Hello there furiends,

I hope you are doing well. Because of the fires and the terrible smoke, walks in the cat stroller have been momentarily stopped and the windows in our house remain firmly closed. We had a nasty wind storm last week and then some fires in our neck of the woods. Many of our furiends were evacuated but we are happy to say, they have all returned to their homes now. This is a photo of one f the fires near us.

We are also having horrible air quality because of the fires in all the surrounding states. This photo might give you an idea of what it looks like – same view a few days apart.

Still, we are in much better shape than many of our Northwest and coastal furiends and we are purraying that you all remain safe. Since we can’t sit on the upstairs deck or take a stroller ride, we aren’t doing much of anything. I’m hanging out by the shower and demanding to be let in and Oliver is practicing relaxing, I think he’s got it down well, what do you think?

Stay safe dear furiends and I hope you enjoy this week’s feline news.

Secrets of famous felines revealed

Did you know that Grumpy Cat’s name was Tardar Sauce and that this little undersized kitten with abnormal features became an international sensation when her human began  posting pictures of her on social media? That little feline became so famous that her human was able to quit her waitressing job when the cat began raking in millions from modeling and purrsonal appearances. Sadly, Grumpy Cat crossed the Rainbow Bridge last year at the age of seven..

Lil Bub had an extreme form of feline dwarfism, that left her limbs and jaw much smaller than the rest of her body and this created that cute “tongue out of the mouth” look she was famous for. Her human, after finding that she would suffer from osteoporosis, began working with scientists to sequence her genome and help other kitties with the same condition.  Lil Bub did much to help other feilknes and was mourned when she crossed the Rainbow Bridge last year after suffering a severe bone infection.  

Ollie’s purrsonal favorite feline celebrity is Shironeko, one of the most mellow cats in the world. Shironeko has been delighting fans on social media since 2006 by balancing flowers, fruits, frogs, and other items on his head. Shironeko crossed the Rainbow Bridge this year at the age of seventeen and it is our Oliver’s goal to become just as famous for being lazy….errr…chill and relaxed.

Be sure and check out the article to learn about other famous felines such as Spartacus the Serval, Sir Stuffington and Smudge the Cat.

And Speaking of Spartacus the Serval……

Spartacus, the 18 kilogram (over 39 ½ pounds) African serval managed to escape from his house and spent a number of days in the wilds of New Hampshire.

He was “trapped” near his home and returned to his family in good health. Evidently the family dog spooked Spartacus and he did a runner.

Spartacus was adopted from a zoo four years ago, has all his papers in order and lives in the lap of luxury as an indoor kitty. We are very happy Spartacus is home!

Metro Vancouver moth outbreak ‘great fun’ for indoor cats

Canadian cats in Vancouver rejoice. The moth outbreak happening there is a boon for felines. Chasing these winged insects is bringing Canadian kitties all kinds of exercise and fun. So while our furiends up north are housebound due to the smokey conditions, a few good moth chases a day will chase away the blues and boredom as well. A note, veterinarians said that the moths the cats are chasing are not toxic or poisonous but the powder the moths carry on their wings may irritate their eyes or mouths.

Cat tires of waiting for the humans to make it to the finish line and finishes the race in the front

Turkey’s capital city Istanbul is known for its massive population of cats. These felines are so involved in the human activities that they can even make a surprise appearance at athletic events.

A recent video shared by the Turkish Athletics Federation shows a cat darting across the finish line at the Balkan U20 Men’s Athletics Championship on September 13. The athletes dodged the ferocious feline near the finish line. There was a winner of the race but it wasn’t the cat!

Adorable Japanese Cat Thinks She’s a Dog Just Like Her Shiba Inu Siblings

Kiki, the adorable American Shorthair cat lives peacefully with her three Shiba Inu siblings; Saki, Ibuki, and Hazuki.Kiki acts like she’s one of the canine gang and the photos of these furry family members are taking Instagram by storm,. Check out the photos for yourself and you’ll see what a great team Kiki is with the Shiba Inus in her family.