Our Festive Week In Review!

Well, this concludes another festive week at In-Sync Exotics as we celebrate Christmas with our friends and family!  As usual, here are our highlights of this week's events! 

We started off the week with a wonderful presentation from our #1 Canadian fan!  If you haven't seen Kim Puffer's video, then you definitely want to click HERE so you can see this touching video for yourself.  Thank you, Kim, for sharing your inspirational video with us!  And special thanks to Mike Cerveni for the beautiful song featured in her video!

Did you know that every year we hold a special Christmas Party for the volunteers, staff, and of course, our cats?  On Tuesday, we presented a video featuring our cats (and Katy) enjoying their Christmas presents!  If you haven't seen our "Santa's Coming to Town" video, then now's your chance by clicking HERE!

Sabu contemplating what to do with
his enrichment gift!

On Wedneday we showed several unedited videos of our exotic cats playing with their Christmas gifts, as part of our continued celebration of Christmas at In-Sync Exotics!  Watch as our lions, tigers, and cougar pounced, ripped and rolled around on their enrichment gifts by clicking HERE!

Yesterday, we provided oh-so-merry safety tips for pet parents who plan to celebrate Christmas and ring in the New Year with their furry kids.  It is wonderful to include your family pets in the celebration of the holidays, but you do not want to end up spending a significant amount of holiday time and money at the veterinarian’s office. So, click HERE for information you can use this holiday season!

Can You Guess Why Monday is the Best Day Ever?

Monday just happens to be the best day to purchase treats YOU can eat at the Best Bake Sale Ever!

We hope you will join Corby and crew, along with volunteers from In-Sync Exotics, at this year’s Christmas Bake Sale. Here’s the skinny on this fantastic event:

Date: Monday, December 17th

Time: 8 am til 6 pm

Place: Premier Place Building Lobby, 5910 North Central Expressway, Dallas, 75206 (same location as last year, Mockingbird and Central, just north of Mockingbird Station, across the highway from SMU).

Goodies: Lots of favorites from past years, and maybe a few new favorites. We’ll definitely have breads, pound cakes, cookies, brownies and candies. For special diets we’ll have at least a dozen vegan choices, some gluten-free options, and some nut-free items (don’t worry Vicky, we’ll have lots of soft peanut brittle for you)!

Prices: Most items will be $3 (cookies and brownies) and $5 (cakes, breads and candies). We’ll also have gift baskets, mugs with biscotti, and other specially packaged items that will make an even more impressive gift. We’ll even have beautiful hand-painted scripture gems available for sale again this year!

We hope you will help us spread the word about our 2nd Annual Christmas Bake Sale by distributing fliers into family, friends, and co-workers. For a printable flier, please click HERE!

We will also have our 2013 In-Sync Exotics' calendars available for purchase at this event. All proceeds from the calendars and Christmas bake sale benefits the animals of In-Sync Exotics, so we hope you'll purchase lots of gifts this year! 


For  a map and directions to the BEST BAKE SALE EVER, click HERE!

Christmas With the Cats

You're invited to spend "Christmas With the Cats" at In-Sync Exotics! Watch our exotic cats receive their bones under the twinkling Christmas lights that will illuminate your path as you tour our facility with hot cocoa and cider to help keep you toasty warm.

The crisp weather excites the cats so you will be sure to see lots of big (and small) wild cat antics!

Would your group like a private "Christmas With the Cats" night tour? Then you'll want to reserve your very own VIP Group Tour (10 people maximum) today! To reserve a VIP Group Tour, please click HERE to send a quick email to Leigh letting her know the date you'd like to reserve your VIP tour and number of individuals in your party. She will respond back to you with information about the tour.

For tour details, check out our Christmas With the Cats flier below:

For a printable copy of this flier, please click HERE.

Gift Wrapping Table

We will be back at Barnes & Noble in Frisco on December 17, and 18 from 10am - 4pm to gift wrap presents for donations. We hope to see you there with your presents! We will have our calendars available for sale at this event.

Our On-line Christmas Shop!

We have some adorable ornaments and stockings available for gifts this year. Plus mugs, Kshama Pajamas, BBQ aprons, warm stadium blankets, and much, much more, all great gifts for your family and friends! Proceeds from the gift sales benefits the animals of In-Sync Exotics. Click HERE to see our Christmas on-line gift shop!

End of Year Donation!

  

This time of year is especially important because your end of year donations help us get through the first quarter of the new year. As a 501(C) (3) sanctuary, all donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. So, if you were waiting to make a special gift to the animals, now would be a terrific time! To see the various ways you can make a tax-deductive charitable donation, please click HERE.

As a reward for reading this posting all the way through, we are presenting you a bonus video of Apollo enjoying his enrichment gift at our Christmas Party, last Saturday!

We hope you enjoyed today's blog posting! Be sure to check back next week for more fun and informative information about our exotic cats and their friends of In-Sync Exotics!

Have a safe and wonderful weekend! 

>^..^<

Celebrating Christmas With Your Pets!

Happy Holidays to you!  Are you ready for Christmas?  Have you decorated your home with merry cheer?  Pet parents, will you be including your pets in all the holiday fun?  If so, you might want to take notice of these oh-so-merry tips to keep the family out of the pet emergency clinic this year!

Christmas Tree Folly!

Veteran pet parents know that you should always securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn’t come crashing down in the middle of the night, possibly causing injury to your pets, and destroying your most prized In-Sync Exotics’ ornaments [gasp!]. 

Click HERE to order In-Sync Exotics' Ornaments!

If you have a fresh cut tree, you don’t want to spill the water or allow your pets to drink from the base of the tree because the water may contain fertilizers that can cause your pet(s) to feel very sick.  Plus, stagnant tree water can be a breeding ground for nasty bacteria and your pet can become violently ill (both ends) should he decide to drink from the tree’s water bowl.  Nothing like taking a trip to the emergency pet clinic on Christmas Day, right?

The Joys of Sparkling Tinsel and “Icicles”!

Picture from Christmas Cats!

No doubt while decorating your tree, your curious little kitty “assistant” discovered the tinsel or “icicle” trimmings.  This sparkly, crinkling material is light and easy to pull out of the bag or box, so you’ll have to keep a close eye on your little “helper.”  Most pet parents either avoid placing this type of material on the lower limbs of the tree where dogs and cats can easily reach these items, or they just skip this type of tree decoration all together.  For you see, if your pet eats this shiny material it can lead to an obstruction to our pet's digestive system, causing your fur baby to vomit, leading to dehydration, and then it’s off to the emergency pet clinic you go, oh joy!  All in all, it’s probably best you skip the sparkling tinsel and icicles this year!

All Wired Up!

Picture from Cats & Christmas Trees

Keep Christmas tree lights wires, glass and plastic ornaments out of curious paws’ reach!  If your pet chews on a wire, he may potentially receive a lethal electrical shock.  Breakable ornaments may become embedded in your pet’s paws or damage his mouth.  And if you have batteries lying around, make sure your pet does not chew on them because battery acid may burn the insides of his mouth and esophagus!

Christmas Mistletoe, Holly, and Poinsettia Plants

During the holiday season, these plants enviably find their way into our homes.  Just remember to keep Mistletoe and Holly away from your dogs and cats because Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems, while Holley can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea [and a trip to the vet, oh joy, oh joy!]. 

Though they have a bad rap, poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) plants are only mildly toxic to cats and dogs.  The milky white sap found in poinsettias contains chemicals called diterpenoid euphorbol esters and saponin-like detergents. While poinsettias are commonly “hyped” as poisonous plants, they rarely are, and the poisoning is greatly exaggerated. The far more worrisome plants given as gifts listed are bouquets containing lilies.   

Flower bouquets brought into the house by holiday guests should be thoroughly inspected, as lilies are the #1 flower often used by florists. Just one or two bites from a lily can result in severe acute kidney failure in cats – even the pollen is thought to be poisonous!

How can you tell if your cat or dog has nibbled on one of these green toxic plants?  If a small amount was digested then mild signs of gastrointestinal irritation will be apparent, although if ingested in large amounts, collapse, hypotension, ataxia (walking drunk), and seizures may occur and you must immediately take your dog or cat to the emergency vet clinic for poison treatment. 

Toy Joy

Picture from Christmas Dog & Cat Serenade!

Always use common sense when it comes to purchasing toys for your pets.  You know your pet better than anyone else—so always remember that little toys or toys that can be torn apart and then swallowed can become lodged in your pet’s esophagus, stomach, or intestines.   If you have a dog that loves to shred toys, may we suggest the indestructible Kongs?  Our cougars and small exotic cats love playing with them plus they have the added benefit of stuffing the toy with healthy foods or chew snacks.

Long, stringy cat toys are a cat’s dream, but a real nightmare for you [think trip to the vet clinic again].  Ribbon, yarn, tree trimmings, and tiny decorations can get stuck in the pet stomach and digestive system and may require surgery to remove.  Surprise kitty with a toy that cannot be swallowed, like a large catnip mouse toy instead! 

As a reminder, toys should be picked up and put away after play so no accidental injuries or toy swallowing may occur when you are not around.

Delectable Leftovers!

Picture from Cats That Pester for Food!

Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods such as chocolate, coffee, caffeine, grapes, raisins, avocados, Macadamia nuts, yeast dough,  raw/under cooked meat, eggs, bones, onions, garlic, chives, milk, salt, Xylitol (sweetener), and alcohol can make your pets very sick!  Keep an eye on your pets that like to steal food from the table, so that they don't accidentally ingest these no-no foods.  Pets can enjoy a “holiday” meal that is made for “pets” so you don’t have to worry about costly medical bills!

And Finally, Happy New Year!

As you count down the seconds to the New Year, keep in mind that stringy confetti can get lodged in a cat’s digestive tract, if digested, and may require surgery to remove.  Noisy noise poppers and horns can terrify dogs and cats, causing damage to their sensitive ears.  Best to start the new year by allowing your pet a quiet space of her own, with a soft bed, water and food, so she can also enjoy the New Year celebration too!

So here's to a safe and happy Christmas Season with your pets--may you and your pet avoid any visits to the emergency vet!

Our beautiful calendars will be available for pickup at our on-site Gift Store on Thursday, December 6th!  Each calendar costs $18 if you pick it up in person from our sanctuary's gift shop.  If you'd like to have a calendar shipped to you by standard mail, then the cost of the item is $18 + $3.00 (mail cost) for a total of $21.00 a piece.  So, for example, if you purchase a calendar for yourself and friend plus have them both mailed, then the total cost would be $21.00 x 2 = $42.00.

The In-Sync Exotics' 2013 calendar makes a terrific gift...so are you ready to order your special In-Sync Exotics calendar today?  Yes?  Great!  Here's how you can order:

Click HERE to pay by credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express). Credit card payments can be made using our secure PayPal processor, so click on the "Donate" button to start the credit card transaction!

In the "purpose" box, please indicate the number of calendars purchased and where we should ship the calendar(s).  If shipping calendars to more than two destinations, you may have make separate purchases on-line so as to accommodate the text size of the addresses typed in the "purpose" box.

Remember, during the holiday season, mail takes a little longer in reaching its destination, so you'll want to order your calendars before December 16, 2012 so it will arrive before the start of 2013! 

If you want to pay by check, you can mail your calendar payment to:

In-Sync Exotics

PO Box 968

Wylie, Texas 75098

Remember to include the name and shipping address of the calendar(s)' recipient(s)!

We hope you enjoyed today's blog posting! Be sure to check back tomorrow for more fun and informative information about our exotic cats and their friends of In-Sync Exotics! Don't forget to let us know your reaction to this posting by clicking on one of the reaction buttons below--and share this blog posting with others please ~ Thank you!

>^..^<

Deck the Halls at In-Sync Exotics!

Deck the halls at In-Sync Exotics,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Tis the season to be jolly,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Treat the cats with fun enrichment,

Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

Let them play with bags of leaves.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

See the excitement on their faces,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

When you give them a couple of decorated boxes

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Join in merry sounds of laughter

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

While we try to move the red barrels.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Don’t forget to entertain Twiggy,

(and Nugget)

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Hail the new volunteers and interns,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Sing we joyous, all together,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Friends & Family of In-Sync Exotics.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

As promised, here are a few unedited videos of our cats at play during our annual Christmas Party that was held last Saturday, December 8th!

First up, we have "Christmas Presents for Aurora, Eve, and Layla!" for your viewing pleasure!

Next we have Emma, Lucca, & Nadia with their Christmas Presents!  Aaawww...

A Christmas Party would not be complete without our Very Merry Lynxes!

And of course we have to share Lassiter's Christmas Special Gift!

Have you noticed how excited the cats get in the video background as they watch their compadres receive their Christmas presents.  You can also hear them say "What Did Santa Bring the Big Cats for Christmas" this year?

We hope you enjoyed watching a few of our cats playing with their Christmas Presents.  In case you were wondering why this event was not advertised to the public, it was because this is a special volunteer and staff event, where everyone comes together to share happiness and joy with our exotic cats, Nugget, Twiggy, and of course, Katy!

If you are interested in joining Team In-Sync, click HERE for volunteer information!

If you like the work we are doing at In-Sync Exotics, won't you consider making a kind end-of-year donation on behalf of our exotic cats?  Yes?!  That's great!  HERE's our donation link!

Brrr...Winter-like weather has finally arrived at In-Sync Exotics, and you know what that means?  Hoodies and sweatshirts! Stay warm and cozy with our crew neck sweatshirts, plus pull-over and front zippered hoodies--for adults, children and doggies.  They are on sale, 25% off, right now (except for the doggies)!  To see our hoodies and sweatshirts, click on one of the links below:

For Kami apparel click HERE.

For In-Sync Exotics' logo apparel click HERE.

For Doggies:  Click HERE for logo and Click Here for paw.

If you have a favorite exotic cat you'd like to see on a hoodie or sweatshirt, let us know by sending us an email by clicking HERE!  We will do our best to accommodate your request!

We hope you enjoyed today's blog posting! Be sure to check back tomorrow for more fun and informative information about our exotic cats and their friends of In-Sync Exotics! Don't forget to let us know your reaction to this posting by clicking on one of the reaction buttons below--and share this blog posting with others please ~ Thank you!

>^..^<



Christmas With The Cats!

Every year our volunteers celebrate Christmas with the cats and each other--and this year was no exception! There were so many great pictures taken at the event, by so many people, that it very difficult to select just a few to show off on this posting.  So, we put together a short  video with lots of adorable pictures so you can see for yourself how our volunteers celebrate 'Christmas with the Cats!'

 

Enjoy!

 

We even have several videos of the event that will be presented in tomorrow's blog posting, so please check back with us for more Christmas fun with our exotic cats!

Christmas With The Cats!

Our Christmas lights were strung with care by our hard working staff and volunteers (and they look gorgeous, if we do say so ourselves!)    The cats are frisky, enjoying the cooler air.  The sweet sounds of lions' roars can be heard everywhere.  The cider and hot chocolate is ready to be enjoyed. Alas, all that's missing from this wonderful event is...well, YOU!

Come on out Friday or Saturday evening for a night time tour you will never forget.  And if you want to make your time with us extra special why not make a VIP Christmas With The Cats Tour reservation today!  For details and a printable flier, please click HERE!

We hope you enjoyed today's blog posting! Be sure to check back tomorrow for more fun and informative information about our exotic cats and their friends of In-Sync Exotics! Don't forget to let us know your reaction to this posting by clicking on one of the reaction buttons below--and share this blog posting with others please ~ Thank you!

>^..^<

A Special Friend Helps In-Sync Exotics!

Welcome back everyone to another week of In-Sync Exotics news!

As the year comes to a close, and we reflect upon all our accomplishes, challenges, tears, and joys, we are also reminded that In-Sync Exotics would not be possible without YOU.

YOU provide life saving medical care for our exotic animals, horses, and domestic cats.

YOU provide quality species specific meals for all our animals.

YOU provide us the means to build larger habitats for our animals.

YOU volunteer your time and service ensuring our animals having a loving place to call home.

Without YOU, there would be no US.

If you've been following us Twitter, then you know we have a terrific fan from Canada who has been following In-Sync Exotics.  She wanted to volunteer her time with the animals, but she lives too far away.  She wanted to help off-set the costs of food and medicine, but like many people, she cannot donate at this time.  She loves animals so much, she knew she could contribute to our mission in some way, even though she lives in another time zone.  So after some thought, she decided to go through our Facebook and blog pictures, downloaded the photos she like the best, and then organize them in such a way that they told a story that came from her heart.  She contact her friend, Mike Cerveni, who graciously allowed her to use his song for her creation and with the help from the blog mistress (for a little production assistance) a new video was born! 

Kim was inspired by Vicky as she watched the sanctuary's story on Twitter and wanted to help Vicky reach new fans by tweeting this new video to friends and family.  So, without further ado, may I present Kim Puffer's new video titled "Miracles!"

We want to thank Kim and Mike for this wonderful video and song! Kim's words resonates with animal rescuers and caregivers everywhere, as it is hard work to care for the animals under our care, and yes, we do need some help--your help--today...

We realize that not everyone can donate during these hard economic times. But we have to be honest with you, without your contributions, we are unable to order food for the animals at a monthly expense of $14,000,  pay the vet bills, which is about $20,000 at this time, vitamins, minerals, and medicines for our aging population who need a little extra support, enrichment for the animals...well, you get the idea.  

Donations, even as small as $10, gets us closer to us meeting our obligations to the animals.  Your gift, whether it be $10, $50, $100, or more is truly a blessing and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for trusting us with your hard earned dollars.  

This time of year is especially important because your donations help us get through the first quarter of the new year. As a 501(C) (3) sanctuary, all donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. So, if you were waiting to make a special gift to the animals, now would be a terrific time!  To see the various ways you can make a tax-deductive charitable donation, please click HERE.

Don't forget, every dollar the 2012 Christmas Bake Sale raises this year, results in an automatic matching, dollar for dollar.  So if you cannot make it to the bake sale and would like to make a donation and see your donation automatically double, please mail a check or money order, made out to In-Sync Exotics, to: 

Corby Bryant
 c/o Venable Royalty, Ltd

5910 North Central Expressway

Suite 1470

Dallas, Texas, 75206

Please email Corby Bryant (click HERE for email address) with any questions you may have regarding the upcoming Bake Sale! Don't forget to check out 2012 Christmas Bake Sale's blog and Pintrest pages.  Yep, the event has it own blog and Pintrest pages, so click HERE to learn more about this event and check out the tasty treats up for sale, Monday, December 17th!

There are so many ways to help support the animals, as Kim pointed out in the video, so we hope you will select one that you like the best, including our Razoo project "Big Cats Need Dental Too!"  So far we raised enough money to give one big cat the dental surgery he needs.  We still have four more cats that need your help!  Perhaps this is the cause for you!  To make a donation towards the "Big Cats Need Dental Too, click HERE!

https://twitter.com/Insync_Exotics

We invite you to join us on Twitter as we will be discussing the video with our friends.  We hope you will share this posting with your friends and family, letting them know that there are so many ways to help our animals--so many ways to make a difference in their lives--that we are confident that we will be successful.

Yes, miracles can come true, all thanks to you!

We hope you enjoyed today's blog posting! Be sure to check back tomorrow for more fun and informative information about our exotic cats and their friends of In-Sync Exotics! Don't forget to let us know your reaction to this posting by clicking on one of the reaction buttons below--and share this blog posting with others please ~ Thank you!

>^..^<