For Fans of Felines,
Five Famous Poems

Japanese Cat Figurines

Celebrating Cats for National Poetry Month

What sort of philosophers are we, who know absolutely nothing of the origin and destiny of cats?
— Henry David Thoreau

The beginning of the relationship between humans and Felis silvestris catus is lost to time. It goes back at least 10,000 years—before even the inhabitants of ancient Egypt “tamed” those early housecats.

And that relationship has always been much more than just a convenient, mutually beneficial domestic arrangement between Man and Animal. Something about the eyes, the attitude, the motion of a cat opens doors into a world beyond the human experience that is exquisitely sensuous and mysterious, even magical.

Because of their own capacity for “seeing beyond” and delving into the mysterious, artists have always been attracted to cats as worthy subjects of their art: drawing, painting, and sculpting them in countless ways to reveal at least a little of that ineffable mystery which surrounds them like an aura. And, of course, for centuries poets have not been able to resist writing about them.
Continue reading “For Fans of Felines,
Five Famous Poems”

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

The Perfect Holiday Gift
for Your Favorite Pet Owner

Pet Portraits: Featured Image – Xmas Tree Van

With Christmas rapidly approaching, perhaps you have already started making your list and checking it twice. Good luck with that. Finding just the right present for family and friends can be a tough job. But if that special friend or family member is also a pet owner, then here’s a unique, affordable gift idea that will make the job much easier… Continue reading “The Perfect Holiday Gift
for Your Favorite Pet Owner”

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

An April Bestiary in Verse

Poetry books

Celebrating Animals for National Poetry Month

Throughout our short but spectacular history, we of the bipedal mammalian species known as Home sapiens have been utterly fascinated by our quadruped cousins in the Animal Kingdom (not to mention our finny friends and wingèd companions on this Earth). For centuries we have written learned books about them, recounted their exploits in ancient fables and folk tales, celebrated them in song, drawn their figures on cave walls and canvas, and we began photographing them relentlessly almost as soon as the camera was invented.

And, it goes without saying, we have composed countless poems about them. The sheer volume of poetry dedicated to our fellow creatures—all manner of flesh, fish, and fowl, from monkeys to microbes, from the common to the exotic, limbless and many-limbed, the living and the extinct, and all inhabiting every corner of this amazing terraqueous globe of ours—is daunting, to say the least. Where to start?

This April, to celebrate National Poetry Month, Ketchum Mfg. Co. showcases just a few of our favorites among the most famous poems about our brother animals—both wild and domestic. Continue reading “An April Bestiary in Verse”

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

Fascinating Chicken Facts

The majority of the time, chickens are not given the respect they deserve as animals. Why? It might be because most people don’t realize how truly fascinating and intelligent these animals really are! Interested in learning more about what makes chickens so darn cool? Read on to find out!

Full color visionChicken

Unlike a great deal of animals, chickens actually have full-color vision. Because of this, they can distinguish between different surroundings and can communicate better with their offspring as well as any other species they come in contact with. Pretty cool, right?

REM sleep

Sleeping chicken

Thought REM (rapid eye movement) sleep was just for humans? Think again! Chickens similarly experience REM sleep, which means they have dreams just like humans do. I wonder if they’ve ever dreamed about crossing the road!

Defend young from predatorsUrban Mama Chicken

Hens specifically are very protective of their babies, which is why they show extreme confidence in defending their young from any predators that approach them. Just when you thought calling someone a “chicken” meant they were afraid of something, turns out it might actually be a compliment!

Motherly traits

A Fresh EggJust like a mother with her babies, chickens also talk to their off spring, even when they’re still in the womb. In fact, a mother hen begins teaching her baby chicks different calls before they even hatch! How cute is that?

Play timechicken heart

Get this – chickens LOVE to play! When they’re given enough space to roam, chickens will jump, run, spa and even soak up the sun! What’s really sad is that only a small percentage of chickens are raised in the United States with the ability to roam any land at all, while most spend their entire lives in tiny cages, usually no larger than the size of an iPad.

Smarty pants

Free range chickensDid you think chickens were pretty dumb up until this point? If so, you are sadly mistaken. According to recent studies, chickens are actually very intelligent animals with a variety of attributes similar to that of their primates. From the ability to solve complex problems to demonstrating self control and worrying about the future, chickens are much brighter than they’re given credit for.

MemoriesChicken

As humans, we have the ability to remember and store memories in a variety of ways. What many people don’t know is that chickens have the ability to recognize and memorize as well! While still not on the same level as humans, chickens are able to recognize and remember more than 100 different individuals, including humans.

Object permanence

backyard chickenAs children develop, they begin to develop object permanence. Well guess what? Chickens have this ability as well. Even when an object is taken away from them or hidden, they’re able to comprehend the fact that the object still exists, which is something that many animals don’t have the ability to do.

DinosaursWhite chickens

Did you know that chickens are living dinosaurs? That’s right – research has proven that not only have chickens evolved from dinosaurs, but they are currently the closest living relative to the T. Rex, one of the most popular dinosaurs in history.

Lisa Podwirny is the owner of Ketchum Mfg. Connect with her on !

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter