Walk Through The Web Wednesday 1/31

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hello Friends,.
Alberto here with my weekly stroll and purrrusal of the information highway to bring you awesome feline stuff. Here are this week’s picks, enjoy!

Is Bubble Wrap The New Cardboard Box? – Cheezeburger.com

bubblewrapvsbox

In the humble opinion of this feline, this is a very serious and important debate. Every human and feline knows the affection we have for boxes but now there seems to be a replacement. I am not sure what side of this debate I support and would welcome some further comment from my feline readers.

 

Britain Battles Russia to be Crowned Winner of the World’s Best Cat – Mirror UK

prod-mowgleaves-stonhenge1

Mowgleaves Stonhenge is the cat from London

I make it a point to stay completely a-purrlitical (well, except when my brother Oliver runs for Purresident of the Kitty Kat Party) and I don’t like reporting on international paw-liticks either but this article did capture my attention. The lines of division are drawn between the finalists  Mowgleaves Stonehenge, the Anglo-American feline from London and his competition Rumfold Such a Flirt Shu-Ko from Moscow.

The world of cat shows is full of hissing and spitting and other sorts of drama and this tell-all article shows what a soap opera life can be for the purry pedigreed. Makes me happy that I’m a shelter cat!

Cats vs Drone-Rickey.org

gray cat swatting a droneI’ve heard the humans talking about this flying thingy’s called drones. Some of the human’s friends spend quite a bit of time piloting the things. In my humble opinion, if you’re going to have something that flys around you should give your cat the opportunity to swat it. Now some folks have said this isn’t the safest thing so before you go out and start swatting these droney-things, have your humans check it out first!

Cats at Work – Cheeseburger.com

cat at work in a beauty salon

If you read my regular Wednesday column,. you’ll know I can never resist featuring anything that has to do with working cats. This album of working cats features beautiful black and white photos of my gainfully employed feline friends. Enjoy!

Tucker the Fearless

tuckerthefearlessHello Friends, Furry and Otherwise,

Tucker here, Well, I spent an interesting weekend at the place with the white coats. Without going into all the details (as it’s a bit embarrassing) I was suffering from a severe and serious episode of constipation.

My purpose in writing this is not to tell you about my ailment but to brag about how fearless I was there.

Granted, I did sing the “song of my people” all the way to the place with the white coats but I noticed something immediately when I was inside. This was a new place and there was no bad, medicine smell.

I sat in my carrier quietly waiting for the next chapter of my indignity when I was taken into a room. This room had no scary smells, the man in the white coat was very kind and I wasn’t frightened, just nervous. I even felt comfortable enough to sit (albeit warily) and see what was going to happen.

Even when they took me for a blood test and to the machine that took a picture machine of my insides, I was fearless. (Not saying I liked it, but I was no scardey-cat!)

I had to stay overnight where I suffered some indignities (but the female human explained it was all to make me better) and I have to say, it was the best stay at the place of the white coats I’ve ever had.

And the most miraculous thing of all, not one of the other Tribe of Five hissed at me when I returned home! That has never happened.

The female human was talking to the lady in the white coat when she picked me up and it sounds like every animal that visits this place can be fearless. My female human is going to be writing more about this when she takes Alberto and Oliver in for their wellness exam (well Alberto and Oliver will dictate and our purrsonal assistant will type it up for us We’d do it ourselves but the lack of opposable thumbs puts a definite kink in our blogging!)

Stay tuned for more about being fearless.
Your friend,
Tucker
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Note from Tucker’s female human:
Our veterinary clinic Pend Oreille Veterinary Service has recently completed their new facility and it is an amazing place. Designed by a veterinary architect, this clinic is designed with one purpose, to offer the best care for our furry and feathered kids and to make them all fearless. Oliver and Alberto will be telling you more after their fearless visit.

 

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 1/25/2017

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hello Friends,
It’s that time of the week when I share some of my favorite web stories about or for felines.
Your Friend,
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Newlyweds, their Amazing Cat & Their Cross Country Adventures – I Heart Cats

honeymoon couple treavel to national parks with their black and white cat

Photo courtesy of I Heart Cats and ourvieadvemtures

As we move toward Valentine’s Day, I thought a story about true human and feline love would be a great idea, and what’s more romantic than Cees and Madison Hofman and their kitten Vladimir spending their first year of wedded bliss on the road, exploring all 59 U.S. National Parks?

The couple said their goal was to make their furry family member the “cutest, coolest, smartest, best adventure kitty out there.” Hats off to Vladimir who is not only leash trained but clicker trained as well. You go Vlad! You can follow Vladimir and his humans on Instagram

 

Roomba Cats and Superbowl Ads – Ad Week

tabby cat riding a roombaThe female human does consulting and a lot of business with the company GoDaddy.com. I can wholeheartedly recommend this company as they are doing roomba-cat Superbowl ads this year. The female human and I think the male human should buy her a roomba and I have volunteered to pilot it. Take a sneak peek at one of the ads.

 

Hong Kong Shop Cats Help Business – The Daily Mail

hongikongshopcats

Photograph courtesy of Marcel Heijnen

You know I just can’t let a Wednesday go by without posting something about working cats. This week, I found a story about a photographer who spent a year taking pictures of Hong Kong’s shop cats.  And the folks in Hong Kong know a thing or two about felines, they consider their shop cats fortunate and they acknowledge that their furry coworkers help bring in customers to their stores.

Here’s to all the shop kitties in Hong Kong and the rest of the world.

 

 

 

 

Bubble Bowl Chair for Cats – Metro UK

black and white cat in clear feline bubble chairFurniture for cats is nothing new. I can tell you our humans spend a lot of cash on feline furnishings for our home. What is new about this item is that this chair is comfortable for cats and fun for humans as well. You know we like to slink into odd-shaped items and contort our lithe bodies into amazing forms. This chair allows us to do this and, since it’s a clear blubble, the humans get the full, entertaining effect of our antics.  The female human was ready to order one for the Tribe of Five, but it’s on something called “Kickstarter” and the donation amounts are in Hong Kong dollars. As soon as she figures out how to do this, I’ll let you know.

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Cats & Cat Moms from Etsy-Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries and Meows

Valentine’s Day, the day to show love between humans and felines is coming soon. I found some wonderful gift ideas, gifts the humans can buy for their fur kids and gifts the fur kids can give their humans (as long as one of the humans helps them with ordering and paying!)  I love the catnip kickers because soft, long catnip filled toys that I can grab and kick with my back legs are my faves.  The female human liked all the ideas but, since she never met a piece of jewelry she didn’t like, she especially liked the cat pendant (and the fact that it looks a bit like my brother Oliver). Don’t forget to show your humans some extra love on Valentines Day!

 

 

Linky Party, Jan.21, 2017

Five cats in hats celebrating Linky Party

It’s Pawty Time!

Siamese cat with tiaraHi There,
Jasmine here. I’m wearing my Tiara from Navi’s Tea Party, check it out in the linky lists to see the amazing photos of Navi and her human.

I chose some new Linky Party attendees this week so, without further ado, let’s meet my new friends.

Another Day in Prince George – On The Edge

two siamese and a white catNellie, Kali and Shoko sure seem to have some good times. I purrrrticularily like their report on the bacon treat. Now my human has never offered me bacon so The Tribe of Five had an executive session and handed our bacon demand to both humans. I’ll let you know who it turns out. These felines also enjoy having fun in the show which I can relate to.

Purrseidon – One Cool Cat

cat with life jacket on surf boardAlthough she came from humble (and scary) beginnings, Purrseidon has carved a place for herself in the list of fabulous, famous felines. I have to say, although I am impressed with her water skills, this photo still makes me shudder. I would like to be as brave as Purrseidon.  Alberto and Oliver think they are water lovers but I don’t think sitting in the kitchen sink qualifies!

Miss Cuddlywumps –  The Egyptian Mau: Pharaoh of the Living Room

Egeyptian Mau Cat

Photo by liz west, via Wikimedia Commons.

Miss Cuddlywumps (Miss C to her friends) is a fictictious feline who is a character in cozy mystery books. Our female human is furrr-iously writing a cozy mystery with numerous cats (the two main cat characters are based on Alberto and Oliver). I liked this history lesson about the Mau cat and it reminds me of the royal and ancient heritage all felines possess, whether we are one breed or a delightful mix of many breeds.

petbloggershowcase_logo

Welcome to the Pet Blogger Showcase!

This is the place for you to show off your favorite family friendly pet related posts, find other great posts to read, show some love to other bloggers and maybe be featured on one of the host blogs!

Meet the Hosts Behind the Showcase

Pet Faves– Living the pet lover lifestyle

Heart Like A Dog– The good, the bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs

Felines Opines– The world from a feline point of view

Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat– The humorous and touching tales of a formerly homeless, yet always extraordinary, feline and his Momma, who’s just along for the ride.

About the Pet Blogger Showcase

Twice a month, On the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, you have the chance to link up one of your blog posts to the linky party link-up. Then visit 3 other blogs that joined the party and leave a meaningful comment. Feel free to share with your followers on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. Then each week the hosts will feature their favorite 3 posts from the previous Linky Party on the new party post.

Pet Blogger Showcase Rules

  1. Share a pet specific post, past or present, from your blog in the linky below (be sure to link to your post page and not your home page). Family friendly posts only. (We love reading about other topics and niches, but posts that are not pet related will be deleted this includes any posts that don’t mention pets even if they are on a pet blog or if the post could pertain to pets.)
  2. Spread the Love! Leave a quality comment(more than just a few words) on at least 3 other posts from the linky party. Tell them why you love their post, encourage them, share on social media.
  3. Check back for the next linky party to see if you are featured on one of the hosts’ blogs.

*Note: By adding your post to the linky party you are giving the hosts permission to use an image from your post if your post will be a featured post on their blog to help encourage people to click through to your post. The image may be used individually or as a collage.

That’s it! No need to RSVP. No need to bring a covered dish. No need to add the linky to your post. No need to include a button. Just come join the party and PAWTY ON!

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 1/18/17

siamese cat in black and white with blue eyes, Alberto, Feline Opines

Hello Friends,
Alberto here. It’s time for me to share my favorite feline tidbits-enjoy!

The Expanse” Season One Re-cat,  The Verge

cat with sci fi costume onSurely you all know by now that cats rule the internet. We pop up in some of the most unusual places and, in this case felines are featured in a season recat of the Sci Fi Series, The Verge.  Disclaimer, if you start watching season 2, you will not see Julie Meow or some of the other characters depicted in this re-cat.

 

Sparkle Cat – Summer’s Wardrobe 

sparklecatoutfitsOk, I admit it, I am a HUGE fan of Summer the Somali cat (also known as Sparkle Cat). I’m not usually a fan boy but I mean, look at her, she’s GORGEOUS!  The female human even got to meet her at BlogPaws last May. I am in the process of launching a campaign for the female human to take me to BlogPaws this May but she says it’s much to far from our far north home. Anyway, as much as I hate when the humans dress me up, Summer is one of those fantastic felines who like dress up and who look purrrrrfectly beautiful. Meows and waves to Summer (and this fan boy would love a purrrsonalized photo from his favorite star)

The Life of a Service Cat – Deziz World

ragdoll service catI have some good feline buddies on the World Wide Web. Two that I correspond with frequently are Dezi and Raena from Deziz World. Now we’ve discussed many things but one thing my friends never told me was that they are service cats. There are many cats with jobs but Dezi and Raena work 24/7. My friends are very talented and they feature great information about service cats, how to find them, train them, etc. Stroll on over there and when you do, tell them “Hi” from their buddy Alberto!

 

Career Cats Hold Jobs – The Virginia Gazette
black and white cat has a job at a feed storeIf you are a regular reader of my weekly mewsings, you know I love featuring articles about cats with jobs. It’s not just that I want the world to know how smart and capable we are, I love the humans who have figured out that cats who are not as fortunate as The Tribe of Five and others can still find safety, a home, regular meals and important work.  There are some wonderful humans at the Heritage Humane Society who founded the Career Cat Program. You can read about Spike who was hired at Jamestown Feed and Seed and about this great feline employment program. I sure wish the female human would look into starting a feline employment agency where we live!

Walk Through the Web, Wed. 1/11/17

siamese cat in black and white with blue eyes, Alberto, Feline Opines

Hi Folks,
I’ve finally returned to my weekly Wednesday purrrrusings of the web for all things feline. I did enjoy my holiday hiatus but it’s good to get back to work. So without further ado, here are my picks for the week!
Your Friend,
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The Midwife Cat 

orange and white cat massages goat giving birthIf you read my mewsings, you know that I love to talk about cats with jobs, especially unusual jobs and this cat’s job is unusual, believe me.  Pretty Boy aka #979 Operation Fancy Free  cat rescue, out of Jackson County WV, TNR program) lives in Virginia  and can be seen in a video, massaging and comforting Copper, the goat who was giving birth.
I’m wondering if Copper the goat is going to name Pretty Boy as Godfather to the new arrivals.

Detective Cat is on the Job

cartoon police cat
My human is in the process of writing a mystery story that features two felines (one, I am proud to say is modeled after me). Needless to say, when I saw this article about a cat who got a suspect busted, I let my human know. This cat helped “rat out” a suspect. Way to go Officer Feline

 

A REAL Cat Burglar

orange cat gets locked in banik
While I’m talking about felines and the law, there’s an interesting story about a true cat burglar. Seems this feline got himself locked inside a British bank overnight. I must say, if I were gong to be a cat burglar, I’d get myself locked into a dairy or a tuna factory, I certainly wouldn’t sit at the door so everyone could make fun of me on Twitter!

 

 

 

TRAKZ – A Feline and Canine Version of Fitbit 

TRAKZ a fitbit gps for cats and dogsNow if you’re concerned that your feline may have criminal tendencies like the British cat burglar, you may want to check out this item that has GPS to track your furry friend and track their whereabouts and how much they are eating. Our 16-pound, food loving Alpha Tucker was horrified when he heard about the Trakz and threatened my with severe bodily harm if I let the humans know about it.

 

Cats Giving Blood

cat in a nurse costume next to a give blood sign
I have never heard of cats giving blood but they do. Evidently there is a high demand for feline transfusions in Western Australia and Murdoch University’s animal hospital has set up a community blood donor program where cats can donate between three to five times per year. While I admire this noble act on the part of Australian felines, I think I’ll take a pass…but then again if I could save another feline life by doing it, I would have to consider it.

 

 

Cats in Hats

a ginger cat wearing a hat made from his own hairAnd now for something a little silly…cats in hats.  Evidently some humans have waaaayyyy to much time on their hands and this seems to be the case for Japanese photographer Ryo Yamazaki, who makes hats ,,,,,from the hair his cats shed. I must say I am still trying to figure out if this is a legit feline fashion statement or a dismal failure, I’ll let you make up your own minds.

Linky Party January 7, 2017

Five cats in hats celebrating Linky Party

Hello Friends, Furry and Otherwise,
black and white cat in mad hatters top hat
I’m so happy that Linky Parties have started again.  Since I rarely get to host The Tribe of Five voted to let me host this time.

This means that this kitten gets to choose his faves from the last LInky party in December so here goes.

Enjoy and tell your friends to join us so we can learn about other great pet blogs!
Your Friend
Oliver the kitten's siganture

Animal Shelter Volunteer Life  – A Sassy  Sunday Selfie

beautiful female tabby cat up for adoption in Norwich, CT

Okay, I admit it, I’m a sucker for a good looking tabby and when I looked into Sassy’s big green eyes, well what can I say, I was one smitten kitten. I was really campaigning for the female human to bring Sassy home but it says on the website that Sassy needs a home with people within driving distance of Norwalk, CT. Well, we’re waaaaaayyyy far from there, closer to the left coast so it’s a no go. Anyway, I hope Sassy has found her forever home and that she is appreciated.

Sniffles, The Senior Shelter Cat

Well, I might as well keep the tabby theme rolling. I’ve already told you I’m partial to snifflesTabbies and even though Sniffles is a guy I had to share this post because Sniffles is in a shelter that takes in senior cats. Our Alpha, Tucker,. and his sister Jasmine are 12 years old and in our house we don’t even think of that as “senior” because the humans take such good care of all of us that we live long, happy lives. I sure hope there are folks out there who would be willing to bring a senior cat into their home and I hope Sniffles is in his forever home now.

Travels with Barley – Special Delivery

newly adopted Shepherd mix puppy named Rye

I’m continuing the theme of shelter pets and making sure that my canine friends are represented. This is a wonderful story about how a human went to the shelter with one adoption plan in mind and that plan was changed. A beautiful little dog, now named Rye, received the best Christmas present ever….a forever home for the holidays.

Now that I’ve featured my faves from the last Linky Party, I invite you all to attend this party. Instructions are below, just go to the Linky Party link on Saturday and add your story and who knows,. maybe you’ll be featured at the next party!

 

petbloggershowcase_logoWelcome to the Pet Blogger Showcase!

This is the place for you to show off your favorite family friendly pet related posts, find other great posts to read, show some love to other bloggers and maybe be featured on one of the host blogs!

Meet the Hosts Behind the Showcase

Pet Faves– Living the pet lover lifestyle

Heart Like A Dog– The good, the bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs

Felines Opines– The world from a feline point of view

Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat– The humorous and touching tales of a formerly homeless, yet always extraordinary, feline and his Momma, who’s just along for the ride.

About the Pet Blogger Showcase

c  Then visit 3 other blogs that joined the party and leave a meaningful comment. Feel free to share with your followers on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. Then each week the hosts will feature their favorite 3 posts from the previous Linky Party on the new party post.

Pet Blogger Showcase Rules

  1. Share a pet specific post, past or present, from your blog in the linky below (be sure to link to your post page and not your home page). Family friendly posts only. (We love reading about other topics and niches, but posts that are not pet related will be deleted this includes any posts that don’t mention pets even if they are on a pet blog or if the post could pertain to pets.)
  2. Spread the Love! Leave a quality comment(more than just a few words) on at least 3 other posts from the linky party. Tell them why you love their post, encourage them, share on social media.
  3. Check back for the next linky party to see if you are featured on one of the hosts’ blogs.

*Note: By adding your post to the linky party you are giving the hosts permission to use an image from your post if your post will be a featured post on their blog to help encourage people to click through to your post. The image may be used individually or as a collage.

That’s it! No need to RSVP. No need to bring a covered dish. No need to add the linky to your post. No need to include a button. Just come join the party and PAWTY ON!

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

Tucker Opines on Healthy Eating

Siamese cat at the kitchen counter talking about gaining weight

Hello All,
As the male Alpha of the Tribe of Five, I’ve had much experience in my 12 years as far as eating is concerned. And believe me, I love to eat. I like wet food in the morning, kibble during the day, wet food in the evening and a before bedtime snack. Some cats eat to live, I live to eat.

Despite my great enjoyment of food, I have many dietary restrictions. First there’s my age (I’m twelve) and the fact that I have numerous allergies. The humans are constantly looking for the healthiest options for me and the rest of the tribe and they were ecstatic to find an extensive and in-depth review of cat foods by Reviews.com.  The article was published in November 2016 and (as the female human says) is something every cat loving person should read.

It’s a long article and far too much reading for this feline but I had my purrrrsonal assistant give me the highlights, which I will share with you. I suggest you have your lackeys…..errrr…humans read the report in its entirety..

In-Depth Study

These folks at Reviews.com are no slouches. They stated;

 “We analyzed 1,759 cat food formulas and found only 152 that were produced by a trustworthy brand with high-quality, risk-free ingredients.” They also made some cool graphs to help you humans understand how to feed your fabulous felines the healthiest foods.”

They also understand how complicated the feline digestive system is;

For cats, diets need to have a number of ingredients that only animal-based ingredients can supply, and not just meat; organs are often better in this respect (yes, by-product!). Also, cats need a certain supply of minerals to help them avoid urinary tract crystals and stones. Overall, you need to first think about what your dog/cat needs and then look for diets that help you meet that.”

In other words, you just can’t feed us any old thing and expect to keep us healthy.

The Importance of Digestibility

The folks at Review.com know that just because a feline likes the taste of something the digestibility factor is important. They even made a cool chart to explain this.

catfood_digestibilitya2x

 

Even Cats Have to Watch Out For Those Pesky Carbs

The female human is rabidly anti-carb when it comes to their food and she’s always wondered about cards and kitties. The study addresses this but I sure hope this doesn’t mean some of my tasty snacks will be cut out!

carbsandcats

Low-Quality Ingredients Lead to Health Problems

My humans subscribe to this theory and they want to keep us as healthy and happy as possible.  Kidney disease, dental disease and obesity are a problem for felines, especially as we get older, and the best way to mitigate these issues is to make sure we’re eating healthy.

catfood_quickguidea2x1

Don’t Delay, Read This Article Today

IMHO this is the definitive article on cat food and at twelve-years of age (and being a bit on the portly side); I am going to make sure that my humans have a discussion about how we’re being fed. They think they’re feeding us healthy but are they really?

Of course any changes in the feeding schedule cannot interrupt the wet, dry and snack schedule.

I urge all my feline friends to make sure their humans read this article (and if you are of the canine purrrrsuasion, Reviews.com did a similar article on dog food as well).

Your food loving friend,
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Jasmine Opines on Vaseline for Hairballs

Hello All, Jasmine here,
Siamese cat dipping into Vaseline jarI want to talk about something the humans do that I find disgusting, frightening and horrible. It’s when they bring out a squeeze tube, squeeze some brown, sticky substance from it and then attempt to make us eat it.

None of the Tribe of Five can stand it and although we are not fond of hairballs, we’d rather hack up a hairball than go through this trauma. The female human insists that it says on the tube that all she has to do is stick the brown goop on our paws and we’ll lick it off. Well, file that under “F” for fat chance! We can’t stand the smell or the goo and we run downstairs and hide under the big sofa until the humans give up.

Fortunately, the female human is very big on the concept of keeping The Tribe of Five in an environment that is fear free. Take it from me, the torture of the dark sticky stuff is far from “fear free”.

This led the female human to do some research about Vaseline  (petroleum jelly). Evidently it’s okay for felines to take for hair balls and wonder of wonder,  I love it! I especially like the fact that I can dip my paw into the jar and administer it myself. You can watch my instructional video for felines and humans here.

The Tribe of Five gives the Vaseline method a two “paws up” and, if your human is torturing you with the dark, nasty sticky stuff. just wander over to the nearest open jar of petroleum jelly, dab your paw inside and let them know you can take care of your own hairball issues! Now the female human insists that I tell you she is not a veterinary professional, nor is Vaseline preferred over a hairball remedy but, when you have a feline like me with a complete aversion to the brown gooey stuff, it might be worth a try.
Your friend,

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