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Don’t forget to RSVP for the #RedCarpetCat Twitter Event. Pounce Here!

Not on Twitter?  No Worries!!  The Red Carpet Cat Walk Blog Tour will keep the party going! Pounce Here for more information.

Event Barkers is hosting the party that takes place on Feb. 22 from 5:30-7pm Pacific time. We are super excited that Event Barkers is going to be keeping the party fun and moving because I might get distracted by the flash of the paparazzi while reporting to you live from the red carpet in Hollywood!!

I  will be attending the Secret Room Event  alongside Jackson Galaxy.  We will be tweeting live from the event as we meet and mingle with the stars.  YOU will have the chance to tweet with Jackson Galaxy, star of Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell”  and  you never know who else might turn up to surprise all of us.

And to make it even more fun, you can win some of the $2800+ in prizes!

Event Barkers wants me to remind you to  make sure  you have RSVPd for this special event. It only takes a moment; just go to the RSVP post and add your Twitter handle. Event Barkers will be using that list to contact winners so you need to make sure you’re on the list! (Hey, all good Hollywood parties have the list so here’s your chance to be on one!)

We  put together  some great prizes that #RedCarpetCat partiers will be winning! In fact, to keep you rockin’ we will be giving away a prize every 1o minutes!  Super Hurrah!

Taking center stage will be The Tiniest Tiger Hipster bag!

This one of a kind hipster features The Tiniest Tiger’s feline finesse quilted into the fabric creating a subtle yet cool cat appearance. The irresistible design combined with the hands free practicality of the cross body Hipster make this the perfect bag when you are on the prowl.

The Hipster is slightly padded providing protection for your iPad, mobile phone, and other essentials. Handy front zip pocket keeps your ID, cash, credit cards and keys secure yet easy for you to access.

A portion of the net profits from Triple T Studios benefits global conservation projects. Triple T Studios has chosen Lion Guardians as the first recipient.

The Tiniest Tiger Hipster Bag is made in the USA.

TEN lucky partiers will win their own The Tiniest Tiger Hipster bags with all the same goodies that the celebrities will be receiving:

The special #RedCarpetCat versions of The Tiniest Tiger Hipster bags will include:

• an Iams Welcome Home kit including a new pet care guide, valuable coupons, VPI® Pet Insurance Discount, and Vet Checkup Discount via mail-in rebate! Over $45 in Savings!
• a FREE coupon from World’s Best Cat Litter for one 7- or 8-pound bag of any World’s Best Cat Litter Clumping Formulas
• a $50-off coupon from Cat Power Tower, an award-winning tower designed to keep your cat mentally and physically active
• a Tickle Pickle™ from TipsyNip Organic Catnip products, stuffed with 100% Eye Crossing, High Potency Organic Tipsy Nip™ (Catnip), made in USA
• a 1-ounce bottle of  Stress Stopper  from Spirit Essences, Jackson Galaxy’s holistic remedies company. This remedy is great for the occasional, short-duration stresses that an animal faces: trip to the vet, thunder and lighting, fireworks, parties, vacuum and more. Made in USA.
• a Birdsbesafe® cat collar ruff, designed to save wild birds from outdoor cats. Made in the USA.
• moderncat’s ModShaker in a special limited edition GraceyShaker, using The Tiniest Tiger design! Each toy is filled with organic catnip and a special rattle. Made in USA
• temporary tattoo from Cattoo Design, easy to apply and remove. Made in USA.
• a Prescription Discount Card from Pet News and Views; take this card and a prescription from your veterinarian to any pharmacy to save up to 55 percent.
• Imperial Cat, a company that for a quarter-century has manufactured high quality, eco-friendly and all natural cat products developed to enhance the lives of cats and their owners. Coupon Code for Free Shipping. Made in USA.

So, mark your calendars for Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 5:30-7pm Pacific (or 8:30-10pm Eastern, 7:30-9pm Central, 6:30-8pm Mountain) so you don’t miss the #RedCarpetCat party!! Gracey will be tweeting photos of the celebrities and you’ll have the chance to tweet Animal Planet’s Jackson Galaxy. Be sure you’re on the RSVP list to get in on this Hollywood party!

And, before the party starts, be sure to join in the pre-party giveaways:

A Rafflecopter giveaway for a $50 gift certificate for The Tiniest Tiger bag or new accessories, the daily giveaway of The Tiniest Tiger book and coloring book, and a $50 gift certificate for Triple T Studios Hand bags and the new “Gracey” Accessories drawn from the RSVP list!

Super Hurrah and Congratulations to Barbara McIntosh the Winner of the Imperial Cat Hearts and Stripes Chaise Scratcher. Thank you everyone for participating and for being members of The Tiniest Tiger community.

Photo by Joanne McGonagle

I Would be “Lion” if I said I didn’t

want you to be my Valentine!

I hope you want me to be your Valentine too!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

xoxo  Gracey, The Tiniest Tiger

In honor of Valentines day and of both Lions and Lyin’ Around,  I thought an Imperial Cat chaise lounge would be a perfect giveaway.

Imperial Cat M.A.X. Hearts & Stripes Chaise Scratcher

The Imperial Cat M.A.X. Hearts & Stripes Chaise Scratcher Giveaway!

This  M.A.X. Hearts & Stripes Chaise Scratcher is Purrfect because I  bet your cat is like me and  loves to scratch!  And when we get all of our scratching out  of our system, the Imperial Cat scratcher doubles as a Chaise lounge which is perfect for “Lyin” around!

Imperial Cat is so nice, they are giving one of the M.A.X. Hearts & STripes Chaise Scratcher to one member of our The Tiniest Tiger community.  And here is all you have to do:

To Enter:

Leave a comment telling me where your cat’s favorite place is to lounge, and their favorite place to scratch.

The Rules:

This contest is now closed!  Thank you for participating.

This contest closes on Friday, February 17 at 1 pm Eastern.  I will enter all names in to Randomizer.com. The winner will be notified by email, so make sure you are watching for an email from me. It will say The Tiniest Tiger Winner in the subject line.

This contest is open to US habitats only.  I am super sorry. Void where prohibited by law.

Today February 14 is the last day to enter:

Valentine’s Pet Bundle of Love Giveaway! Pounce here:

and

Endangered Species Chocolate Giveaway! Pounce here:

Super Hurrah and Congratulations to Elizabeth Flynn our winner of the Endangered Species Chocolate Giveaway!

Thank you for participating and for being members of  The Tiniest Tiger community.

Happy Super Sweet Saturday before Valentine’s Day!

Bad Kitty, Lazy Leopard, and even Bossy Backyard Blue Jay agreed that we wanted to show appreciation for pet parents and what better way than with an  Endangered Species Chocolate Giveaway.

Endangered Species Chocolate company was created to spread awareness and make an impact on the growing number of plant and animal species disappearing from our Earth.   They began with a line of twelve all-natural chocolate bars that sold in small natural food stores across the northwest. Today, they are one of the leaders in natural and organic chocolate manufacturing.  They have more than 30 all-natural and organic products and their chocolates can be  found in large and small grocery stores throughout the United States and Canada.

About Endangered Species Chocolate

Endangered Species Chocolate is a mission-driven company that is passionate about chocolate and the environment.   We are fully committed to providing premium, all-natural, ethically traded, naturally shade grown chocolate products.  Endangered Species Chocolate confirms that all beans used in its products are purchased from family-owned properties where the income benefits the community.  10% of our net profits aredonated to fund species and habitat conservation efforts.  Savor chocolate.  Save our planet.

The folks at Endangered Species Chocolate are so nice, when I told them that I wanted to show appreciation to pet parents and that we too care about all animals big and small, they offered to give  one friend of The Tiniest Tiger a super delicious customized gift set featuring all of their big cat chocolate bars, including the Panther Bar, Lion, Tiger and they added a Wolf as a nod to the Canidae family.

To Enter:

This contest is now closed.  Thank you for participating!

Leave a comment telling me if you plan to eat chocolate on Valentine’s Day and if you do, what type of chocolate is your favorite.

The Rules:

This contest closes on February 14, 2012 at  11 pm Eastern. I will enter all names in to Randomizer.com. The winner will be notified by email, so make sure you are watching for an email from me. It will say The Tiniest Tiger Chocolate Winner in the subject line.

This contest is open to US and Canadian habitats only.  I am super sorry.  Void where prohibited by law.

Don’t forget to enter our Valentine’s Pet Bundle of Love Giveaway too. Pounce here!

Nancy Foulke, winner of the Cat Valentine’s Pet Bundle of Love and

Jeanne Owens, winner of the Dog Valentine’s Pet Bundle of Love!

Thank you to everyone for participating and for being a member of The Tiniest Tiger community.

Our friends at Hill’s have put together two Valentine’s Day gift baskets for readers of The Tiniest Tiger. And in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we are spreading the love because there is one for dog lovers and one for cat lovers. Super Hurrah!

Here is a listing of the contents:
For the Dogs and their Parents
1 5 ½ ounce Science Diet Small and Toy Savory Stew with Chicken and Vegetables
1 Bag Science Diet Simple Essentials Treats Skin & Coat
1 Bag Science Diet Simple Essentials Treats Oral Care
1 Collar
1 Leash
1 West Paw Design Big Sky Blanket
1 Bag Clip
1 Healthy Mobility Water Bottle
1 Measuring Cup
1 Can Lid
1 Insulated Lunch Bag
1 S9413 Dog Drinkwell Fountain

For the Cats and their Parents
6 Cans Hills Science Diet Mature Adult Variety Pack
2 Cat Toys
1 Valentine Collar
1 West Paw Design Big Sky Blanket
1 Bag Clip
1 Healthy Mobility Water Bottle
1 Measuring Cup
1 Can Lid
1 Insulated Lunch Bag
1 S927 Cat Drinkwell Fountain

The value of the Valentine’s Day Dog Gift Basket is $100.48
The value of the Valentine’s Day Cat Gift Basket is $86.

To Enter

This contest is now closed.  Thank you for participating!
Leave a comment about your pets and let us know if you will be doing anything special on Valentine’s Day for them. Please tell me if you would like to win the cat or the dog gift bundle. A drawing will be held and one cat parent and one dog parent will be picked.

Double Your Chances to Win
Michele from Pet News and Views is hosting the same contest. Visit their site by clicking here to double your chances of winning.

The Rules:

The contest closes February 14 at 2 p.m. Eastern.  I will enter all names in to Randomizer.com. The winner will be notified by email, so make sure you are watching for an email from me. It will say The Tiniest Tiger Valentine Pet Bundle Winner in the subject line.

Due to the weight and size of the prize package, this contest is open to US  habitats only.  I am super sorry.  Void where prohibited by law.

Don’t forget to enter our Endangered Species Chocolate Giveaway too. Pounce here!

"The toilet paper on your grocery store shelves may have a direct impact on the 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild." Image courtesy of WWF. Please buy only FSC- certified and recycled-fiber paper products

The green dense rain forests on the Indonesian island of Sumatra are the only place in the entire world where elephants, tigers, rhinos and orangutans live together.  But, since 1985, Sumatra has lost over half of its forest to the pulp and paper and palm oil industries. With only an estimated 400  Sumatran tigers left in the wild, we must all stand together to protect the last remaining habitat for our big cousins.

The World Wildlife Federation, (WWF) hunted down the connection between the United States toilet paper and tissue products and the destruction of tropical forests on the other side of the world.  What WWF found out is that the end products from the deforestation of the Sumatran forests are showing up on the United States supermarket shelves and in restaurants, hotels, schools and homes.

Asia Pulp & Paper is responsible for more Sumatran forest destruction than any other single company

The fastest growing brand of toilet paper in the United States, Paseo and Livi are made with paper from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) which is responsible for more forest destruction than any other single company!  You might say you are not familiar with these brands but they might be camouflaged as private label or store brands where you shop. In recent years, APP has greatly expanded into the tissue market, and U.S. affiliates Solaris Paper and Mercury Paper now produce Paseo, Livi and many other private label brands. These products are marketed by Oasis Brands

WWF stalked the trail of the APP fibers through Nielsen retail data to find the biggest U.S. grocery chains that carried  Paseo products in 2011. The organization then contacted those companies to make them aware of the link between Paseo, APP and rain forest destruction, and to encourage these grocery chains to stop sourcing these brands until APP changes its practice of deforestation and transitions into a sustainable plantation based business.

WWF doesn’t think that people should have to choose between tigers and toilet paper, and responsible U.S. companies should not source tissue products that are pushing Sumatran tigers to local extinction.

What can you do?

Look for the Forest Stewardship Council logo

Consumers are more alert and empowered than ever before to make responsible buying decisions.

• Stop buying Paseo and Livi products until APP stops clearing tropical forests and improves its practices.
• As the easiest way to avoid these impacts, look for tissue products that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified or 100% recycled.
• Ask your grocer, retailers, schools, hotels and restaurants if they know the forest source of the tissue and paper products they carry.
• Ask them to carry more FSC-certified and recycled paper products.

Avoid tissue products that contribute to tropical rain forest destruction and urge local stores, restaurants, schools and offices to avoid buying such products. The easiest way to do that is to look for tissue products that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified or 100% recycled.

The Super Hurrah List!

These retailers stopped carrying paper products from Paseo when they learned of the forest destruction:

BI-LO, Brookshire Grocery Co. (Brookshire’s), Delhaize Group, (Food Lion and Harvey’s), Harris Teeter, Kmart, Kroger (Food 4 Less Foods Co., Ralph’s) SuperValu (Albertsons) and Weis Markets.

The Fat Tails and Hisses List!

These retailers did not respond or take action after learning about Paseo’s part in the Sumatran forest destruction:

Albertsons LLC, Giant Eagle, Hy-Vee, IGA, Ingles, K-VA-T (Food City), Lowes Food, Marsh, Price Chopper, Roundy’s Supermarkets (Roundy’s, Picnk’n Save, Rainbow and Copps) Save Mart, and Spartan Stores

We all have a choice when we hunt items for our homes.

Please think about the tigers, orangutans, elephants and rhinos of Sumatra and purchase only products with the FSC certification logo.  Thank you for caring for all animals big and small.

It is Groundhog Day!

Earlier this morning Lazy Leopard and I had a chat with Punxsutawney Phil and he told us that  at 7:25 a.m. this very morning he did in fact see his own shadow and that means there will be 6 more weeks of winter.

If Phil ‘s forecast is correct, it would mean that the unseasonably mild weather  we have been experiencing would be coming to an end and the cold, snow and dark days of winter will be stopping by for a nice long visit.

As you can see in the image of Punxsutawney Phil below,  he looks quite serious about his prediction.

Punxsutawney Phil Image from (groundhog.org)

Lazy Leopard and I are willing to admit  we are not experienced shadow-seers like Phil, but we thought we would ask for a second opinion.  So, we checked in with Charles G. Hogg, better known as State Island Chuck, from the Staten Island Zoo.

This morning, Staten Island Chuck was in the hands of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg when the furry forecaster did not see his shadow predicting an early spring!

Staten Island Chuck in the hands of NYC Mayor Bloomberg

Lazy Leopard said he couldn’t decide who looked more serious about the prediction, the Mayor or Staten Island Chuck, but the guy to the left of them as you look at the photo sure is happy that an early spring was predicted.

Now that we had two opinions, one predicting 6 more weeks of winter, and one predicting an early spring, we decided to use our best scientific methodology for deriving decisions and go with the prediction that we like the best! Just to make sure we had Staten Island Chuck’s prediction correct we checked in with him back in his digs.

Staten Island Chuck

Well, as you can see, Staten Island Chuck is standing by his prediction. He said he didn’t mean any disrespect to his cousin Punxsutawney Phil but that he just had to call it like he didn’t see it, his shadow that is. So, there you have it,  the prediction of milder weather until the first day of Spring.

Bring on the Spring! No Shadows Here.

February is Cat Appreciation Month!

This is the 1st day of Cat Appreciation Month. So I thought I would take a moment each day to talk about the things that I, as a cat, appreciate.  I know it is supposed to be Cat Appreciation Month and not what Cats Appreciate, but I am  super lucky to have a loving home and parents to care for me, so I thought we could all make a list of the things that cats appreciate.

Today, it is the SUN!  It is winter in Ohio and normally we experience gray days with lots of clouds and snowy conditions.  Most February days I have to argue with my dad about letting me out in the sunroom. But this day, the 1st of February, even the Sun is participating in Cat Appreciation Month, because it is shining down on me and I am out in my sunroom soaking up its warmth and light.  And like George Harrison wrote,  I too think,  ”Its all right”.

What do you think your cat appreciates the most?

Don’t miss out on any of the February Fun, Valentines Day Giveaways and The Red Carpet Cat Event!  Sign up for our free newsletter so you are ready to pounce!

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I was so happy!

Please Care for all animals big and small!

When I was in my thinking circle a few months ago, I started to dream about a way to help more of our cousins. I didn’t want to keep asking you for donations because you have all been super generous.  I wanted  to reach outside my circle and try something completely new. I thought about my mom and her friend Maureen. Between the two of them they have about 9 Lives worth of experience in product development, production, sales and marketing. They came up with all kinds of wild ideas, but finally when I showed them my sketch of a cat walking with her tail in the air, Triple T Studios was born and I am the CEO, Cat Extraordinarily Optimistic.

When you are on the right path, the pieces start to fall into place. Have you ever noticed this?  I batted the idea in the direction of making a super fun, yet classy line of handbags with a feline finesse.  We wanted to have the bags made in the United States, and if it could be close to my habitat, even better, because you know I am not so fond of traveling in my carrier.

I received an email asking if we would be interested in participating in the Red Carpet Lounge Celebrity Gift Swag for the 2012 Academy Awards. I had Maureen sniff out the details  because she lives in California so the event is closer to her habitat.  The Red Carpet Lounge donates money to select animal non-profits, so we were happy to be included.

Lots of details were sewn up before the first needle and thread hit the material.  Last week, we had the honor  of being on site in Indiana when The Tiniest Tiger Hipster went into production.

Here I am with Bob's hand holding The Tiniest Tiger labels. Triple T Studios even has their own supply cart!

Well, it was super exciting to see our The Tiniest Tiger Conservation Cub Club labels ready to be sewn onto the Hipster bags.  Bob and Joyce did a great job trying to get the details right.  Felines are finicky and they are both dog owners so I sure appreciate how patient they are with us.

The first pieces are sewn together. ~exciting~

There are many steps in the process of making The Tiniest Tiger Hipster. I sat in awe of the sewing skills. I don’t know if I could do that great work even if I had thumbs!

Sophia, Maureen and Bob with the first The Tiniest Tiger Cross Body Hipster

Sophia is a super genius.  Because we have the cat profile on our bag and we had decided to go for the classic tone on tone, with the black fabric and black thread, this made the sewing a little more complicated. You see it was hard to tell the front from the back of the fabric. Because our cats are walking to the left, (my mom and I are left pawed), Sophia told her team members to remember that the cats on the bag were heading to the break room!  That made the team laugh and helped determine which side to sew.

The Tiniest Tiger Hipster Bag with Cat Quilt Profile

The first The Tiniest Tiger Hipster bag was finished and it turned out even better than I had imagined.  The cat quilting is purr-fect.

Our tag ready to be attached to The Tiniest Tiger Hipster bags that are going to the Red Carpet Celebrity Gift Lounge for the 2012 Academy Awards.   Join me for all the Red Carpet Cat Events for your chance to win your own The Tiniest Tiger Hipster filled with feline fun!  The Tiniest Tiger Hipster Limited Edition will be available for sale.  Sign up for The Tiniest Tiger Free Newsletter to be among the first to learn the details.

I never dreamed that I would be part of the Red Carpet Celebrity Lounge when I was an abandoned kitten on the cold cement floor of the dog pound.

Dreams can come true!  I dreamed that I would be adopted into a loving forever home and that came true. Now I dream of helping animals in need both big and small.  A portion of the net profits  from Triple T Studios™ benefits global conservation projects.

RSVP for the February 22th Twitter Party Here! #RedCarpetCat