Walk Through The Web Wednesday, on Thursday Because Our Purrsonal Assistant Has Lost All Sense of Time 4/30

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Feline Opines

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Well hi there furiends,
I do apologize for the late post. The Female Human (aka our Purrsonal Assistant and General Lackey) has been in quite a state. In addition to writing blogs and books, she has a thingy she calls a “business”. Well this “business” hasn’t been too busy lately and she has been rather discombobulated. This business thingy will be opening May 1 and now The Human is really in a tiz. All that is to say, she has failed to properly prioritize and my weekly feature is a day late. Sigh. It’s so hard to get good help.

This week’s report about the goings on in our neck of the woods is pretty boring. The Female Human is running around like her hair is on fire. While she’s not getting any of the green stuff for her business, she has been working on two diploma/certificate courses, Feline Behavior & Psychology and Pet Grief Counseling. There has been no lollygagging around the house or working on home projects, she is in full freak out mode.

“Human, take a deep breath, count to three and relax!”-Alberto

In the chaos of our lives, I am happy to report that our county had only four cases of the nasty virus and our family and furiends here are healthy. I pray this is the same for all of you, Still, service at our house has left a bit to be desired but then again, The Female Human is our only staff and we must make sure we don’t cross the line.

‘Thank you human, you may place the wet food bowl down there. And no. I do not want to engage in this new “chase the ball” exercise.- Oliver

All things considered, things are looking up, we are beginning to see some green and warmer temperatures and The Female Human has promised that if she ever sees that check they are supposed to be sending everyone, she will splurge on a cat stroller so we can check out our neighborhood.

“You humans need to be more cat-like. Chill. relax and eat your greens!”-Lily

Buddy the cat returns to original owners after 9 years

photo courtesy of the North Platte Telegraph

We know our humans are devastated when their feline friends go missing. This was the case with a man named Russ Small whose beloved lynx point Siamese went missing. Buddy and his human were exactly that, buddies. The feline always wanted to be with Russ, when he was working on cars or in the garage. And while he worked Russ would talk to Buddy and Buddy would talk (or meow) back. And then one day Buddy disappeared and despite all their efforts, they couldn’t find him.

Fast forward almost nine years when Russ’s wife noticed a picture on Fur The Love of Paws Facebook page and was sure it was Buddy, now 16. The couple was sure it was “their” Buddy and cementing this belief were that the “stray” cat the shelter called “Cyrus” had an eye condition that Buddy had and had the exact same markings.

Russ and Kim went to check out the cat and Buddy ran to them almost immediately. Now Buddy spends his days back in the garage with Russ and they have returned to their special brand of feline/human conversation.

The feline/human bond is a real thing (another subject our Human is studying) and quite remarkable. In a 2019 study Kristyn Vitale, researcher at Oregon State University’s Human-Animal Interaction Lab said “Like dogs, cats display social flexibility in regard to their attachments with humans,”” The majority of cats are securely attached to their owner and use them as a source of security in a novel environment.”

Fodor’s Can’t Book You A Trip But They Will Take You On A Virtual Tour of The Cutest Kittens in the world.

What does a major travel company do when they can’t book humans on travel? They feature photos of the cutest kittens from all around the world. This photo is the Andean Mountain Cat (photo courtesy of Lupo/Wikimediacommons). This cute little feline is very rare and can be found in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. There have only been 10 sightings of this shy cat in 25 years! Be sure and “travel” with Fodor’s Travel to see the rest of the rare felines.

Lanai Cat Sanctuary fights COVID-19 isolation with yoga with 650 cats

Lanai is the only Hawaiian island that is COVID-19 free

Crazy things happen in these crazy days. The Lanai Cat Sanctuary (I’ve reported on this place in a previous Web Wednesday segment) relies on about 15,000 visitors a year to fund its programs but currently they have no visitors. These creative folks held a live streamed Yoga with Cats event. The sanctuary teamed with Anne Van Valkenburg, the wellness manager of the uber-exclusive Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort.

“This is a time where we are all keeping our distance and trying to find ways to keep close,” says Sanctuary Executive Director Keoni Vaughn. “We are really isolated in such a remote location and the sanctuary is completely off the grid with no electricity or Internet. So this is one way to bring everyone close and hopefully, ease some of the stress that everyone is experiencing.”

The Lanai Cat Sanctuary located in their current location in 2009. Since then, more than 2,000 cats have been sterilized, preventing the birth of thousands of kittens. They’ve found homes for more than 400 cats through it’s adoption program. The sanctuary now houses nearly 650 sterilized cats.

On Screen Cat Fight Caught on Screen as Wood-TV 8 Meteorologist Streams

We’ve been seeing many felines showing up at show tapings, business meetings and streaming events while humans are staying at home. While most felines are cute and add a bit of whimsy to these videos, these two cats were clearly squaring off for a bit of a tiff while the meteorologist, blissfully unaware of the drama behind him, soldiered on with his report.

Viewers of the forecast were left in the dark as to which cat won the altercation although there has been much speculation. JoJo Girard from MIX.95.7 noted. “As far as I can determine, the fatter, white cat had offended the black and orange cat (probably ate all his food) and the black and orange cat was having none of it, and thus went on the attack.”

Viewers have been clamoring for the fight outcome, sending comments like, “Can we get an insider piece on whatever drama is happening in the back?”

I have to say that as a feline in the public eye, I am shocked and dismayed at the behavior of these two. Please my fellow high profile felines, if you are going to be making more public appearances, for heaven’s sake,try to have a bit of decorum.

Couch Potato Cats Finally Get Their Own Couches

Since you humans have turned into bona fide couch potatoes and are now occupying the sofa that is designated for feline use only during the day, it’s time to rethink your feline’s comfort.

Someone has unearthed a 1998 pamphlet called “Crochet Kitty Couches” by Candy Clayton. If you don’t have this gem, you can get patterns from the book online at Annie’s Craft Store available as a print to order for $8.99 or a digital download for $5.99

The patterns offer a blue couch, a green sofa and a pink chair and the details are amazing. All instructions you need as to how to fill the furniture with foam are included.

People are publishing photos of their kitty couch creations on Annie’s Craft Store Facebook page and, there is a Reddit sub-thread about crocheting that displays some as well. The moral is, if you humans are going to plant yourself on our sofa space, then we need our own sofas!

Oliver Updates the Home to Home Kickstarter Program

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Feline Opines

Paws up humans for helping cats (and other animals) find furever homes all over the country! – Oliver

Hello Furiends,
You have all been so supportive of this innovative and wonderful program to help pets go from one home to another home and never have to spend a day in a shelter. The Home to Home program began at our local shelter and now they are looking to add every shelter around the country. The Female Human just got an update and it’s thanks to all of you that the program is in 22 shelters in 16 states!

On behalf of The Tribe (and The Female Human who is a staunch supporter of the program) we say “Fangs a lot” for your support!

Hello Home to Home™ Backers,

Thank you for believing in Home to Home™ and backing it with your pledge!

We’ve got BIG news. A national PR firm is sharing our campaign with news media outlets, bloggers, and other influencers across the country potentially reaching 81 million people! If a tiny percentage of them make a pledge, we could reach our goal! This would mean all backers (including you!) would get the swag that comes with your pledge!

Other BIG news is that since we launched, we’ve welcomed another 5 shelters to the Home to Home™ network. The program is now in 22 shelters in 16 states…and counting!

Wondering how you can help support this campaign? Share it with friends and family and help us reach our goal!

Questions about Kickstater? Click here. Questions about Home to Home™, click here to learn more.

Thanks for backing the Home to Home™ Kickstarter campaign and for sharing with others – we can’t do this without you.

The Home to Home™ Team

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 4/22

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
I hope this finds you all healthy and still holding on to your sanity. The Tribe is trying to keep pawsitive and since the snow is finally melting, there is more to see outside. The neighborhood moose has been making his rounds and as soon as the spring bulbs come up, the deer will be showing up in the front garden to chomp on them (this makesThe Female Human very cranky!)

Now that the snow is finally melting and the sunshine is making an occasional appearance, The Tribe is taking advantage of every sun puddle we can find.

And speaking of Oliver, he’s really getting cranky about the Sunday morning wake up call for this “church” thing. In the good old days, The Female Human quietly slipped out of the house to go to this “church” place leaving us to snooze in as late as we wanted.

“Human, these early morning Sunday wake up calls are starting to get on my nerves. Have you noticed that my expression isn’t any happier this Sunday than it was last Sunday?”
-Oliver

We’er getting so bored we decided to help The Female Human when she brings out that pink, comfy mat that she claims she does “exercises” on while watching a lady on the TV. I think she should just leave the thing out in the living room and let Oliver and I have fun with it.

But enough about the Tribe. Let’s talk about the interesting feline stuff we found on the wen this week.

Big Boy the UC Santa Barbara Cat is Enjoying the Indoor LIfe

There are a lot of campus kitties and I hope they are all being looked after as well as this UC Santa Barbara cat named Big Boy. Despite the fact that most employees are working at home now, Big Boy was offered a luxurious stay at the home of his “person of record”.

His daily schedule consists of feedings, occasional nizzles with the resident canine and a lot of naps. He’s enjoying the domestic life so much the human is considering offering him retirement from being the community cat so he can continue the cushy life he is enjoying now. Right now his other human caretakers are considering his future when everyone returns to school. Maybe semi-retirement will work but, whatever it is, we know Big Boy has good care! You can see more photos of Big Boy enjoying his new life here.

Soothing sounds of nature played to keep cats calm during lockdown

Do you know that we felines can be easily stressed? There are many reasons for this but one of the big ones is changing our routine. Cat’s like predictability and routine and when shelter cats are cut off from the world and don’t have access to their shelter workers and the public they are stressed.

This wonderful human,Senior cat care assistant Jane Francis realized that even though the workers were taking care of cats in her shelter, things were really quiet so she decided that, “… stimulating as many senses and natural behaviours as possible, without overloading them, could only be beneficial for the cats, especially the more sociable ones and kittens who are still learning about the world around them.”

She noticed that the cats and especially the kittens seemed to flourish and become more confident after they introduced the sounds into the shelter. You can watch a short video of Charlie the cat’s response to the soothing music.

MP3 players were set up in the cats’ pens for them to enjoy a variety of sounds like rainfall and bird songs, general garden sounds and other sounds of natue and the cats are responding positively! Way to go Mitcham Homing Centre in Surrey, run by Cats Protection!.

Sick of Being Stuck AT Home? This Traveling Cat’s New Book Will “Take You Away”

Suki makes a purrfect virtual tour guide. She has traveled the world with her humans Martina Gutfreund and Kenny Hildebrandt and now her humans have compiled her travels in a new book, Travels of Suki the Adventure Cat, which will be available in May from Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Suki came to live with her humans three years ago and they knew they wanted Suki to travel everywhere they went…and she did. Suki has taken to the wandering life like a duck to water. Her humans call her “extremely curious, energetic and bold”, traits that make her the purrfect adventure cat.

Regardless of where they go, Suki is content on their trips as long as she gets to visit nature — she adores “hiking, canoeing, or just lounging in the woods” — and even earns her keep with modeling sessions.

St. Petersburg cat cafe launches online video service featuring Hermitage felines

And speaking of virtual travel, a famous Cat Café in St. Petersburg Russia has launched an online video service where cat lovers can watch the felines.

The café has published CV’s for all the felines as they all are available for adoption. The Café states that, “All our cats have a veterinary passport and a “dowry.” Now I’ve never heard of a cat with a dowry but purrhaps this description is due to the difficulty of translating from Russian to English.

Man Files HR Complaint Against His Feline At Home Coworke r

“Human, when are you leaving the house and going back to work???”
Alberto

Andrew Stych and his wife, Sheila, are experiencing the phenomenon of working at home with four felines. One of the feline coworkers, Penelope, has proven to be a bit of a problem, so much so that Andrew had to file a complaint with HR.

“Penelope, this letter serves to formally document your failure to comply with household regulations, and your lack of adherence to workspace polices,” says the hilarious letter. “You have been a great contributor to workplace morale and have been meeting your quota with regards to cuteness and chasing hair ties. However, your continual insistence on attempting to (or succeeding in) shutting off the power strip and computer in the middle of work hours, insistence on stepping on the keyboard during critical company events, and general mayhem has resulted in significant loss of productivity. We value your contribution to the household, but you must demonstrate an immediate and permanent alteration to your workplace habits or you may face more severe repercussions up to and and including withholding treats.”

Evidently, the whole human/feline coworking thing may not be as successful as some of you humans think.

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 4/15

Posted on April 15, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
It’s Wednesday again although with the world so topsy turvey, it’s hard for this feline to figure out what day it is!

LIfe for the Tribe is a bit boring. The Female Human is home a lot more but the dispensing of snacks has not increased and I find this unacceptable.

“Human, if you are going to be home more I would expect a inrease in snacks and treats.” – Alberto

It’s also been a bit more boring than usual and I have been forced to be creative about finding entertainment.

“So what should I drag off the shelf and destroy today?” – Alberto

There is one thing though. The humans have been meowing about social distancing as though they invented it. We felines have been masters at social distancing for centuries.

That’s it for the news from our neck of the woods. Let’s check out what’s going on in the rest of the world.

Museum Cats Will Be Your Pen Pal

The cats at The Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma are feeling lonely and missing their human visitors. They would love to hear from you and if send them a letter they’ll reply through April 26^th.

Cleo and Perilla are two of the three cats who live and “work” in the gardens. Their job is to keep the grounds pest free.

Perilla is the cat in charge. She likes to snooperviser and watch the other cats work, but she will hunt to earn her keep. Cleo (short for Cleome) is the youngest feline. She was dropped off at the museum as a kitten and has had a loving home there ever since. She shows her gratitude by bring an avid hunter.

Man Builds Beautiful HIgh Rise Towers For His Cats and Now Everyone Wants One

When a man built two luxury high-rise towers for his cat he created such a stir that people have been begging him for his building plans. Rob Coutu from Windsor, Connecticut set out to create something extraordinary for his cat Zach, a Savannah so he could indulge his favorite activity-climbing.

These towers are amazing with balconies, decks for Zack to hang out on, 3D printed windows, window boxes with flowers and a bridge that connects the two buildings.

Rob created a Facebook group where Zach posted a mock-up design for his ideal kitty digs. The group now has 15,000 members.

Now before you humans decide to begin building, you need to know that the building project has cost Rob about $3,500.00 so far, not to mention the hours of labor.

Construction began last May and improvements continue (you can follow the progress in Rob’s Facebook group. And if cost is no issue for you, you’ll be happy to know that Rob is considering making these towers for people as a custom install.

The Tribe loves these towers, what do you think?

Cat Ignores Stay At Home Order and Has To Be Rescued by Firemen

A kitty in St. George, Utah got herself in quite a pickle and her human had to call the Fire Department. They responded to the call arriving with a standard fire truck and crew but quickly realized the a ladder truck would be needed for the rescue.

The cat named D-O-G was so scared she offered no resistance to her rescuers. She was handed off to her owner after her hour-long ordeal. You can see photos of the entire exciting rescue.

Paws up to these fire fighters!

21 Mother’s Day Gifts for Cat Moms

Because felines love to join you when you do yoga

There are some purrfect gifts in this list some for your cat mom, and some for the felines (because if your feline is happy, you’re a happy cat mom!). Our cat mom really liked the kitty yoga idea because, for some unknown reason, she has an issue wih us trying to take over her yoga mat when she’s using it.

Do not despair if your human doesn’t do yoga, there are all kinds of other purrfectly wonderful gifts like cat shaped tea bags, a customized paw print necklace, a tiny head massager designed for felines and silky cat pj’s.

Once you’ve decided what you want to get your cat mom just meow into Alexa and have it delivered. I’m sure she’ll thank you.

Pet Wine Shop is Helping You and Your Cat During Social Distancing With An Offer of Free Cat Wine

Felines, have you noticed your human drinking alone during these times of isolation? Well. Apollo Peak wants to put a stop to that. Your human can order Pinot Meow, Purrseco, Catburnet and other wines made just for felines. These wines are made with ingredients that are good for felines (like beets and catnip in Pinot Meow).

Just a note though. Evidently there are a lot of wine sipping felines out there so the retail store for these wines, Pet Wine Shop, has some cat wines on back order because of their very popular special #quarantineandchill free cat wine offer.

Here’s to all our wine drinking furiends – clink clink.

Easter

Posted on April 11, 2020 by Feline Opines

Wishing you and your family a purrfect Easter!

Oliver Wants You To Support Home To Home

Posted on April 9, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hey There Furiends,
This post is very important to the Tribe, especially Alberto, Lily and myself since it started at the shelter where we came from.

The Female Human has been a big supporter of the Home To Home program.ever since it started here in our little part of the world of North Idaho. She even wrote an article about it that earned her a Certificate of Excellence from the Cat Writers Association, called “When Forever Isn’t Forever”. Since the start of the program so many felines (and canines and even some rabbits and guinea pigs) have found new homes without ever having to be taken to a shelter. The animals go from one home to another home and skip all that scary shelter stuff.

Now that shelters are forced to close and are unable to accept new pets there is a bit of a crisis. The good news is, Home To Home can help! There are many shelters around the country that are already purrticipating and, now you can help even more come on board to save more pets. Our Human has donated and she’s hoping your humans will too. They have until May 9th to fund this project or it will not happen. Please take a moment to watch the video and learn more about Home to Home and consider helping pets all across the country.

Purrs & Head Bonks,
Oliver

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 4/8

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello My Furiends,
How is the forced incarceration with your humans going? We find it a bit weird and sometimes stressful. The Female Human often wants to sit in our designated spots on our furniture and, we can’t figure out why our treat times have not been increased now that she has a little more time at home. There are some new things on the itinerary too. Now, instead of going to this place called “church” our Sunday naps are interrupted for this “church” thing.

“I have no idea why The Human interrupted my Sunday nap to force me to watch this thing called “church” and to top it off, there were NO snacks involved.” – Oliver

In the spirit of lending a helping paw, Oliver has appointed himself the “Director of the Door” and ensures that there are no unauthorized comings or goings.

Lily is taking things in stride. As long as she can nibble on her grass and snoopervise the neighborhood from the kitchen window, she is quite content.

The best advice we can give to all our furiends is make sure you spend time with those you love and let them know you love them.

Before I bring you this week’s feline focused news I wanted to say that I always seek to provide upbeat and pawsitive news items in this weekly feature. If I could have included only articles that had nothing to do with COVID-19, self-distancing, isolation or quarantine I would have but sadly, these are the topics everywhere in our world. But rest assured, this feline looked long and hard for positive, funny and/or uplifting articles. I hope you enjoy them.

Inter-Species Happiness Means Having a Cat Ramp

There are many reasons to have your csabinet maker install a kitty ramp in your house. It allows the felines to bypass the kitchen, allows the cats a place to hang out when non-feline loving guests are in the house. And most important of all, when the house barkie is a little too rambunctious, the cats who live here can easily escape.

The ramp is constructed of 1 X 6 inch wood beans with side rails. We think every kitty should have a ramp in their house!

These Pokeman Loving Cats Will Make Your Day

Clearly you humans have waaaaay too much time on your hands but, if you spend your time coming up with stuff like this to delight feline lovers around the world, then we’re okay with it.

There is a new place to while away some time called kitties dressed up as Pokemon to make us smile.

You will see how fans of Pokeman have dressed up their cats as their favorite pocket monsters.

Two Companies Join Forces to Design Mix and Match Furniture for Cats

Benjamin Hubert‘s design agency Layer has collaborated with American startup Cat Person on a collection of modular furniture for cats that can change as the animal grows. The line includes a modular feeding station called the Mesa Bowl and an adaptable 3-in-1 canopy bed.

Those of you humans who are a bit OCD about décor (our Female Human is) will apurreciate the fabric and color options. The folks behind these products said, “The collection is based on extensive research into cat and cat owner behaviours to find new insights that have driven innovative features,”

The Mesa Bowl is a modular feeding station with a round bowl made from durable non-BPA plastic and a sculptural stand, which sit on a semi-rigid plastic placemat to make the area easy to clean. This bowl is designed to avoid whisker fatigue which is what happens when cat’s whiskers continually brush up against the sides of their food or drink bowls. Kittens can use the bowl directly on the mat and then, when they grow up the bowl can be placed on the stand .

The Canopy Bed has three different configurations to fit a feline’s changing moods. If kitty is feeling more reclusive, the cone-shaped fabric can be added or folded down to half it’s height to remove the over the head cover. It can also be taken off completely if kitty is feeling sociable. And get this, the bed is made from memory foam! Now that’s living.

Humans Are Creating Games And Sports To Play With Their Cats During Lockdown

Continuing with the themer, “You humans have waaay to much time on your hands” I bring you some of the creative sport and game ideas people are playing with their felines. Our friends of the British purrsuasion are playing cat cricket with their moggies. You can also find directions for playing cat air hockey, cat dominoes and my favorite, cat bowling. Bravo humans!

Cats Protection Educates Future Feline Parents During Lockdown

Paws up for the education experts at Cats Protection, the U.K.’s largest feline charity. They’ve come to the rescue of lockdown families with feline-themed resource packs including quizzes, worksheets, creative writing exercises and recipes.

The learning tools in the Moggy Modules cover the five welfare needs we felines have: a place to live, behaviour, the right diet, good healthcare and space. They are designed to educate and entertain the cat owners of the future.

And when the little humans have completed the courses, they can download and print a color certificate of completion. Meowza, I love this idea!

Oliver The Opportunist

Image

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 4/01

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
Well, it’s been quite a week here in Northern Idaho! Sick kitties, torrential rain, sunshine, snow and then yesterday we felt the rock and roll of a 6.5 earthquake that happened a little over 400 miles from us. I learned that I do NOT like earthquakes and I’m still a bit freaked out. And then there’s this COVID-19 thingy. To say you humans are on edge would be the understatement of the century! And what’s with the hoarding??!! Sheesh you humans should be more like us felines, eat only what you need, share your toys, get enough rest, find a sun puddle when you can and just relax!

Well enough about us, let’s check in on the latest feline news on the internet.

Social Distancing But Still Making New Feline Friends

Sometimes the old fashioned methods of communication are the best. A lady in

A woman in England had admired her neighbor’s black and white cat for a while but she had never met or spoken to the cat’s humans. As she has been home much more she saw the cat in the window more often as well. It’s amazing what you humans will think up when you are forced to be creative. The lady [put a note in her window asking his name.

Much to her delight, the neighbor responded with a sign that said he was called Walter.

And then a “paper in the window” conversation ensued. The woman posted pictures about the cat and poster in the window conversation and then had to put a note in her window for Walter’s humans saying, “Walter is now Twitter famous… sorry.” Little did she know that Walter already had an Instagram account which his humans noted in their return window message.

Ah you humans, you make this feline smile.

Human, I’m Bored – Enrichment Activities for Your Cat

“Human, if you’re going to be home this much, you need to come up with some fun ideas for The Tribe.”
-Oliver

With so much time on your hands and considering the fact that you humans have been invading our space too much lately, it’s time for you to get creative and do some things to enrich our environment.

There are some great ideas in this article. One of the most obvious ways to keep us entertained is to get some good catnip and let us have at it. The Tribe loves it best when The Female Human puts down some newspaper and sprinkles some local grown catnip on it. We roll around, nibble at the catnip and have a great time. This is also an entertaining thing for you humans to watch too.

Sound motivates us and something as simple as a paper bag can bring us hours of enjoyment (well, if not hours, as long as it takes us to demolish the bag).

We love to watch stuff and, if you don’t have a nice view of the woods and wildlife like we do, there are a number of cat-focused videos you can stream on your TV.

There are other great ideas in this article, so check them out, You can keep your cat in residence from becoming cranky with too much time on his paws and too many humans in the house for too many hours!

Mr. Sherman, Little Tokyo’s 23-year-old feline ‘mayor,’ keeps purring along

Mr. Sherman, an American tabby often called the feline “mayor” of Little Tokyo, spends his day guarding his owner’s boutique.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Liz Ito, a Los Angeles artist, met this Tabby when she was 11 years old and, as an adult she still sees him regularly. Mr Sherman (the cat) was adopted by Kiyoko Kimball, owner of Ashiya, a women’s boutique and he spends his days greeting customers.

At his advanced age, Sherman suffers from hyperthyroidism and kidney disease but he is well taken care of. He rises early, takes medication for his condition, which makes him more active around 11:30 a.m., and naps after lunch. He lets it be known that he does not care for leftovers.

“Everything has to be fresh,” says Kiyoko Kimball, the caregiver who adopted him more than 16 years ago and spends $1,000 monthly on his food, prescriptions and fluid therapy. “He’s retired. I give him Social Security money. And you know, he thinks he’s a person. We communicate every day.”

Artist Imagines What Creatures Would Look Like If They Had Cat Faces

This falls under the heading, “what happens when humans have too much time on their hands? The creator of the Koty Vezde (Cats are Everywhere) Instagram page sees cats, well, everywhere. 29-year-old Galina Bugaevskaya from Moscow photoshops cat faces on various animals and since we all need a little entertainment, I recommend you visit this account and enjoy theses photos. .

Real (sort of) Tree Cat Tree

I’ve often wondered why you humans call our cat scratcher thingys “trees” when they look nothing like a tree…until now. Shelley and Joe DelRocco create custom cat tree houses handcrafted from real trees and embellished with silk leaves. These trees are purrfect for felines who feel the call of the wild. Make sure your humans check out these cool PetTreeHouses on Etsy

Social Distancing, Sick Kitties and Compassion Fatigue

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Feline Opines

Human, we’re going to need some supplies and PLEASE more protein and less of these veggie things!
-Alberto

Hello Furiends,
As my regular readers may have noticed I did not write my regular Wednesday feature last week. The world has gone insane and our Female Human has been working hard to keep up. It’s been a bit confusing because, just when we thought we were going to have full time staff at home, The Human found out that since she has clients whose businesses are deemed essential so she has to go to work. Frankly, as frazzled as she looks I think she should just stay at home.

And speaking of frazzled there was a bit of a scare at our house this weekend. Jasmine was not feeling well (she was having “plumbing problems” if you get my drift.) This is a serious issue with kitties and especially kitties like Jasmine with kidney disease. There we were, with our sister Jasmine howling in pain and our Human in a situation where she and the other humans are told to “social distance”.

The good news for us is that we have a veterinary practice (or as I like to refer to them “a stabby place”) that is open 7 days a week. Yes, you heard me right, EVERY day of the week. Why is this? They are attempting to make themselves available for sick kitties (and other pets) as much as possible while also caring for themselves as well and looking to avoid something called “compassion fatigue”.

What is Compassion Fatigue?

When The Female Human went to the Cat Writer’s Association conference last year she attended a very interesting presentation about Compassion Fatigue given by Beth Stultz-Hairston from Pet Sitters International. The presentation focused on compassion fatigue for pet writers but also included information on compassion fatigue in the veterinary industry as well.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no big fan of those stabby, stabby places but , whenever I have to go there I get kisses and ear skritches and, if I wasn’t feeling great, I always feel better after the visit (don’t tell The Human I said this).

Compassion Fatigue, according to Dr. Charles Figley and Professor Paul Henry Kurzweg is, “… a state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of those being helped to the degree that it can create a secondary traumatic stress for the helper.”.

Vets have two times the stress

Those people in the stabby places have to deal with 2 patients, we felines who, for the most part are less than thrilled to be there and our humans who are worried about us. If your humans are like my Human, sometimes there are even tears involved. As a feline who rarely worries about anything except being stuffed in my carrier, a loud sneeze or humans I don’t know coming into my house, I’m no expert on stress but I did have my Purrsonal Assistant find some information about compassion fatigue for me.

Reducing Stress For Patients

My stabby place built a whole new building to keep stress to a minimum and enhance wellness for all of their patients. Oliver and I did a review about this. Ever since we’ve been to the new place our visits have been much better and the rest of the Tribe never even knows where we’ve been when we get home so there is no hissing festival when we’re released from our carrier. It stands to reason, when the felines are less stressed, so are the humans and the stabby people but still, it doesn’t stop compassion fatigue for those folks who take care of us.

How Our Vets Manage

In addition to the fantastic new stabby place they built and offering after hour emergency services they also changed their business days to 7 days a week. This has been great for the human cat parents but it was taking its toll on the people working there. They decided that they would not do after hour emergency services but would still do the 7-day a week schedule. Those folks are doing all they can to mitigate compassion fatigue.

Good News For All

Even during these stressful days, and without after hours emergency service, Pend Oreille Veterinary Service managed to help our Jasmine this past Sunday. As I mentioned she was having some “plumbing issues” and was yowling in pain.

But, but, it’s Sunday. Where is The Female Human going with Jasmine?!

The Female Human called the stabby place, they said to come over and so Jasmine and The Human sat in the “outdoor waiting room” (translation, the car)

I’m not happy about this Human!”
-Jasmine

Before she knew it, The Female human’s cell phone rang and someone came out to get Jasmine. She stayed there most of the day and the good folks took great care of her. I’m thinking without the nervous Human hanging around it must have been much easier for them. By late Sunday afternoon, Jasmine was delivered to the car and sent home with medications.

“Human, I am not pleased with you right now!”
-Jasmine

Jasmine is doing much better and, thanks to the fantastic, compassionate folks at Pend Oreille Veterinary Service it looks like we’re on the road to beating this infection before it gets to her kidneys.

So folks, during these stressful times, The Tribe wants to remind you to be kind to all the people at your stabby places. Compassion Fatigue is a real thing. We felines know that all you humans are stressed right now but the humans who care for us kitties are pawsome, they deal with so much and we should give them a little love (from a safe distance and without touching, or course!