Hello Furiends,
How are things in your neck of the woods? We are settling in to the cozy part of fall and love it when The Human turns on the fireplace. She got us a new fury rug which is quite soft and comfy. I purrfer hanging out on the cat scratcher but Oliver, who always enjoys life’s comforts, has commandeered the rug.  It’s pretty clear how he feels about that new rug by the expression on his face.

The dreaded door-bell ringing festival is coming next Monday. If The Human cared about us, she’d hang a note on the door addressing those candy beggars that says, “Please knock quietly and for heaven’s sake DO NOT RING THE DOORBELL!” Hand in hand with this terrifying practice is the “Let’s stuff our hapless felines in ridiculous costumes” tradition. Oliver, Lily and I have made it quite clear that costumes are a “no-go” for us. Still, we didn’t want to be total party poopers so we suggested The Human Photoshop us in clothing, places and situations that we think would be fun. She agreed and we hope you enjoy the results.

Hello old Chaps, Sir Oliver here.
Join me in my library for a port or a beer.
This feline enjoys the luxurious things
Like roast beef or trifle, every luxury life brings 

Hi there, it’s Al, feline adventurer of great fame
All the  jungle creatures know me by name.
I chase tropical birds and hang out with gorillas
I’d rather sleep in the trees than doze off in a villa

My name is Lil-ee, the classiest of the bunch.
I enjoy some champagne and an escargot lunch.
With my beret and beautiful pearls
I’m the talk of Par-ee and an elegant girl. 

That’s it for our silliness. Now let’s take a look at all the feline related news of the week.

Your cat really does prefer your voice to that of a stranger

The web has exploded with articles about a study done by Charlotte de Mouzon at University Paris Nanterre in France.

De Mouzon and her colleagues tested the behavior of 16 cats, nine males and seven females, all living in studio apartments either as single pets with a female owner or as pairs of cats with a couple. The cats ranged in age from 8 months to 2 years, and their owners were all veterinary students at the National Veterinary School in Alfort, near Paris.

The team recorded the owners calling their cats by name, as they would normally. The owners were also asked to say things relating to one of four contexts: “Do you want to play?”, “Do you want to eat?”, “See you later!” and “How are you?” The team then recorded the pet owners saying the same phrases to people, now using the style of speech they would typically use with friends or adult family members as opposed to the tone of voice they use for their felines.

Sixteen women – not known to the cats – also had their voices recorded as they said the same four things to adult humans and to cats that they saw in videos in de Mouzon’s laboratory, using the same styles of speaking as the cat owners.

The cats heard all the recordings in their own homes, with their owners present but not interacting with them. When they heard the voices of their owners, the cats tended to interrupt their behavior and begin doing something else, such as looking around, moving their ears and tails, or even becoming completely still.

Even when they heard strangers speaking to them in a high-pitched, affectionate manner, calling them by name and inviting them to play or eat, the cats essentially ignored them, says de Mouzon. However, she did note that this might be because all the cats were indoor pets, with few opportunities to interact with strangers.

The findings provide further evidence that cats have strong social cognitive skills and that they are “sensitive and communicative individuals”, said Mouzon. Youi can click here to read the details about the study.

Hungry Cat tries to steal chips

This little video gives you a glimpse into the life of The Human who is still suffering due to her refusal to take Oliver off the D-I-E-T

San Francisco’s Store Cat Map

Oh meowza, this human has done a brilliant thing! Chris Arvin’s mapmaking has made him a Twitter star and his latest map is a BIG winner! The map is titled, “San Francisco Store Cats”

He’s located the best of the best store cats such as Lilly of Michaelis Wine & Spirits and Tosca of Nabila’s Naturals. He has even included notations about  which cats are especially friendly.

Cat Daddies- The Movie

Oh my whiskers, The Human is quite excited about this movie. The film is described as, “A heartwarming and tender portrait of a diverse group of men whose lives have been forever changed by their love of cats, CAT DADDIES takes us on an inspiring journey all across the United States during the challenging early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when people desperately needed hope and companionship.

These “cat dads” come from a variety of lifestyles. There is a firefighter, truck driver, a stuntman, an ad executive who has become a cat rescuer, a police officer and the list goes on.

The Human is hoping this film will show that the love of cats has no gender and that it will take some of the heat off the cat ladies of the world.

Cat Owners Discuss The Musical, Fictional, And Mythological Influences Behind Their Cats’ Names: Thread

We love hearing how our feline furiends got their names and now, thanks to Flattery Cat Café’s October 19^th tweet asking what inspired the naming of their cat, I found some great stories!  I was named by someone who was a Tour de France aficionado and my sleekness and speed earned me my moniker. Oliver was the runt of the litter and was so tiny and always hungry when he came to the house with me, he reminded The Human of Oliver Twist, constantly asking, “May I have some more please?” Lily was named after the little girl next door who loved felines but whose dad was allergic. The human Lily could visit the feline Lily whenever she wanted until she moved away.

How do you, my feline furiends get your names? Meow about it in the comment section, we’d love to hear your stories!