Walk Through The Web Wednesday 5/30

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hello Furiends,
Alberto here, walkin’ along the Internet highway searching for purrfect feline news items. I hope you enjoy.
Purrs & Head Bonks,
Siamese cat with blue eyes

Instant  Cat  Daddy – Bustle

Paris Zarcilla cat daddy

As if it’s not funny enough for someone to come home and find a cat in their house, this guy went upstairs to get a sweater and found a cat momma and her babies under his bed. So what did he do, you might ask? He tweeted about it and then accepted his new position in life as Cat Daddy. I made our Purrsonal Assistant read me all his tweets and they were pawsome! Do yourself a favor and fly on over to Twitter to congratulate the proud new Poppa!

America’s Got Talent….and Cats! Shortlist

cats on Americas Got Talent

So, this happened. Two humans brought their very talented felines on the show. You must have your human show you the video. The best part is the smug expressions of disbelief on the judges faces…until the fabulous felines start their act. The normal crotchety Simon Cowell said, “You know why that was so impressive? Because dogs want to please. Cats are like, ‘Make me.’ They had sort of like ‘cattitude.’ I think there’s a gap in the market for this. I thought with my dogs sometimes, it’s like I want to take them out and see a show and this is a show I can take them to.”

So if there are any feline furiends out there who are considering a career in show biz, now’s the time!

The Five Best Cities in The World for Cat Lovers to Visit – Matador Network

Siamese cat in St. Petersburg Russia

For all my human furiends who love to get their “cat fix” when they are traveling, these cities are for you. The strays and outdoor cats of Rome are well looked after, some folks even leave plates of pasta for them.

The Turkish people are huge cat lovers and they treat their felines very well. There is an actual cat village in Taiwan (I reported on this on my April 11 Web Walk). It started as a refuge and morphed into a complete remake of the town. And then there’s the cats of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg Russia and that museum has one of the longest histories of caring for felines, since the 18th century no less.  And finally there’s Tokyo, and we all know how the Japanese folks love us cats! And there are even cat islands outside of the city.

 Cats Can Be Life Changing for People With Mental Illness – Metro UK

therapy cats

We felines are very good for our human’s well being and some of us are even trained to help with our human’s health.  The Tribe of Five has two special furiends named Deszi and Raena, at Deziz World, who are real service cats.
Deziz World
As their human explains on their website, “They have been Individually TRAINED to do work and perform tasks related to my disability. Examples of such work or tasks include alerting before a Syncope episode (passing out), Driving an electric wheelchair, Dialing 911 for emergency assistance, Calming me during a PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) anxiety attack, Massaging to alleviate debillitating migraines and warm muscles do to neuropathy/fibromyalgia among other duties. That being said, I love the girls more than life itself and aside from their duties as service animals I could not go on without their love and affection.”

So, if you don’t think felines can do valuable work….think again!

Britain’s Most Caring Cat? – itv.com

Britain's most caring cat

Those Brits really know how to treat felines. They even have a Britain’s ‘Most Caring Cat’ national charity competition. And if that isn’t enough, they have other categories like hero cat, Furrever Friends., Outstanding Rescue and more.  This guy named Arthur, is on the short list for the honor as he A helped his human live an independent life following a three-and-a-half year stay at a mental health unit. We felines add a lot to the lives of you humans so be sure and thank your cat today!

Tucker Opines on.. Pumpkin?

pumpkin for cats

Hi There Folks,
I know this might sound like a weird topic for a cat to opine about, but please bear with me.

The Male and Female Human went to a place called BlogPaws where animal purrsonal assistants and staff gather to learn how to better help their felines, canines and other critters blog and write.

While at this event, The Female Human met some nice folks from Raw Paws Foods and they had a conversation about a rather embarrassing medical situation I experienced which has now resulted in me being forced to eat organic pumpkin twice a day. I hate the stuff, always try to eat around it no matter how hard The Male Human tries to hide it with smelly fish gravy. It’s been a battle and The Female Human related this struggle to the good folks at Raw Paw Foods when they met.

Fast Forward to a month later and The Female Human received a very nice email from Carrie Sokolov from Raw Paws Foods asking if she would like to try the Pumpkin Powder Digestive Daily Support Supplement for Dogs & Cats for my “delicate” situation. The Female Human was thrilled and so impressed that these nice folks followed up, remembered the conversation and cared enough to offer a free package of the product.

Raw Paws Foods sent the package. They did not ask for  a review but being a feline with great integrity, I felt it was important for me to opine about it….good, bad or indifferent.  The opinions are mine alone and are presented here because I believe my other furiends with similar “conditions” might benefit from this pawsome product.

cat with raw paws pumpkin powderTo be honest, The Male and Female Humans were skeptical as to whether this pumpkin powder would work. I am a master of sniffing out anything that even vaguely resembles a medicine or supplement. For instance, Pill Pockets stopped working with me the second time they tried to give them to me. One experience with icky medicine hidden in a treat and I had their number! So it was with trepidation that the Humans added the powder to my food. I gobbled it down. The Male Human even started to sprinkle it on the top of my wet food and I still ate it. I really like the stuff and because it’s concentrated it’s easier for them to see if I’m getting enough to keep me “regular”.  Even my sister Jasmine is now getting it in her food (we fourteen-year old felines have to keep ourselves healthy).

Boy am I happy I don’t have to suffer through that nasty canned organic pumpkin anympre. If any of my furiends out there have a regular problem of not being regular, I’d recommend you give it a try!
Purrs & Head Bonks,
TuckieSig

 

Oliver Opines on The Great Outdoors – Friendly Fill Ins #106

FriendlyFillInsYay! Friendly Fill ins are back! This blog hop is hosted by 15andmeowing and Four Legged Fur Balls. You can join the hop or opine about your answers in our comment section.

Purrs & Head Bonks,
black and white cat Oliver

The Questions:

1.It is __________________.
2.The best part of last week was ____________________.
3.Every summer, I _________.
4.Once upon a time, _________.

My Answers:

1.It is always best when Tucker does not go out on the upstairs deck because he has fallen off it twice (The Humans have a nice pop up catio for him when he wants to venture out there.
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2.The best part of last week was my first foray of the season out to the upstairs deck (as long as The Male or Female Human are out there, the rest of us can go out if we stay off the railing.

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3.Every summer, I  have to remind the Male and Female Human that I want to join them on the upstairs deck. Good grief, how many times does a cat have to stand inside and look sad?

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4.Once upon a time, my brother and I were shelter kittens and now look at me, I’m livin’  la vida loca!
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Walk Through The Web Wednesday 5/23

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hi There Furiends,
Alberto here. I’m walking again and took my actual first walk of the season with the Female Human. We had a discussion about my need for a slightly larger and comfortale halter, a guy grows in a year! But I digress.

Here are my Wednesday web wanderings, enjoy!
Purrs & Head Bonks,

Siamese cat with blue eyes

5 Destinations For The Obsessive Cat Lover In Your Life- awol.junkee.com

CatTravel

I’ve covered cat cafe’s and cat islands so this may be a bit of a red-do but it is a nice list for travelling feline lovers.  Now I want to find out about that museum for internet cats, how do I and the rest of The Tribe of Five get in there?

5 Tips for Training Your Cat That Actually Work – Bustle

training cats

What’s with the number 5 this week? But I digress. The Female Human has had cat training on the brain lately as she’s writing a mystery that includes a sniffer dog and two felines that help solve a crime. Purrsonally, the entire training thing bores me but I am a smart feline and know that if I learn certain things, I get great rewards so maybe I shouldn’t be too hasty!

The Million Cat Challenge Reaches Goal of Savings Cats One Year Early – USMagazine.com

million cat challenge

Did you humans know there was a million cat challenge? Did you know that more than 1,000 animal shelters in North America purrticipated?  Did you know the campaign began four years ago and as of December 31, 2017 all those shelters saved 1,148,129 cats?

There’s nothing better than saving feline lives and this group has accomplished that big time. Two paws up!

I Photograph Men With Their Cats And The Result Is Cuteness Overload! – Bored Panda

men and their cats

The Female Human always says that, “Real men love cats”. We know this to be true in our house because The Male Human is a cat lover. This photographer immortalizes the love of male humans and their cats and the photos are pawsitively wonderful!

8 Tips For Bonding With Your Cat The First Week You Get One – Bustle

tips for bonding with your new cat

Well, looks like we broke the “5 things” trend. I bet the million folks who adopted those felines from the previous article were wondering how to make their kitty feel at home in their new abode. These tips are very good and work well whether you’re bringing a kitten or an older kitty into your home and heart. We felines adapt well into new surroundings, all we ask is that you have a little patience and a little care as we get used to you and the new place.

 

 

 

 

Once Upon A KitNip Box…

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Hello Furiends,
Alberto here. I want to tell you a little “tail” about The Tribe of Five and the day we received a gift of a KitNip Box. I have been told that the humans in charge of regulating stuff on the internet require that we tell you that we received this box for our fair and honest review. The good folks at KitNip Box are not responsible for my snarky comments and The Tribe of Five only accept opportunities to review products we think might be of interest to our furiends.

The Female Human came home one day and said, “Guess what guys? The nice people at KitNip Box are sending us a complimentary box to check out. Notice my face, I’m thinking, Human, I have no idea what this KitNip thing is and it’s twenty minutes past my dinner time.  

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Well sure enough that “KitNip thingy” arrived at our house. As Chief Snoopervisor I made sure I inspected the box as soon as it was opened.

Siamnese cat inspects KitNip Box

The Female Human went on and on (“Oh look at how cute the toys are..look at that sweet thank you card..how nice they provide information on all the items inside…”) What a bunch of drivel, I was interested in those toys and the enticing aroma of nip coming from inside that magic box.

 

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Once I had ascertained the the box contents were safe for inspection, the rest of the Tribe sauntered over and did their own inspection. Unfortunately, there was a slight delay in unpacking the box when our Alpha Tucker decided he was going to have an “if it fits I sits” moment.

 

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As we continued our inspection the Female Human kept  blathering on…”Oh my goodness look at that little umbrella toy….a PINK mouse sooooo cute…I love the natural materials..” Blah,, blah, blah.

 

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The Tribe of five was only concerned with the play worthiness of these things and they were definitely play worthy.

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As Oliver and I tested some of the toys we had to admit they were a lot of fun. Tucker isn’t as playful as he used to be and Lily has learned to let Ollie and I play first or she may receive some whacky paw. But then, The Female Human took a bag out of the box……..

She opened the side of the bag just a bit and the heavenly aroma that emanated from that bag was a little kitty heaven on earth. That delightful fragrance even got Tucker off his favorite spot on the sofa. The Female Human opened the bag and offered The Tribe some of the delicious fishy inside. And wonder of wonder, every one of us, the entire Tribe loved it! The Female Human was amazed because Oliver and Jasmine normally refuse most treats but this magic bag was tasty to all of us!

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Although this “once upon a time” story was a great one for the Tribe of Five, there is a cautionary note for you humans. The Female Human, wanting to make sure we Felines did a stellar job of opining on our KitNip Box took her time introducing us to all the delights it contained. She made one great tactical error however, she left the box within my reach and I felt it my duty as Chief Snoopervisor to distribute its contents to the the rest of the Tribe. And then, there was the issue of that delicious snack bag in there.  The Female Human is still crawling around looking under the furniture trying to retrieve the feline friendly items in the KitNip Box. Tummy issues were avoided because the sneaky fishy people made that package impossible to open and believe me, I spent some quality time chewing on the bag!

 

 

And that my furiends is the “tail” of the magical KitNip Box and The Tribe of Five. The Tribe gives it a two paws up and The Female Human loved it too! If my furiends out there want to try KitNip Box for yourselves, just go to their site and enter the special coupon, FELINEOPINES for 15% off any new subscription (  for the first month)

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The End

 

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 5/16

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hello Folks,
It’s time for me to share my meanderings on the Internet Superhighway and my favorite feline news stories.

I hope you enjoy,
Siamese cat with blue eyes

Milwaukee’s First Cat Cafe Offers Wine and Felines – Journal Sentinel

Al_Wine

I am not in Milwaukee in this photo but I do enjoy the bouquet of a nice red. But I digress. I liked this new take on cat cafe’s. The owner of the cafe, Katy McHugh, says that she met a wonderful yellow tabby at an Amsterdam cat cafe. She enjoyed a good conversation with her human friend and the purring feline in her lap, so much that she didn’t want to leave.   That’s how  The Sip & Purr was created.

Now before anyone who does not imbibe gets their whiskers in a twist, the Sip & Purr will also serve coffee and snacks, so there’s something for every human. And best of all, the felines at the cafe will all be available for adoption. I hope all my Milwaukee friends will head on over to the Sip & Purr after it opens on June 1st and, if you do, please  opine about your experience in the comment section.

11 Cat Birthday Party Ideas That Will Honestly Beat Any Human Party There Is – Bustle

cat birthday pinatas

The Tribe of Five belongs to a lot of cat groups and every day we see feline birthday notifications, many of them photos of the kitty party.  If you are inclined to throw your cat a birthday bash, these tips are for you. The Female Human couldn’t pick a favorite, she loved the kitty cookies, the mini cat pinata and the crystal cat ears headband. You humans will have to decide for yourselves.

Sad Cat with Permanent Frown Named Luhu Finds Happiness (and Followers) on Instagram-PeoplePets

sad cat

Looks can be deceiving. This kitty named Luhu may look sad but he’s a happy kitty. He lives in Beijing, China with his human, Maggie Liu. He may look like he’s frowning but he’s a happy guy, loves to play and is full of purrs.  Luhu was born with  developmental defects which account for his sad appearance. His original human didn’t have the time to give him the care he needed so Maggie Liu adopted him. Luhu shares his home with two other felines.  His unusual expression has made him an Instagram sensation, so if you want to see more of Luhu, just go to his Instagram account.

Wacky Names for Dogs and Cats – Post Gazette

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The 2018 pet name winners are an orange and white cat named Pablo Purrcasso and a white pitbull named Isabella Miss Worldwide Boo Boo.  The article got me thinking, you humans come up with some strange name combinations. Take my name for instance, because I’m a lean, mean moving machine and The Male Human is quite the cycling  aficionado , I ended up with the name Alberto Contador. So as you purruse the names on this year’s list like Sir Reginald Fluffybutt or  Princess Consuela Bananahammock,just remember there’s a story behind every feline’s name.

Student’s Cuddle Kittens to Help Reduce Stress From Finals – 9news.com

student cuddling kitten

Sometimes we felines don’t get enough credit for the good things we do and sometimes, doing good things is just letting humans hold us. Case in point, check out the story of the students from Metropolitan State University who had the opportunity to spend some stress-reducing kitten time. The nice humans from The Feline Fix and Metro Denver C.A.T. teamed up to bring seven-week-old kittens to the school’s Biology Department to provide some relief during a notoriously stressful time. And, the kittens will all be eligible for adoption when they’re 12 weeks old. Good thinking humans, two paws up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re Purrticipating in Thankful Thursday

Hello All,
BriansHome-ThankfulThursday-BlogHopWe’re purrticipationg in Brian’s Thankful Thursday blog hop. The Tribe of Five are thankful for spots of sun to lounge in (and we lounge anywhere we can find a spot of sun). You’ll notice on the last photo that I got a twofer, a sun spot and a place to help the Male Human while he works!
Purrs & Head Bonks,
Alberto

Siamese cat with blue eyes

AlBedSun

Olliesuntable

Tucksunblanket

Alsuntable

Walk Through the Web Wednesday 5/09

WebWednesday

Hello My Furiends,
Alberto here with my weekly web wanderings. I hope you enjoy this week’s stories.
Purrs & Head Bonks,
Siamese cat with blue eyes

 

Vintage Photos of Pampered Cats – National Geographic

Lily_Kitten

If you think cat photos are a new phenomenon, think again. We felines have been admired and photographed for many years. One well known photographer, Willard Culver spent months in the abodes of some of the countries most wealthy folks, staging photos of their fabulous felines. The photos were featured in the November 1938 issue of National Geographic. I must say, we felines haven’t lost our beauty over the years. No wonder you humans are so fascinated with us!

 

Why Do Cats Wag Their Tails? – Gizmodo

CatTailWag

Now, I don’t know if I would describe cats as “wagging their tails”, that’s more of a canine activity. I would prefer if the article would have been titled, “Why Do Cats Swish Their Tails Elegantly?”. But I digress.  I must give a two paws up to Gizmodo who sought out a number of cat specialists to answer this question. The short answer, our tails are our emotional barometers. If you want more specifics you definitely want to read the article.

 

7 Apps All Cat Owners Should Have – Bustle

CatApps

Our Male and Female Humans are real geeks and often that benefits The Tribe of Five. When Oliver and I were kittens we had our own iPad to play kitty games with. But there are more uses for technology than just playing. There are first aid apps for felines, 11Pets that remind humans when they need to give their felines in residence medication and other important cat reminders, a cat clicker training app and of course, fun apps for kitties to play with (if you humans have your faces in your phones, maybe the felines should get a little phone time too!)

Dogs and Cats and Decorating – The NY Times

CatDecorating

The Female Human is all about aesthetics (she even relegated our cat tree to the downstairs TV room) so she was thrilled when I showed her this article. I was less thrilled because of all the good advice and lovely photos there was no photo with a cat in it. So I had my purrsonal assistant do some further research and she found an excellent article from HGTV that was solely dedicated to felines (Purrfect Design Ideas Your Cat Will Love). This is also where the photo came from. So decorate away humans but remember, cat hair is a fashion assessory!

Seven Ways to TurnYour Partner Into A Cat Person – Bustle

getpartnertolikecats

This is a subject that The Female Human knows about! As soon as she and the Male Human got married she made sure he knew how much she wanted a cat. One day he finally looked at her and said, “Okay, we can get a cat but you have to clean the litter box!” She wrote all about this in her story, “All My Children Wear Fur Coats” in Chicken Soup for the Soul, My Very Good, Very Bad Cat.” (I was surprised that you could get this book at Chewy.com!

There are some good tips if you are looking for ways to convince the folks who share your home that a feline is a good idea such as showing them how to interact with felines (maybe take them to a cat cafe), teach them things cats like and do not like (and remember, cats are different. I love water, the other cats in the Tribe, not so much). So start studying and get that feline into your home (and remember, adopt, don’t shop!)