place with a pretty lame website) in Colorado Springs, I learned that these guys are the only parrots that are hardy enough to live in the wild in Colorado's climate (though those that do are often abandoned pets). They had a pair that had been taken in after being discovered nesting on a power pole.

Oatey isn't so tough, however. A few months after we got him, we discovered that he has a liver problem. After several visits to the vet, some medicine and lots of tender care, he seemed to recover fully.

In the past couple of days, however, we've noticed that his feathers are looking a bit rough like when he was sick and he doesn't seem to spend as much time grooming himself as he normally does. We're going to keep a close eye on him to make sure he's eating enough and getting enough attention.

(Quaker Parakeet Photo Credit: PionusParrot.com)

Your pet could look like Paris Hilton's

Paris Hilton, the -- well, you know who she is -- is launching her own line of pet apparel called the Paris Hilton Pet Collection with stylish pet apparel-maker Little Lilly. Their press release states that the brand is intended to appeal to "Fashion Forward" dogs. It looks like "forward" also refers to the indeterminate future, as no timeframe has been set for the the line's debut.

Will you be a taker? Should we carry the line on BaxterBoo.com? Sound off in the comments.

(Photo credit: Bill Cooke / AP file)

Wintry Wonderland

I live in the mountain paradise of Colorado. Paradise, that is, except for the last six weeks. We've been clobbered by one snowstorm after another every week since December 15th. I recently moved back here after living in the South for 10 years, so I've had to readjust.

One of our dogs, Dexter (a tall, skinny mutt that we got from a shelter and my best buddy), isn't so sure he likes the stuff. Whereas Baxter Boo (a hardened Colorado native Schnauzer) doesn't seem to even notice it, Dexter pussy-foots through the snow like a tip-toeing ballerina. Our Shitzu-Poodle mix, Dudley, is only about 8 inches high. He doesn't seem to mind the snow, even though he has to bound between footprints left by the bigger dogs.

Speaking of snow, you may have heard about the huge blizzard that hit Eastern Colorado, stranding thousands of cattle and making it hard for ranchers to feed them and keep them alive. There were drifts over 30 feet high in some places and hay had to be dropped via helicopter. The Colorado Cattlemen's Association has setup a donations website and a benefit concert to help ranchers and their families who have been hit the hardest. The losses in the area are expected to be in the hundreds of millions, with 15,000 cattle dying. Things look to get even worse as calving season starting, with calves being born in the extreme cold and deep snow. Take a look and consider making a donation.

(Photo Credit: Ahmad Terry @ Rocky Mountain News)

Muslim Cab Drivers vs. Seeing Eye Dogs

I had noted last September 11th that extremist Muslims often don't like dogs for religious reasons. I guess it's more of a mainstream Islamic issue than I had originally thought. Some Muslim cab drivers are refusing to allow people with dogs (even seeing eye dogs) into their cabs, according to ABC News. Here's an interesting commentary with more details on the phenomenon from last year.