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As I packed for the Cat Writers/Blog Paws Conference ten days ago, I didn’t expect to meet up with so many unusual pets. There was a pair of poodles; one blind and one deaf. I met some hairless cats and learned they’re Sphinx. There was Lexi Liu (originally from South Africa) and Moshe Moshi from Canada. These two lovelies appeared most days in full dress. Without clothing, they’re virtually naked. Learn more about Lexi and Moshe at their website, Naked and Hungry: http://www.nakedandhungry.com/
I was intrigued by a therapy rat named Jasper. His handler, Abby, trained him to a harness
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and, throughout the conference, he was attached to a leash whenever he wasn’t in his cage. He wore a black bowtie for the red carpet parade of pets on our last evening in Arizona. How does Abby plan to use Jasper as a therapy animal? She has found that when she’s out and about with him, people are fascinated. They love holding him and they smile upon seeing him. On her website, she asks, “Would having a rat to cuddle be comforting to you?” Learn more about Jasper and Abby’s other therapy rats here: http://www.healingwhiskers.com
One attendee had two white ferrets—gosh were they ever cute and well-behaved, too. They traveled with a dog (or was it a cat?) in a pet stroller. They, too, dressed for the red carpet parade.
But one of the most well-dressed pets was Coco, the Couture Cat. Evidently, this cat, along with her driver, attends fundraising pet fashion events, pet blogging conferences, and cat shows as a pet-me cat in her pink CATillac. According to her personal assistant, Teri, Coco brought about 20 outfits for the weekend event in Chandler, AZ, plus tiaras, hats, necklaces, bejeweled leashes and glasses. http://www.cococouturecat.com. Coco was stunning, as were many other cats and dogs all dressed and wearing bows, hats, sunglasses, and even lovely bracelets and necklaces. It’s no wonder there were so many smiling faces in the hallways, the workshops, and the dining room throughout the weekend event.
