Paw-se to Give Thanks This Holiday The holidays are upon us and while it’s time to give thanks, it’s also time to make sure your house is safe for all of your feline friends (and other animals). Many plants can make your cat sick, as well as chocolate, turkey bones and other food. Put your kitty up in a room where it will not be able to run outside if a visitor opens the door…..and be careful about the type of decorations you have sitting out. We’ve included a list of things you should be careful of during the holidays. As you’ll learn below, TICA is excited to announce our new partnership with Embrace Pet Insurance. Together we want to ensure the health and welfare of kittens and cats. Another exciting “first time” event was the Cat Writers Association’s choice to host their 2009 Annual Conference at a TICA show! It was held during the Westchester Feline Club’s show in White Plains, NY. Not only did we host their conference, but I was honored to be a judge of one of their prestigious awards. While 2009 is coming to an end soon, I look forward to 2010. As TICA continues to grow around the world, and we continue to build new partnerships, every member and every exhibitor plays a crucial role in building TICA as the world’s largest genetic cat registry. Purr-sonaly, New Partner: Embrace Pet Insurance [Lesley pls put Embrace logo] As part of TICA’s 30th Anniversary, we have joined forces with Embrace Pet Insurance an online pet insurance provider providing a higher standard of care and customization to pet parents, to offer TICA members exclusive discounts for their cats and kittens and extended pet insurance benefits TICA breeders can offer their own customers. “Responsible pet ownership, encouragement of the best possible health care for pets, and building a positive influence in the cat breeder community are foundational philosophies for TICA," said Vickie Fisher, President of TICA. "Embrace Pet Insurance shares these goals. And, Embrace provides the most comprehensive coverage and services that TICA feels most benefit their members, cat breeders, and cat owners." The partnership between TICA and Embrace Pet Insurance provides each TICA member with an attractive discount on their own pet health insurance policies. Plus, Embrace is launching a program that will allow TICA breeders to send kittens to their new homes with introductory pet insurance coverage. If you’re a TICA member, you can: Receive 15% off any annual Embrace pet health insurance policy you purchase for your own pets (or 10% off monthly policies) Receive free 60-day pet health insurance policies with every cat sold TICA members will be receiving additional news about Embrace Pet Insurance. To learn more about Embrace Pet Insurance visit www.embracepetinsurance.com Kitty Proof Your Holidays The holidays are meant to be happy and filled with joy! The last thing you want is an emergency trip to the veterinarian. If you plan ahead and keep in mind some tips, you can be sure your festivities will be filled with happy memories….and kitty will have a fabulous holiday too! Potential hazards include: Food Poisonous Plants Decorations and Wrappings Gifts and Packages Christmas Trees Pet Gifts and Treats To read more visit [Lesley – pls post the attached article on the nutrition / health page – can you pls dress up with images of a cat with an ornament or package, etc] TICA Hosts Cat Writers Association’s Annual Awards The Cat Writers Association (CWA) for the first time in its history chose to host its 2009 Annual Conference in conjunction with a TICA show. The conference which also included the CWA Communications Contest was held on November 21-22 and was hosted by the Westchester Feline Club at its annual Westchester Cat Show in White Plains, NY. TICA also was a Silver Sponsor for the conference. In addition, TICA President Vickie Fisher was invited to judge the AKC Companion Animal Recovery Award which is sponsored by the American Kennel Club. The award is given to the best nonfiction or fiction article which informs and educates the general public about issues relating to lost cats, stray cats, behaviors of roaming and feral cats, and all forms of pet identification and recovery. The award consisted of $1,000 and a commemorative item. CWA is an organization of professionals writing, publishing and broadcasting about cats. Our members include writers, editors, publishers, artists, public relations specialists, broadcasters and others. [Lesley – pls hyperlink from the first mentions of the organization’s name to www.catwriters.org; pls get a photo from the awards banquet if possible of Vickie and either the winner of the award or reps of CWA] Make A Holiday Donation in Your Cat or Someone’s Memory How better than to say “Happy Holidays” by making a donation to The International Feline Foundation (TIFF). TIFF is a non-profit organization established to promote, support and encourage scientific research programs benefiting cats. You can make your donation in the memory of a loved one or cat, or honor someone special in your family (or a friend!) by giving to TIFF. To learn more visit www.theinternationalfelinefoundation.com Lesley pls add TIFF’s logo to this article We’ve Got A Question for You! Each month we’re going to ask a question and then next month you’ll find out the results of the previous month’s survey. This month’s question is: What’s your cat’s favorite toy? Teaser Catnip mouse Ball Scrap of paper Brown bag or box Last month’s response? Over X% said that they (do or do not) dress up their cat. [LESLEY – please plug in the highest percentage so if there were more YESs than put the percentage of Yes and said “Over x% said they do dress up their cat”. And vice versa) HO HO HO-liday Shopping Online You know that your cat fancy friends would just LOVE to have a TICA shirt, cap or computer bag! What a great way to say “Happy Holidays”. Visit the TICA Online Store and you can have your gifts sent to you or directly to your friends! Remember: everyone would love a little “TICA something”! LESLEY PLSUSE AN IMAGE OF SOMETHING FROM THE STORE Holiday Kittens? Promote Your Cattery Holiday cheer – and holiday kittens. If you have kittens or cats to sell, you need to advertise on TICA’s web site. You can learn more about Web cattery ads and how to submit your ad. LESLEI PLEASE USE AN IMAGE OF A CAT WITH A NEWSPAPER OR AD Blogging in (Cat) Cyberspace Do you have a topic you’d like TICA to blog on? If you do, let us know! Contact Marketing with your recommendations on topics or stories that would make an interesting blog!