A Path With Paws

Technically Monday is my day off but always a busy day.
I just made two weeks of homemade cat food for our kitties. For the recipe see Making crazy awesome cat food part 2

Alli enjoys helping me clean out the food processor

Getting herbs in the mail this morning for my etsy store Kingdom of Basil. I’ve been enjoying sending herbs all over the country and am now getting about an order a day and some lovely feedback.

I’m experimenting with ordering more herbs less often. This is a little over $500 of herbs which will last me for the next month or two.

Now off to walk Alli on one of our unusual Seattle sunny winter days. Hope you are enjoying your day!

This afternoon I whipped up a batch of my homemade cat food for our four kitties. I serve it raw so it is pretty easy to throw together and a lot of fun to make. It feels like making cookies, only these kids like meat cookies and are much happier eating it as raw cookie dough.

Here’s my recipe if you want to try it at home

• six lbs of meat or fish ground or chopped
• 1/4 lb liver and organ meat
• 8 eggs
• One 15 ounce can pureed pumpkin, sweet potato, or yam
• 6 teaspoons Nordic Naturals Pet Cod Liver Oil
• 6 teaspoons almond butter
• Taurine Powder 3g (if the meat is cooked or if using fish)
• 6 teaspoons Animal Essentials Natural Seaweed Calcium

Make sure the meat has been frozen for at least 48 hours at some point. I buy my meat frozen.

Also see Making Crazy Awesome Homemade Cat Food Part Two for a higher protein and egg free recipe.

Raven knows I'm making food for him

Can we have some too?

Eight pounds of free range ground turkey

A dozen free range eggs

Yum! Sweet Potato

All set for the freezer and fridge. This will last our kitties about a week. I freeze half of it and refrigerator the other half.

The best part - licking the cookie bowl!

Mom, the girls are hogging the bowl!

From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog,” or, “that’s a lot of money for just a dog.” They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a dog.”

Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog.” Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog,” but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a dog,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it’s “just a dog,” then you will probably understand phases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.”

“Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.

Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

“Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day. I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a dog” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a man.”

So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog.” just smile, because they “just don’t understand.

-Richard Biby

Thanks to a forum poster on the West Seattle Blog for this wonderful quote.

Send me your favorite animal photos and I will post them here. lena@pathwithpaws.com

As promised for those who know me:-)

This is truly one of the most amazing things I have seen. It is well worth the view. And if you were wondering about the light quality of LED lighting, here’s an example. I have always been impressed with the ability of herding dogs. This takes it to a new level! Enjoy!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

This week will be light on the postings. I should be back to full posting speed soon!