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
-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
(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
Designed to be sprayed onto fabrics, the product retails for 1,293 yen (US$10.60) and is perfect for freshening up cushions and blankets. Felissimo suggests the best way to enjoy the fragrance is with their lineup of kitty head cushions, available in three different colours for 3,125 yen each, a bargain at just over $28.00 US. 
a feline’s need in mind. Needless to say, the tree is made of quality materials. It’s called the Neko Tree and I think the Tribe of Five should have one. I had the female human convert 1 milion yen to USD and it’s only $8,826,20 (which sounds waaay better than 1 million yen!)
uninterested. You’ll find out what catnip is, why we’re attracted to it, what it can be used for (did you know humans can benefit from catnip?) 
Tucker here. So, the humans went away for a few days to something they called a “wedding”. I have no idea what that is but since I measure all the human activities in light of how it affects me, I was concerned about how the absence of our servants….errr, beloved humans would affect me. The humans have always looked out for us when they are not home but still, a cat needs to keep on top of what’s going on.
As far as I am concerned, wet food must be provided twice a day according to our daily routine. I have to admit that impatient cat sitters who do not remove bowls with uneaten food are my favorite people. I can wander over to all the bowls and finish each dinner before the other felines have an opportunity to eat. When there is no one to say, “Tucker, NO!” I enjoy quite a repast.
Since I’m sequestered in another part of the house due to 
I am the most skittish one in the Tribe so I don’t bond easily with strange humans. If you spend a little time talking to me, I greatly appreciate it and may even rub against your legs or give you a head bonk as a thank you. Also, please put my wet food dish in a high, safe spot so I can eat in peace without Tucker attempting to move me away from my meal. I don’t usually eat immediately so if you stand guard for a few minutes I greatly appreciate it. I have no firm stance on the subject of evening treats but I sure do enjoy eating the cat grass in the kitchen window and appreciate it greatly when the cat sitter waters it. Finally, if you do not see me you may want to check under the coverlet in the guest bedroom or under any of the throws in the house. If you spy a lump, it’s probably me which also brings to mind a caution, please check for lumps before you sit down.
Because our mother was killed after we were born, my siblings and I were bottle fed and are very bonded to humans. As a matter of fact, we find humans interesting and fun. I never miss the opportunity to make a new human friend so if you would sit on the sofa for a bit I’d love to sit next to you and get some petting. Since my brother Oliver and I are still young, we love to play. Be careful that you don’t trip on the cat toys I’ve taken out of our toy bin and, if you walk downstairs, I love to run down ahead and stop abruptly in front of you, be cautious and alert. There is a tantalizing jar of Meowijuana in the pantry that is always a hit with us. The humans will tell you that Tucker is a “mean drunk” but don’t let that deter you from offering us catnip. As long as you sprinkle the stuff on all the scratching posts we can enjoy it without fighting. (Oh, and don’t forget Jasmine, she loves catnip too!)
The job market for felines is opening up. Today I found out about Ron, an orange Tabby who provides nursing services to cats and dog patients at the Northfield Veterinary Hospital in Denver. Ron assists the veterinary staff with felines and canines who are having non-sterile dental work and his nursing talents are becoming so well known that his services are being requested on a regular basis. Ron has recently retired and is now enjoying cuddling with the humans in his forever home.
I’m so excited to be doing my first movie review. It’s about a new movie made in Japan that will leave you “feline” fine after you watch it. The story is about a novelist who moves to the country when a fortune teller advises him to do so. . While living in an old house, the writer meets the neighborhood cat who befriends him and brings joy into his life. This friendship causes him to go on a quest to find out what makes cats happy and this sets him on the path of becoming a “cat collector”
The female human ordered some very fine catnip for us from Meowijuana (you can 
My next working cat story is from….you guessed it, England! Felix came to the station in Yorkshire when she was a kitten in 2011 and she has recently received a purrrmotion Senior Pest Controller and has received a high-vis vest as well. She works hard keeping mice away and chasing pigeons off of the platform. There’s nothing like a girl in a uniform to make me purr!
Every working cat needs some R&R and Weston the cat from Washington state enjoys sledding with his human. Weston and his female feline friend, Elinore, the Adventure Cats, enjoy spending outdoor time with their humans. I watched the video but it freaked meow-out. Not so sure I’m ready for a sled ride but I do enjoy jamming down the stairs in our house and sliding into the wall.
As you may know the Tribe of Five and their humans reside in the Inland Northwest which is why I was purrrticularily thrilled to read that the first Oregon Film festival on March 11th. Now we do things a bit differently than they do in Howly-wood so this festival isn’t going to compete with the Internet Cat video Festival at the Hollywood Theatre. This festival will not feature already famous (and in my humble opinion overly exposed) feline stars like Grumpy Cat, Lil Bub or Maru. This festival will be featuring the future feline film stars.
This story is a public service announcement. I know that many of my feline friends out there have (ahem) a bit of a “nip” problem. Properly managed this does not need to cause said felines down the path of crime and over indulgence. This feline, unfortunately, did not have a friend, furry or otherwise, who talked to him about catnip and this, sadly is the result. After all, if you humans and other felines don’t talk to your cat about catnip, who will?
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