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The Life and Times
of 4 Year Old Princess Sugar Pie
as a Famous Registered Therapy
Cat and Show Cat,
rescued by owner/trainer Jim Barbee
when she was a feral kitten.
Princess Sugar Pie is dressed up in her famous and familar "Cowgirl" outfit. She was very tired after her visit to one of the area's nursing homes. I thought that she looked rather funny, so I took this picture of her in her worn-out state.
Whenever she goes out with me on her visits or to just run errands, Sugar Pie usually rides in my pickup truck with both of her front paws up on the dashboard. While this is happening, Princess Sugar Pie can be dressed in any number of outfits but Sugar Pie is usually dressed in, of course, her Cowgirl outfit. This always brings about allot of stares from people which results in many pictures being taken of her. Sugar Pie is a real sight to see. Oh Boy, is She a real sight to see!
Photo was taken be me. LJB
Hello and welcome to my cat's web page. My name is Jim Barbee and Princess Sugar Pie is a very special cat of mine. Besides being her owner, I am also her trainer too. You see, dogs are not the only animals that are "Therapy Animals". Four year old Princess Sugar Pie is a certified therapy cat that I registered through the "Service Animal Registry of America" or SARA. I rescued her when she was a feral kitten living underneath my condominium back in 2004. Princess Sugar Pie started becoming famous right after the Mobile Press-Register featured a three page article about her during the 2007 Mardi Gras celebration. Princess Sugar Pie has become Mobile Area's own Mardi Gras Cat. She just turned 5 years old in June of 2008. I hope that she and I will be able to spend a long productive life together. I am so proud of all her accomplishments.
Note: When I first noticed Princess Sugar Pie, her Daddy, Mr. Boots had both she and her brother in tow coming up my condo's steps. Her Daddy, Mr. Boots, was the first angel that I rescued, He used to bring she and her Brother, later named, Mr. Maxx up to my 2nd story condo each and every day to eat cat food. When I saw her, I fell in love with her and later named her Princess Sugar Pie. It took a while before I tamed she and her brother. More about Mr. Boots and Mr. Maxx later. Now back to Princess Sugar Pie's story.
In the beginning, she wouldn't even let me get close enough to pet her but I eventually won her confidence. After some intensive training, I saw that she would make a wonderful therapy animal. During her training, I would take her to crowded and noisy places so that she would get accustomed to the sights and sounds. I would reward her with treats when she behaved well.
After two years of training, I certified her as a therapy animal and now she is able to help other people to relax and feel at ease. I still find it amazing that she was a feral cat and now she has accomplished all of this.
Note: "Princess Sugar Pie" is sometimes called "Sugar Pie" or just "Sugar" for short, even-though she is still an actual Princess. She really enjoys grooming herself while sitting on the vanity in front of the mirror in the bathroom. She also enjoys having her nails and hair trimmed before she takes her bath and has no problems with a blow dryer being used to dry her hair either. Shouldn't a Princess be pampered while taking great pains to look her best?
Note: Princess Sugar Pie likes to eat "Purina Cat Chow" complete formula and snack on "Whiskas" temptations and "Purrfectly Natural" gourmet treats for cats. She does have some "pet peeves" though. Princess Sugar Pie likes to have a clean water and food bowl and a clean litter box too. She doesn't like to get her feet dirty either and is the "Princess of clean". Isn't that how a "Princess" should act? Note: Of all the kitty litters that I have used, "Fresh Step" multiple cat litter, seems to do the best job! Sugar Pie even approves of it too.
Since Princess Sugar Pie is a certified and registered therapy animal, I am now able to take her to any nursing home or hospital in the country, if I need to. Besides our going to nursing homes and hospitals, I have also taken her to schools in order to educate children about Therapy Animals and how Princess Sugar Pie became one. Whenever I go out and take Sugar Pie with me, I always clamp her picture ID on her harness or costume, even if we just run errands. I also take Sugar Pie to my home church in Mobile when I'm down at my condo in Daphne. She has been blessed and christened at least three times in the past couple of years. I guess that makes Sugar Pie a "Holy Cat". People always ask me about Sugar Pie all the time because they are not used to seeing a therapy cat, let alone a cat dressed up in a hat or costume. Therapy animals not only lower people's blood pressure when they hold and pet the animal, the activity also reduces their stress
level too, which is another added benefit.
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Fifty-three Pets were entered in the "Pet Of The Year" contest. The top three pets as well as the other twelve finalists pets are featured in the "Smoky Mountain Pet Calendar". In that contest, all pets entered and also their owners raised almost $18,000.00 dollars for the new Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center hospital that is currently under construction. Princess Sugar Pie and I raised over $1,700.00 dollars for that and we have sold over $450.00 dollars in Pet Calendars. The new hospital will be across the road from it's current site which is very small and outdated. A big thank you to Sugar Pie and also to all the other pets and their owners for doing such a nice thing for Sevier County and it's only hospital.
Also, Thank you to all the people, family and friends who voted and campaigned for Princess Sugar Pie in the 2007"Smoky Mountain Pet Of The Year" contest. That was such a nice thing to do for Princess Sugar Pie and the hospital. I really think that It would have been much less tiring for me to have campaigned Princess Sugar Pie to run for a U.S. Senate seat which she probably could have won.
Sugar Pie is Mrs. November in the hospital's 2007-2008 "Smoky Mountain Pet Calendar". Those are still available by calling 865-429-6577. All the money from their sales goes toward the hospital's new building fund too. One can also click on Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Link on the last page to order the 2007-2008 "Smoky Mountain Pet Calendar.
I am so proud of Sugar Pie and I look forward to her making many more accomplishments during our lifetime together. She brings much joy and happiness to my life and also to all who meet her. She is a real Princess to me and others. I hope this article and her pictures brings a smile to everyone who reads it. Please tell everyone about Sugar Pie's website and stop by often to visit.
Very Truly Yours,
Jim and Princess Sugar Pie
On Wednesday May 7th, 2008, there was a good article about feral cats in USA Today. This explains the difference better than anything that I have seen about Feral Cats.
Not all outdoor cats are ferals. Nancy Peterson, feral cat expert for the Humane Society of the United States, says the population known as free-roaming cats includes:
Indoor/outdoor cats that roam neighborhoods. These are pets,and wondering does not make them "wild".
Cats that were once pets but have been abandoned or gotten lost and have learned to survive on their own or joined feral colonies. These cats, when captured, can usually be re-socialized to live with humans. But their initial reaction to being captured is often frantic, and they can be mistaken for being feral.
Feral Cats, which are generally one generation or more removed from being house pets, and their offspring aren't socialized to humans and can rarely be tamed. (But their kittens, if caught young, can be pets.
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More Interesting Links are on P.9 as well as PSP Awards and PSP Voting too!
Pet Profiles
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have quality information and content
These awards are considered a "seal of approval". Again, Thank you!
Please be sure to visit
Princess Sugar Pie's Awards Page, Images Page and Voting Page!
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"DIY" website builder!
Thank you Net Mechanic for your Award!
Received Dec. 2007.
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Click on to find out what the weather is in your hometown!
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Princess Sugar Pie likes "Google" the best, followed by "Yahoo", then "MSN"!
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