Silly Fireworks Season #SundaySelfie

Here I am chilling out this easy Sunday, hoping tonight's fireworks for Bonfire Night, which actually falls on Tuesday 5th November, aren't too loud. 

It's impossible I know.

Fireworks don't bother me much to be honest, unless they're being fired off by our neighbours. That's too close for comfort. 

Mum detests fireworks. She says what's the point? If you've seen one firework display, you've seen them all.

I mean, just what is the fascination with deafening booms and flashing lights? As an animal lover, Mum can't  understand why people with pets like to participate as most of our neighbours and many locals do have pets. Do they even care how terrifying these explosive sounds can be for animals? And that's ALL animals, not just beloved pets.

Silent or low noise fireworks are now available, but obviously the majority of the noise-obsessed public won't find them "fun" at all. Unfortunately, being excessively loud and obnoxious is all some persons can be in order to suggest they are having a good time. 

One of my earlier memes for Bonfire Night

We're joining The Cat On My Head for Sunday Selfies.

If you're worried about your pets and fireworks here is a helpful video from Woodgreen Pets Charity, and also some advice on the charity's website here.

Silly Fireworks Sunday Selfie

Fireworks don't really bother me but they are annoying. Most times they are far too loud. Mum thinks they are horrible things because they upset animals. 

There were a lot of those crazy fireworks going off last night because tonight, November 5th, is Guy Fawkes' Night. Yeah, people should wait until it's the actual celebration day. It's nothing to do because it's the weekend, They do it every year - letting them off days and nights before (and after too). Some idiots do light them during daytime too.

We don't really care. We just want to snuggle indoors and keep warm. 

This photo wasn't taken during fireworks though. It was taken a few days ago. I make these eyes at Mum when she's at her desk and I want something.

We are joining The Cat On My Head for Sunday Selfies.

Caturday Art Fireworks Season

Happy Caturday! 

Yes, it's that time of the year again here in the UK. Fireworks Night (though these days it's more like Fireworks Season). 

I'm not really that scared of fireworks but they were very loud and so very close last year. Mum and I hate noise and disruption and Mum gets angry for the poor animals that get frightened. It's sad for some animals who are not someone's pet and not tucked up inside safe and sound and warm. Think of all the other poor animals and wildlife out there while all this is going on. It's like a warzone!

Have fireworks displays by all means - but only public displays where people gather in one place as a community for just the one night - 5th November - like it has always been traditionally. 

Some idiots set off fireworks unnecessarily and are a nuisance. You could be sleeping and all of a sudden one goes off in your street in the middle of the night! They frighten not only animals but some young children and there are some people that have phobias. They also injure thousands of people and animals every year. Fireworks going off unexpectedly are no fun for people with anxiety either! 

We are all for banning the sale of fireworks to the public as they are being sold to young kids too which is just not right! We hope that they are banned.

Cats Protection Video Cats and fireworks: a guide to a stress-free bonfire night

Today's Caturday Art

Watercolour effect from PhotoLab

In LunaPic we applied the Van Gogh Starry Night art filter.

Sparkly night lights from PhotoLab and then artified with BeFunky (paid version)

Caturday Art Blog Hop

Pet photo art using filters.

Cat art (not on the actual cat).

Animal art (not on the actual animal).

Your own drawings or paintings of animals.

Just keep it safe, clean and respectable!

Purrs and peace to you all

  

You can find the linky for the hop below.

We are going to try to feature a homeless cat in each of our posts from now on. We support many animal charities, international as well as in the UK, but obviously, we can't afford to donate money to each one but by sharing we are doing something that's very dear to our hearts 💚💜 

Hopefully, it helps a pet find a forever home. It's so sad that we can't help them all.

Sweet Cheese is at Cyprus Pride House and needs a forever home!

 

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Fireworks Night Safety Tips for Pets #caturdayart

Created with LunaPic and PicMonkey

More crazy human festivities following on from Halloween here in the UK in the form of Fireworks Night (Bonfire Night, Guy Fawkes' Night).

So, I guess that means pets must endure and suffer again so that humans can let off loud bangs and watch them light up the sky in the name of entertainment.

Now, I must admit, I am not a cat that finds fireworks that terrifying. I've been known to want to peep through the curtain so as to watch these exploding lights in the sky. The noise is a bit scary though.

But having said that, I'm an indoor cat and Mum rarely leaves me on my own. But as we've moved to a new area, we're not quite sure how the locals will celebrate. There will be a fireworks display on at the local town park, that we do know. But will people be having them in their back gardens too? We hope not as this area is so magically quiet. We just hope it was as quiet as Halloween night because it wasn't really that bad.

Back when we lived in North London, there were idiots letting off fireworks in the streets well into the early hours of the morning. And not just on Firework Night. It was more like Firework season right through to New Year and a little beyond.

Mum says she worries about all animals at this time of the year. Well, Mum, being an animal lover worries about animals all the time, but at this time of year, she wishes they didn't have to experience fireworks. Life is hard enough for a lot of animals.

Pets are luckier than most because we are part of the family (or should be), and our human family will want to look after us (hopefully), but what about the strays and the homeless pets, or wildlife and other animals? It's not fair that they should be made to feel scared, is it?

Please look after your pets, and all animals if you can.

Here are some cat safety tips for Halloween, from Cats Protection. 

To ensure your cat is kept safe and calm, you should:

• Keep your cat in after dark

• Provide your cat with a litter tray and securely fasten all windows and doors

• Reduce noise by keeping curtains drawn

• Play soothing music

• Provide a safe, comfy place in familiar territory for your cat to hide (a simple cardboard box or igloo-style cat bed should be enough)

• Create a reassuring environment with a Feliway classic plug-in diffuser

• If you’re concerned about your cat’s behaviour, don’t hesitate in contacting your vet.

Here's some more fireworks pet safety info for all pets from the Blue Cross and Wood Green, The Animals Charity 

😻

 CATURDAY ART BLOG HOP!

Come on everyone, let's see your animal photo art. All animals welcome, not just cats! Some free photo editors and apps are really simple to use and you can have a beautiful artsy photo of your pet to share in an instant! Join us every Saturday!

Caturday Art: Fireworks Night

HAPPY CATURDAY!

Hope you like my fiery art for Bonfire Night (or Firework's Night or Guy Fawkes' Night)

What is Guy Fawkes Night?

Guy Fawkes Night is held annually on November 5 in the UK and marks the anniversary of the plot organized by Catholic conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London in 1605 when King James I of England (King James VI of Scotland) and many parliamentary members were in the building. The conspirators were later arrested, tortured and executed. It is sometimes also known as Bonfire Night. Because of this, humans like to light bonfires and set off fireworks. These days though, hardly anyone cares to celebrate on actual 5th November and start setting off their crappy fireworks from October onwards (sorry, but it is annoying). Have your special day to celebrate by all means, but please be considerate of others and don't do it for weeks and weeks before and after!

What Do People Do?

Traditionally (when Mum was younger) many people lit bonfires and set off fireworks only on 5th November.  They would eat foods such as baked potatoes and toffee apples.

So, who was Guy Fawkes?

Guy Fawkes was a Catholic who was arrested, tortured and executed for his part in the plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament with gunpowder. He wanted to kill King James 1st, a Protestant, who was in the parliament building at the time.

Most people attend public bonfires or displays of fireworks on or around November 5. Some don't bother with that and just set off fireworks wherever they may be for fun. We've heard them go off late at night while we were trying to get to sleep. Really, selfish aren't you, humans? Think of the poor animals who are freaked out by the constant noise! Not just pets but wild animals too.

People celebrating Guy Fawkes Night burn an effigy on the bonfire of Guy every year on this date. But before Guy Fawkes Night these effigies are paraded through the streets with children asking for a ‘penny for the guy.’ This doesn't happen often in our area of North London these days. But Mum remembers it well from a few years ago.

Luckily, my mum just stays indoors and looks after me. She doesn't care for human foolery :)

Read more about Guy Fawkes and Bonfire Night here

It's important to look after your pets on Bonfire Night. Here is an old post of ours:

It's that time of year again. Bonfire Night. And in an ideal world, there would be no fireworks. But selfish humans have to have their way all the time (they don't just keep it to the one night, which is 5th November but have to let off those loud bangs from September onwards). Mum says what's the point? If you've seen one firework display you've seen them all. All that noise is annoying. I know I'll be safe and sound indoors with Mum, but what about all the other poor animals out there that don't have that choice? It's a fact that some animals are afraid of fireworks.

It seems that most humans choose to forget that this world wasn't created for them alone.

But at least there are some humans that are nice and do think about animals, so here's a video of Fireworks Safety Tips for Cats from Wood Green the Animal Charity (the shelter that rescued me and from where Mum adopted me).


 Read more advice about keeping pets safe during firework displays HERE

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by Marie Symeou

CATURDAY ART BLOG HOP

Simply edit photos of your pets or any animal using one of the many free photo editors available online - or any editing program you like. Enjoy creating and sharing your artsy pet photos. It's a great way to find new blogging friends and followers!

Caturday Art: Bonfire Night

HAPPY CATURDAY!

Photo art edited with iPiccy

Tonight is Bonfire Night in the UK, or Guy Fawkes Night, or it's simply Fireworks season because that's what it's become in recent years (so Mum tells me.) This silly season begins in September and lasts until well after New Year's Eve with fireworks going off at all hours (yeah, even daytime.)

It never used to be this way.

Mum says in the olden days (when she was a kid in the 70s and 80s) people celebrated Guy Fawkes Night on 5th November. Maybe they had less money to spend back then, so couldn't afford to buy so many fireworks. People, especially youngsters, were less spoilt then and it was also more fun to have something to look forward to. But in these days of instant gratification no one has the patience to wait for anything anymore. 

The point is fireworks can be lethal and let's not forget the distress they cause to pets, other animals and wildlife.

Why are there not any stricter laws in place? Why don't they only allow shops to sell fireworks just a day or two before Bonfire Night? They should be banned and kept for public displays only. But it's all about MONEY isn't it?

Graphic created with PicMonkey

PLEASE STAY SAFE FRIENDS!

As a UK blog this post is written from a British perspective but we're wondering...

IS IT THE SAME FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS and FOLLOWERS?

Are tougher laws in place for the sale and use of fireworks in your country? I know Caturday Art is supposed to be a fun post but it's good to have discussions every now and then, isn't it?

Further reading (info can apply to all pets)

KEEPING CATS SAFE ON BONFIRE NIGHT 

HOW TO KEEP CATS SAFE DURING BONFIRE NIGHT

Join Caturday Art Blog Hop and Have Fun Creating! 

 Simply edit photos of your pets or any animal using one of the many free photo editors available online - or any editing program you like. Enjoy creating and sharing your arty pet photos. It's a great way to find new blogging friends and followers! Like to draw or paint animal pictures by hand instead? Then share these too! 

 ALL PETS WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE - NOT JUST CATS! 

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Wordless Wednesday: Bonfire Night

It's that time of the year again. Bofire Night. Also known as Guy Fawkes Night.

I have to say that fireworks don't bother me. In fact, sometimes I like to watch them from behind the safety of a window. Besides, I am always safe and sound indoors with Mum, and she doesn't care to celebrate such nonsense. But to all those cats and animals out there who have to endure it, you do have my sympathy.

We don't have anything against people wanting to have fun, but we would like them to be more considerate and keep the exploding fireworks to the actual day you are meant to be celebrating. That is, 5th November. Not before - or after. And certainly not weeks before and weeks after.

Mum tells me it's not like it was in her day. These days fireworks are going off all over the place at all hours and weeks before and after Bonfire Night. We can only imagine how scary it must be for any animal stuck outside during fireworks season. Sometimes it sounds like a war zone out there.

And really, why do humans always have to make so much noise in order to have 'fun'?

Here is a fireworks safety video for felines. Advice for other pets can be found HERE



I thought I'd also tell you that I'm not that afraid of the vacuum cleaner either, as you can see from our latest video. I like to watch Mum cleaning! I always like to be part of the action and telling Mum she's missed a bit :)

Keeping Cats Safe On Bonfire Night

It's that time of year again. Bonfire Night. And in an ideal world there would be no fireworks. But selfish humans have to have their way all the time (they don't just keep it to the one night, which is 5th November, but have to let off those loud bangs from September onwards). Mum says what's the point? If you've seen one firework display you've seen them all. All that noise is annoying. I know I'll be safe and sound indoors with Mum, but what about all the other poor animals out there that don't have that choice?

It seems that most humans choose to forget that this world wasn't created for them alone.

But at least there are some humans that are nice and do think about others, so here's a video of Fireworks Safety Tips for Cats from Wood Green the Animal Charity (the shelter that rescued me and from where Mum adopted me).
 Read more advice about keeping pets safe during firework displays HERE

The Dangers of Halloween for Cats

Our humans may be looking forward to Halloween but are we? Let's face it, at this time of the year things can get a little nasty for cats, especially black cats, and we can often be the targets of cruel pranks.

So, what do we say to that? Keep cats inside! That's right. Even those kitties that like to go outside, you must listen to your guardians and stay in. Why? Well, I don't like to scare anyone, but it's a fact that there are some not-so-nice people about. Not everyone loves cats, and cats, especially black cats, can be at risk around Halloween. Mum says that there are evil individuals out there that think it's cool to torture and kill cats. And in England around this time there is also Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes night) to contend with. Lots of fireworks going off everywhere - far too noisy for me!

Did you know that many animal shelters refuse to adopt out black cats during the entire month of October? Yes, the fear that harm will come to them makes many shelters decide not to rehome black cats around the time of Halloween, and good on them, I say! Think for a moment. Some sicko may only want the cat to go with their costume and may either return the cat to the shelter after Halloween, or toss it out in the streets like some unwanted toy. Or even worse - torture it. Yes, there are even some sadists that will be on the lookout for sacrificial cats. You just don't know who lives in your neighbourhood (especially in a city or large town). You must always be wary.

Don't forget that if your humans are going to open the door to every trick-or-treater, you must make sure to stay in a secure room that your human must have prepared for you in case you suddenly decide to bolt out the door. Why you would want to do that when you are so comfy and well-looked after during a night like this is beyond me. But, being of curious nature, cats will do anything! Don't forget that chocolate and candy is bad for cats too, so stay away and also refuse any offerings from any human who is ignorant to this fact, and children too. Humans - tell your kids not to give them out to pets too!

Other things for cat guardians and parents to remember:

Don't dress up an animal in Halloween costume. Luckily, Mum is not a fan of dressing up pets, but you may think differently. However, please stop and think how you would feel if someone came along and dressed you up in some ridiculous costume without asking you. Not nice is it? It can be dangerous too. Costumes that are tightened with rubber bands can cut off circulation. Some may even be flammable and can catch alight easily with all the candles and Jack O' lanterns about, which your pets must keep away from too, regardless if they are in costume or not.

Also, dear humans, please try not to scream and screech. Think of your cat's sensitive hearing (and Mum's). It's nice to have fun but not nice to be selfish and cause others distress whilst doing so. Some cats can really freak out with all the screaming kids in costume prowling though the street and banging on doors - some who may even have intention to harm. Yes, you never know who is hiding behind that Scream mask.

Other than that, Mum and I hope you and your humans have a great and safe Halloween!

Easy Like Sunday

A little late getting my easy on this Sunday but better late than never!

Let's hope I can sleep through those fireworks like I did last night. Talk about loud! 

Fireworks on all week. I don't know why since Guy Fawkes Night is on November 5th. People do sure have money to burn, don't they?

Anyway, wishing you all a purrfect  lazy Sunday. And remember to be safe and keep away from any firework displays :)

Stay indoors with your humans like I am gonna do. Mum will be watching XFactor and Downton Abbey as usual and I'll be snuggled safe and sound on a chair under the dining table which is in the same room as where my mum will be. If I can't sleep I might take a peek out of the window because fireworks can be exciting if viewed safely from a distance and behind the glass.