Happy November Furiends,

It’s definitely fire weather (as in a nice cozy indoor fire, not the horrible forest fires) in our neck of the woods. We are luxuriating in the warmth and thankful we have a warm and cozy furever home!

It’s always nice to get cozy and sometimes this really makes The Human happy. For instance, she came home from work on evening and when she saw this she got leaky eyes. She knows how long Lily has wanted a cuddle buddy since Angel Tucker crossed The Rainbow Bridge and to see her cuddling again made The Human very happy!

Now, we don’t always cuddle but we each like to get cozy when we find the purrfect spot.

I hope all my feline furiends are enjoying your purrfect spot, whather it’s cuddling with your brofurs and sisters, your human or by yourself.

Okay, enough about comfort, let’s get on with the news.

US soldier seeks financial help to bring home cat he saved overseas

There are many stories of kitties who have been loved and who have loved and saved soldiers. Often, these soldiers find a feline furiend where they are stationed and sometimes that creates problems when the soldier wants to bring the cat home with them.

This is the situation with Spc. Kaiden and his furiend, a striped tabby named Tiger. Kaiden went to great lengths to befriend the frightend feline and soon, Tiger trusted him enough to sit on his shoulders.  

Under his care, Tiger got pregnant and had 3 kittens and all the kittens were placed in furever homes.

But SPC Kaiden’s bond with Tiger was very strong and he couldn’t rehome her and now he’s working to bring her back safely to America. Dereck Cartright, a disabled veteran and logistics coordinator at Paws of War, is helping to make this happen. He said, “We want to do everything we can to help make this happen, but we need the assistance of the public to successfully pull off the mission.”

Bringing Tiger to America isn’t easy because you Humans have all kinds of  government rules and regulations about international pet adoption. That’s why Paws of War is looking to help keep Kaiden and Tiger together. If you want to help you can  donate to Paws of War. to bring Tiger here.

Spec. Kaiden is grateful for the help and said,  “Tiger and I have become inseparable, and I can’t imagine leaving her behind when I live thousands of miles away.“I’m grateful that there is an organization like Paws of War that cares enough to help us with this type of situation. I’m also thankful there are people in the community who support what they do, so that they can carry out their mission.”

We give Paws of War a Paws Up Award and hope Tiger will soon be in her furever home with Spec. Kaiden here in America!

Do cats have knees?

We felines don’t always contemplate such things but I know you humans do. Although I have to get a bit “sciency” to answer this question, I’ll try to make it as simple as possible.

We felines are quadrupeds, which is a fancy way of saying that we walk on all four legs.

The sciency folks say that we have two different types of joints. Our front legs are equipped with hinge-like joints and our back legs have, well, a different type of joint equipped with a patella or knee cap.

So if your human says your cat has elbows and their friend says his cat has knees, you’re both correct! We have elbows in our front legs and knees in our back legs.

Natasha Bui, PT, DPT, CCRT, owner of Amicus Rehab says it’s not that simple though. Yes, cat’s knees are similar to human knees but there is one main difference and that’s the angle between the our knee and our hips. This angle varies not only between cats and humans, but between different breeds of cats. For instance, the angle between knee and hip is more steep in breeds like a Maine coon,  which contributes to their increased risk of orthopedic issues.

Now that you know we have knees you might be wondering how to make sure those knees are taken care of. Sometimes we have knew troubles when we age or gain too much weight. Even kittens can have knee issues though.

There are some things humans can do though the most important being keeping us active and manage our weight.

Now you know, cats have knees!

Israel to give NIS 12m. to help spay, neuter stray cats

Now I’m not a purrlitical feline and am more of a Catstitutionalist than anything (I guess that’s because I always hear The Human meowing about government spending) but I have to say, if government is going to spend, I’m all for this line item.

Israel’s state budget will now see an increase in money allocated for helping out the country’s exceptionally large population of cats that will go from six million to twelve million to spay and neuter the many homeless cats in the country.

Now before any of you humans meow about spending, the program is being monitored and the goal is to reduce the expenditure as the feral population is reduced through the spay and neuter program.

The decision does have its critics but there is no argument that spaying and neutering do help to reduce the stray cat population and no one wants to see so many homeless kitties. This feline says “Bravo Israel!”

NYC candidate brings pet to polling place

Seems like this is my day to report purrlitical news. Now I have no opinion on the New York City mayoral race except to say that Curtis Sliwa, an excellent cat daddy, tried to bring one of his felines to his polling place on Tuesday. He arrived with one of the more than a dozen rescue cats he lives with but was told the cat had to stay outside. Someone was found to look after the kitty so Silwa could vote and he was reunited with his furry buddy after he cast his vote. This feline says there should be more cat daddies in politics!

11 Must-Visit Cat-Friendly Hotels in the U.S.

Now I am a feline that purfurrs the comforts of home. Travel does not interest me at all although my brother Oliver has a more wandering spirit. And I know there are other felines that don’t mind traveling either and with this in mind, I think it’s important that I help your human find the best feline friendly places to stay.

There are a plethora of dog friendly hotel lists but dog friendly isn’t the same as cat friendly by a long shot. Our needs are quite different. And don’t let your human head down the dusty trail with you before they they pack your treats, food and water dishes, the litter you like and a litter box. Bringing  your favorite toy and blanket is a good idea too (hmm, maybe you’ll need your own suitcase!)

Okay, now you’re packed and ready to go so here are the 11 feline friendly hotels.

Four Seasons, Las Vegas, Nev.

The Four Seasons Hotel knows how to welcome cats. You can find cat-friendly Four Seasons Hotels across the U.S. and they always make sure your feline will enjoy a luxurious stay.

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Orlando, Orlando, Fla.

Meowza! This place offers feline in-room dining crafted by Loews’ Executive Chef. With all the feline pampering this hotel brand may have you wondering who the guest really is-you or your cat! .They even provide the cat litter and the litter box so you can pack lighter.

The Oxford Hotel, Bend, Ore.

The cat-friendly Bend hotel will treat your feline like royalty. The $59 per pet, per stay fee, (2 cats allowed) is worth the cost as they offer cat bowls, toys, a bed, and treats. Now that’s luxury!

The Williamsburg Hotel, Brooklyn, N.Y.

When you book the boutique Williamsburg Hotel, ask for a pet-friendly room with a balcony (and make sure your human packs your halter and leash). The hotel charges a $100 pet fee per stay.

The Colony Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Fla.

If you are a feline who purfurrs a beach getaway this is the place for your. The hotel charges a flat pet fee of $150, and make sure your human books a room with a view of one of the world’s biggest litter box!

Rivertide Suites, Seaside, Ore.

You can also sniff the fresh sea breeze at this seaside hotel. For $30 per pet, per night, you and your feiline can enjoy a full kittchen, gas fireplace, patio, and one or two bedrooms (so you don’t have to sleep with your human if you don’t want to).

The Maxwell House, Seattle, Wash.

As part of the StayPineapple Hotels chain, this cat-friendly Seattle hotel has all the comforts a feline requires for a purrfect stay, including food bowls and a pet bed. Bring the whole clowder because the Maxwell Hotel allows up to four cats per room for a $25 nightly fee.

Kimpton La Peer Hotel, West Hollywood, Calif.

This hotel is serious about four-legged guests because they have a Director of Pet Relations. Now before you start hissing when you realize this position is held by a dog named Marvin, rest assured he will go the extra mile, even for feline guests. Every feline will feel like a very important purrson at Kimpton’s La Peer Hotel located just outside Beverly Hills. The hotel chain is cat friendly at all it’s properties and doesn’t charge for feline guests.

Virgin Hotel Chicago, Chicago, Ill.

The Virgin Hotel Chicago and their locations across the country are all cat-friendly. Every feline guest receives some great swag like bowls, a bed, and even a stylish bandana.

21c Museum Hotel Nashville, Nashville, Tenn.

This property is part of a number of midwestern hotels that are all cat friendly. There are locations from Louisville and Cincinnati all the way to Bentonville, and Oklahoma City. Your human can book a stay for you at $175 per stay no matter the number of pets.

The Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, Penn.

Located just footsteps from the historic Rittenhouse Square, this sleek hotel is the purrfect place for feline guests. The concierge can help you find cat-friendly events but, if you’re a feline that prefers to relax in your room, the concierge can arrange for you to have a pet sitter so you don’t have to be alone if your humans venture out.