SkyMall Monday: Chatter Talking Pet Bowl

by Mike Barish on

Sadly, there are no pets in the SkyMall Monday headquarters. I travel too much to have a dog and cats are just terrible. I had a turtle once, but I had to get rid of him when I discovered that he was anti-Semitic. But I know plenty of pet owners and they always feel terrible when they have to leave their animals home alone. They always worry that their pets will be lonely or miss them so much that they’ll just die. Or pee on the rug. I think only that second part may be true. I don’t always listen when other people talk. Especially about their pets. But I digress. I’m sure that pets get sad when they are alone, so what better way to remind them that they are loved by confusing them with a disembodied voice? Thankfully, SkyMall is prepared to perplex your pets with the Chatter Talking Pet Bowl.

The Chatter Talking Pet Bowl allows you to record a message that plays when your furry friend attempts to peacefully enjoy a snack. Surely your pet will love hearing your voice and then scouring the house to find you. Imagine his joy as he realizes that his loving owner is home and ready to play. Of course, he’ll think you live inside his food bowl, which is odd. But hey, you’re his magical owner who is capable of amazing things like providing him with food and rubbing his belly. No doubt you can also be inside his food dish and/or invisible.

Still don’t think that fooling your pet with a recorded voice is a brilliant idea? Think you’re better than me? Get off your high horse and read the product description:

Does your pet miss you when you’re away? Now your baby can hear your voice any time with the ChatterBowl talking pet bowl…the ChatterBowl helps keep your best friend company, even when you’re away from home.

Your pet needs you at all times. You can’t expect an animal that is entertained by shiny lights and car horns to occupy itself all day without you. It needs to hear your voice at all times just like you love to hear it too. Because you are so important.

So, love and confuse your pet with the Chatter Talking Pet Bowl. Your pet may not care, but you’ll be glad you did.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

Cultural Delicacies: Dogs (and cats!)

by Brenda Yun on

It is not uncommon for people to eat dog meat in parts of China, Korea, and the Philippines. Historically, in times of famine people in France and Germany ate dogs too. As a pet lover, I can’t bear the thought, but I know this practice is more far-reaching than meets the eye. Earlier this year, Honolulu experienced its own case of dog-eating men who stole, killed, and ate a couple’s beloved poi dog.

When traveling in third world countries and observing the poor treatment of street dogs, it is easier to understand the apathy that most possess for canines. I think it’s acceptable, too, that in desperate times people take desperate measures to stay alive. It’s unfathomable, however, that people would knowingly steal a pet for consumption. It doesn’t matter where you are or what your culinary practices are.
Complicating canine consumption with feline consumption and you now have a serious case on your hands. This is exactly the latest news coming from China: cat owners are now scared to leave their cats alone now because they disappear. People steal domestic cats now, killing them, and selling them for $1.32 per pound (the same price for lamb). Pet owners in China are speaking up. It appears even the Chinese are developing a conscience nowadays.

The eating of dog meat — or cat meat, for that matter — is a cultural practice that Westerners may never come to accept or understand. Maybe one day we can all be green-eating, tree-hugging consumers in a free world.

Hemingway’s house and museum remains a cat haven: 60 cats can stay

by Jamie Rhein on

When Ernest Hemingway lived in his house in Key West, Florida, penning For Whom the Bell Tolls and To Have and Have Not, his cat Snowball must already have been busy procreating. Although Snowball is no longer with us–he was given to Hemingway in 1935–his six-toed offspring still live at the house, along with their other cat buds. In all, there are 60 or more.

The cats have been part of the house’s ambiance much to the dismay of folks who don’t appreciate a slew of cats wandering about Key West wherever they please. There was a move to have the cats removed.

According to this Jaunted post, the five-year negotiation about what should happen to the cats is over, and the cats can stay. A fence around the Ernest Hemingway House and Museum was found to be a solution.

Jaunted wondered why it took five-years to make a decision. I’d say perhaps there was a love-hate relationship with those cats.

The tourists who have visited the house seemed to enjoy the felines since they are a living connection to Hemingway. Plus, this literary cat haven helps take care of Key West’s cat population.

When I read about the cats, I was reminded about traveling in Venice, Italy one summer. I have never seen so many cats in one city in my life.

Here’s the link to the museum’s page on the cats. Browse through the names. I’m particularly fond of Spencer Tracy’s photo which you see here. He may look a bit like Snowball is my thinking–a slimmer version, perhaps.

Air Canada is Set to Ban Pets in the Cabin

by Martha Edwards on

Air Canada is set to become the first Canadian airline to ban pets from riding in the cabin of its aircrafts. This news comes after one passenger had a severe allergic reaction to the the presence of a cat in a seat near her. Unfortunately, because the air on flights is recycled, allergic reactions often won’t go away simply by moving the pet to another seat away from the allergy sufferer.

Meanwhile, Air Canada‘s competitors, particularly Westjet, are taking advantage of the ban by attempting to woo pet lovers.

I’m an animal lover but I kind of agree with Air Canada — it’s not fair for allergy sufferers to bring your pets in the cabin. It’s also not really fair to make animals suffer in the belly of the plane, but I think pets suffer from any journey, no matter where they are on the plane. Here’s my solution: leave Fido at home or drive.

Tampa Bay’s Big Cat Rescue

by Adrienne Wilson on

It was an easy breezy Saturday morn when I set out from my home with a close friend of mine to check out Tampa’s Big Cat Rescue. The animal attraction is only a good five miles away from my place and after three plus years of living in the area the perfect opportunity finally presented itself and I took the bull by the horns or in this case I should say the cat by the tail, or wait whiskers… Bad joke, guys. In all seriousness, please don’t grab any cat by the whiskers.

The Big Cat Rescue is a sanctuary for wild cats and I believe one of the worlds largest. The BCR provides a permanent retirement home for more than 100 lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, servals, caracals and sand cats to name only a few exotic felines. Most of the cats come from a turbulent past of cross-breeding, circus stages, and other sad tales which I’ll touch on later.

When we pulled up into the unpaved lot of the rescue leaves were blowing everywhere and there were several cheery volunteers up early waiting for each visitor’s arrival. Before entering you have sign off on a few simple rules. For instance teasing the big 400 lb. tiger is not advised and getting too close to the smaller servals could result in a nice bath of feline perfume. Follow the rules and you’re bound to have an enjoyable trip through the grounds. Our guide for the day was Denny, a volunteer who had been with the BCR for quite a while and a passionate animal lover. He jumped right into leading us through the path of the sanctuary. He described each cat like they were one of his grand-children and told the rest of us how we could get involved volunteering with the organization.


The group walks down the path to check out the next big kitty on the property.

If I’m not mistaken this would be Nikita and if I have the right cat then Nikita’s story is just the beginning of several horrific animal abuse tales Denny shared with us. To say the least, Nikita was found chained to a wall in a crack house during a drug bust in Tennessee.
I’ve never been a huge cat lover to be honest. I’ve lived with cats on occasion, but never by request really. Seeing all these beautiful animals, I could easily understand why someone might want to own one for show, but would imagine they’d be hell to take care of once they gain three times my weight and their teeth and paws grow into mighty fangs and claws. Denny revealed that a good many of the abused cats came from wealthy homes with owners that didn’t know what to do once the cats got a little bit bigger. There were some stories of cats being starved to keep them from growing so that they could be used in photographs with people and children. Our guide was also packed with information on what happens when animal and man interact when they very well shouldn’t. Most stories ended in a human being killed and the animal accused of murder though it was only doing what came natural. I could go on here, but I wouldn’t be nearly as good as our guide Denny or any guide leading the tours at the Big Cat Rescue, which is why I suggest if you’re in the Tampa, FL area to pay a visit to this attraction and sanctuary. Here are just a few more photos from my adventure in and out and details below on how to make your own day trip down.

Meet Cloe, a snow leopard with a very unusual away of saying hello or perhaps she is warning us to get away. My friend found her behavior very, very odd.

This African Lion, Cameron relaxes with his back turned to our group. He turned his head occasionally so that we could get a glimpse of his beautiful side profile, but otherwise stayed put.

Zabu is far to lazy to strike a pose for us during our visit, but after hearing the story of this white tigress I can happily excuse her for being so bored with our presence and cameras.

My memory fails to remind which bobcat this is exactly. I want to say Raindance, but in any event check out the BCR site to read the stories of this bobcat and the others. From escaping being slaughtered for their fur to departing owners that couldn’t tolerate their urinating on the floor they are as heart-wrenching as the rest.

Again, I can’t recall the name of this tiger. There are many at the BCR that come from the circus.

If you can’t make it to the Big Cat Rescue in person, start by paying a virtual visit to their website. It is loaded with pictures, information and more importantly ways to contribute to the organization and how to adopt one of the cats. Join them during one of the feeding tours or experience the animals during a night tour when almost all of them to come out. The night tour is one that I’m hoping to take part in one of these days on my next visit and sounds like a real treat as mentioned by my day guide, Denny. To find out more about the various tours, programs, hours, prices and how to get to the Big Cat Rescue click here.