Walk Through The Web Wednesday 3/18

Posted on March 18, 2020 by Feline Opines

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hello There Furiends,
Things have been pretty crazy in our neck of the woods and I’m sure your lives are a bit topsy turvy too. This virus thingy is a nightmare but fortunately, we’ve had our Purrsonal Assistant searching the web and I am happy to tell you that dogs and cats are not in danger of getting this nasty virus, but some of our humans are so take good care of them!

In addition to the virus panic we had quite a weekend. Toward the end of the week we had high wind warnings and snow warnings. Between the high winds and the blowing snow we felt like we lived in the frozen tundra.

This photo was taken after the wind storm, and what a storm it was! Trees blown over all around the county (many smashed into houses) and some smashed into other things like the pick up truck of our human aunt and uncle.

This gives new meaning to “firewood delivery”. Meowza!

And then there is the virus panic thingy. Humans are raiding the shelves of our grocery stores but thank goodness The Female Human sent in a big order to Chewy! Heaven forbid the treat supply runs low!

I did notice some reckless behavior by our woodland neighbors. As the self-proclaimed neighborhood snoopervisor I have been keeping track of the goings on. Imagine my dismay when I saw these neighbors gathering in a large group!

Clearly the neighbors are not following virus protocol! I made sure I had video proof in case I need to file a formal complaint!

Thank goodness I take my job seriously because there are some in the Tribe who are shirking their responsibility!

Hey Al, wake me up when this virus thingy panic is over, or when we’re running low on kibble!
Oliver

I hope all my furiends are safe and healthy! Panic less, laugh more and for heaven’s sake use your felines as the purry little stress reducers we are!

And now, my weekly wanderings with the latest feline news!

The Naughty Cat Cafe Isn’t Naughty At All

How could you call any cat café naughty when they’ve adopted out 298 cats in 266 days of business?? The St. Elmo’s Naughty Cat Café in Chattanooga,TN is celebrating it’s first year of business. How do they have such success at getting the felines there adopted? The owner, Whitney Sickels says it’s the generosity and support of the community.

Not everyone who comes to the café adopts a cat but just come to enjoy some feline time. The café owner says that seeing cats in more of a home-like environment makes it easier for people to imagine the cats in their own homes.

Adoption fees are $50.00, all cats have been tested for FeLV/FIV, are spayed or neutered, current on all vaccinations including rabies, microchipped, current on flea/tick prevention and have been dewormed. 100% of the adoption fee goes back to the shelter where the cat is from. Now that’s a great deal!

Paws up for this great business who is doing such a great job of helping felines find their furever homes.

Coffee! Crafts! Cats!

Oh my whiskers, you humans can be so creative!

I’m always thrilled to see animal shelters and feline rescue organizations doing creative things and this is really creative. The humans do macramé and the felines benefit because the humans come home with a fantastic bed for us! All the humans had to do was bring an 18” square pillow and the other materials were included in the price. The cost was $60.00 to take the bed home and $45.00 for those who donate the bed to the shelter. Great work Chesapeake Feline Association!

Mochi Couture Helps Every Feline Find Their Inner Fashionista

For all my fashionista feline friends it’s time to rejoice because Mochi Couture creates couture for felines only. No longer are you forced to shop in the doggie department, you can find an ensemble purrfectly suited for the feline physique.

Those of you who know me know how I feel about dressing up but I do have some very glamour puss friends who not only enjoy dressing up but they know how to rock fashion. And sometimes, putting clothes on us felines is good for us if we have skin issues, have had recent surgery or don’t have enough fur to keep ourselves warm. And since these items are designed to fit the feline body they are comfortable too. I have to say, after purrusing their clothing line I just might be purrsuaded to try a new look. The leather jacket and shades are pretty cool!

Genetic Markers Used To Find Lost Cats

I’m all for anything that helps lost kitties get home. Too many people see a cat and they think “stray” rather than “lost”. We are great proponents of microchipping and this sounds like an excellent new tool to help cats get home. Researchers in South Korea have now developed a technology that uses genetic markers to find lost felines.

The Rural Development Administration (RDA) recently announced that these markers can distinguish cat species and verify familial relations through a process of scanning that is not invasive for the cat. Now a lot of this stuff is a bit to sciency for this feline but I’m a fan of anything that can help get kitties back home.

Working At Home With Cats

Being a Snoopervisor is a tough job but someone has to do it.
Alberto

I refuse to give in to or contribute to hysteria about the nasty virus thingy. I do acknowledge however that many of you humans are stuck in your homes for a while. Not only is this a new experience for you and your felines, many of you are learning some very interesting things about working from home with cats. I hope you enjoy this article and that you all stay healthy and that we will be done with this stuff soon!

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 3/11

Posted on March 11, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello There Furiends,
There’s nothing newsworthy to report from our house. We did do a review on a new cat tree and it was exciting snoopervising The Human while she put the thing together. The weather here is getting old. These felines are ready for some warm weather and sunning time on the upstairs deck. By the looks of things (a yard still full of snow) this will be a while so The Tribe decided to do some daydreaming about what we’d like to be doing today.

I love warm places. The Female Human could send me to a nice, warm, beachy area and I would be one contented kitty!
Alberto

As our readers already know, I am a quiet feline who purrfers solitude and the finer things in life. I wouldn’t mind brightening up my day with a little catnip tea party.
Jasmine

I too enjoy a sunny day, as long as it includes a well stocked picnic basket with some delicious goodies (you know, all the stuff I’m not allowed to eat!)
Oliver

It’s been a tough month so all this feline wants is a little zen and relaxation. Point me to the nearest kitty spa!
Lily

What are you dreaming about? Meow about it in the comments. And now, let’s get to this week’s noteworthy feline news.

This Museum in Poland Is Dedicated to Cats

Feline lovers in Poland now have their own museum to enjoy all things cat. The Cat Museum in Krakow, Poland was created by a cat-loving Ukrainian couple, Nataliya Koshivaya and her husband, in June 2019. The couple has an ever-growing collection of kitty-inspired knick-knacks and tchotchkes, according to First News.

At the museum you’ll find things like cat-shaped soap dispensers, sponge rests, and teapots as well as dozens of decorative items like snow globes, paintings, pillows, and figurines from around the world,

At last count the museum had about 1,000 items crammed into its 15 square meter (161 square feet) space.

This cat collection started 15 years ago a tiny cat figurine and the rest, as they say, is history. I have a feeling this is the story with many of you humans. I’m thinking The Female Human could open her own cat museum!

While there are plenty of kitty-inspired items to peruse, unfortunately, the museum is not a place to see, play with, or adopt live cats. Koshivaya told CBS Miami that perhaps someday the museum will be able to house cats as well.

The museum currently has a 4.5-star rating on Trip Advisor and is becoming one of the “must-see” places to visit while in Krakow. You can virtually visit the Cat Museum by checking out their Facebook page.

Bookstore Cats Inducted into Feline Historical Society

My Shelf Books and Gifts in Wellsboro, PA has two bookstore cats, Huck and Finn. The human bookstore owner refers to Huck and Finn as “the hardest working cats in the book business” and they have recently been named as honorary members of the Feline Historical Society (who knew there was a Feline Historical Society?).

These feline brothers, with 14 other cats from 12 bookstores across the U.S. were invited to join the society by Thunderstone books as a celebration of the book, “The Only True Biography of Benjamin Franklin, Told by His Cat, Missy Hooper (with Hardly Any Help from Dan Greenburg).” The book is written by Dan Greenburg and is a novel for eight to twelve-year old readers.

The email announcing the news was sent to Huck via email from the publisher. Huck was a bit offended as there was no mention of his brother but that situation was quickly rectified.

Huck and Finn have been featured in the book “Huck & Finn, Bookstore Cats” and he also made an appearance in The Totally Ninja Raccoon series and Brandon Schultz’s “Bookstore Cats.”

Feng shui for felines: Create positive energy for your cat — and yourself

I don’t know anything about this Feng shui business but I do know that it’s easy to relax in our house.
Oliver

I know nothing about this feng shui stuff but the human who wrote this article sure does. Cynthia Chomos is a feng shui consultant and founder-designer at Seattle’s Catio Spaces, and a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.

She says that cats prefer outdoor experiences inside and like fresh air, the sights, the sounds and the stimulation of the natural world and says feng shui practices provide a balanced, stimulationg environment.

How do you offer feng shui to your feline? She suggests first finding a welcoming “power spot” . Power spots, whether for humans or cats are located outside the direct path entering a room. She says find a wall and place the feline furniture (cat trees, low shelters, boxes, etc.) along the wall.

She also suggests catios (cat patios) for the outside. Our feeding areas need to be serene, we need a zen place to relax and she says it’s good to stimulate yang energy. You can do this by playing with us daily and provide a high spot or shelf for bird watching.

There are many more tips in the article and Cynthia Chomos reminds you humans that your energy affects us felines so if you keep your lives in balance, it helps us keep our lives in balance too.

Tentative and Musically Gifted Cat Playing a Theremin Has Given Us the Song of the Season

Meowza, this news item is fascinating. You have to watch the video of this feline waving his paws while some strange noises come out of a box. When the cat changes position, the sound changes too. The cat looks a little confused and so was I when I watched the video. This kitty doesn’t understand that he’s playing a theremin.

And what is a theremin? It’s an invisible instrument invented by Lev Termen, a Russian physicist in 1919. He created it by accident when he was working on a machine that measured the density of gasses. He found out that when he moved his hands over it the sounds changed and voila –the theremin was born.

It works with two antennas, one controls pitch and the other controls volume. I’ve reported on feline mewsic but never reported on a feline MAKING mewsic! Make sure you watch the video of this little guy composing a “song”.

The Felines Opine About The Pawscoo Cat Tree

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Feline Opines

Before we begin our review, there are some things our attorney’s insist we say.
Disclaimer: We were provided with a free product in return for our honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are our own and are not influenced by the Pawscoo Cat Tree company, it’s affiliates and/or agents in any way.

We are pleased to announce that this product review was awarded a Certificate of Excellence and a Muse Medallion by the Cat Writer’s Association for the category, “Written Article, Product Review”

Alberto Opines

The Female Human got a HUGE box delivered to our house and of course, I had to snoopervise when she took all the items out. Once she had everything out of the box she took the pieces into the office where I continued my job as Chief Inspector and Snoopervisor. She sat on the floor and read out of a booklet she got with the box, mumbling to herself and putting all the pieces in an order that seemed to make sense to her.

“Human, ,what do we have in this box? Now that you have all these soft, furry pieces out of the box, I think I’ll just snuggle here for a while.

Now let me tell you that our Female Human is not the greatest “put stuff together from instructions” kind of human. Still, I was impressed when she got what we now figured out to be a device just for kitties together in record time. She assembled it next to our existing cat tree. You will notice that she had two little problems. The first was figuring out how to get the round thingy attached (it’s on the left on the last shelf of our current cat tree). She made numerous attempts and she finally gave up. She also couldn’t figure out what the white piece of fabric was for. Still, considering her terrible record for putting stuff together, I’d say she did pretty well. I very much enjoyed the round furry toy hanging down (more on that later)

The Female Human left this new cat tree in the office for a while to see how all of us felines would react to it. Oliver and Lily weren’t that interested. This isn’t unusual for Ollie as he prefers not to haul his rotund little body up any vertical spaces. Lily did inspect it and hung out on the soft ledges.

As you can see, I made a beeline for that furry hanging ball. The Female Human left the office for a moment and when she returned, I’d already chewed through the cord that held the furry ball. Full disclosure here, I am a chewer and there are many things off limits to me. I just couldn’t control myself and, I am sorry to say, none of the other felines had a chance to play with the furry ball.

When the good folks at Pawscoo told The Human to pick out the product she wanted, she chose what seemed to be the sturdies one. This is because my brother and I are rather …uh,, large. I’m pushing 17 pounds (but, in my defense I am also very long). My brother is 20 pounds and he is just round (yes, our Human is working on his weight and she worries about it so please, no fat shaming). Despite the fact that we did get the 62″ large cat tree tower condo, it still shakes a bit when I run up and down it but it is sturdy and safe.

This is the cat tree we got. Aside from the fact that The Female Human couldn’t figure out how to get the round thing on, the rest looks like the photo. The shelves are so soft and comfy and there’s that pawsome rope stuff all over where we can sharpen our claws.

The Female Human left the new cat tree in the office for a while and then she decided she’d move it to the place where Jasmine lives now. (Jasmine was bullied and is now too fearful to come out into the rest of the house no matter how hard The Human tries to get her to re-integrate.) She felt that Jasmine might enjoy some environment enrichment and, since I come and visit I still could enjoy the new cat tree.

Of course, being the exceptionally helpful feline that I am, I had to show Jasmine how the cat tree works.

Okay Jasmine, here’s how you use this thing. Sorry about the furry hanging ball, you would have enjoyed it. I don’t even mind if my bulk hangs over a bit it’s still comfy and so very soft. Jasmine, check out this little housse. You can hide in here when The Female Human wants to give you Sub Q fluids.

Speaking about my size as it relates to the cat tree. If I want to hang out on the lower shelf I often reach my paw out to the steamer trunk at the foot of the bed to steady myself.

No worries, just steadying myself a bit.

Jasmine opines about the new cat tree

Hello furineds, You can imagine that I was a bit bamboozled when The Female Human hauled this big thing with shelves into my hideaway. I sat for a while and watched Alberto frolicking on it but I preferred to explore it on my own. After The Human and Alberto left me alone I checked this intriguing thing out. I first tried out the place where I could hide from The Human and, since I’m so tiny I can make myself invisible in there!

Alberto was right. If I scoot all the way in the back The Female Human can’t get me to give me fluids!

It only took one day for me to figure out what a wonderful thing this cat tree is. I’m getting a bit of exercise and love getting on the top. I can sit on the soft furry ledges and watch the deer, racoons, squirrels and neighbor cats from my vantage point. Meowza I love this thing!

Hello World! This cat tree tower condo is the best thing this kitty has seen in a long time!

A note from The Human

The felines have allowed me some space in this review to share my thoughts. I was very impressed with the style of this cat condo and with the ease with which it can be put together. Even though I couldn’t figure out how to attach the round piece it is still fantastic without it. The hanging ball toy was an early casualty of Alberto but he’s a chewer and this is not the fault of the manufacturer. Al will obsessively chew through anything that is stretchy or plastic. I have to watch him like a hawk.

Finally, I fully acknowledge that I have a couple of cats that are far heavier and larger than the norm. Alberto is so long he can stretch himself up to my waist and Olliver, well he’s just a tubby fellow. If Alberto with his length and weight can enjoy the codo so much and, if it holds up to his crazy runs and jumps it says a lot about this product.

The most delightful thing that happened as a result of doing this review was Jasmine’s reaction to it. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this condo would do so much for my 17-year old sweetie (who has kidney disease but is doing well with treatment).. It is keeping her more active and she loves investigating the different levels and giving her the opportunity to have some window watching adventures.. The design of the condo allows it to fit nicely in the space, I believe Jasmine feels as though she is now the queen of the neighborhood. It makes my heart smile to see her enjoying the cat tree and condo and is a reminder that our “super senior” kitties need some fun and distraction too. This product is thoughtfully made and all the different “stations” provide fun for curious felines. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to review it, as are Alberto and Jasmine.

We’re So Excited!

Posted on March 6, 2020 by Feline Opines

Yes, this is me, being excited. What’s your point?!
-Oliver

Hello Furiends,

Our Purrsonal Assistant received an email message from WildernessCat letting us know that they had featured us in their post, “The 33 Best Cat Blogs You Need To Check Out in 2020”. We were thrilled and wanted to purruse this blog that honored us. Meowza they are fantastic!

There are so many great articles about felines and feline care. Some of our favorites were the article on dealing with your cat’s anxiety (we’re dealing with Lily’s anxiety after the loss of Tucker), Boarding a Diabetic Cat (none of the Tribe is diabetic but with Jasmine’s health issues boarding or getting a pet-sitter is quite a conundrum), and their very informative article about CBD and cats.

Head on over to WildernessCat and check out their great cat articles.

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 2/26

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
I hope your week has gone well and that this week’s feline news report finds you healthy and happy.

We actually had sunshine this week. I must say though, I was a bit annoyed by the laughter from The Human when she came in the office and saw me soaking up some vitamin C. Seriously, I have no idea what she found so amusing.

Lily is still adjusting to the change in the Tribe and the loss of Tucker. She is a tiny little feline and she hasn’t been eating so The Female Human went to talk to the people in the white coats about this. She came home with some food called Hills AD Diet for cats and dogs. Now I’ve never heard of a food for cats AND dogs but evidently this is what they give patients when they are not eating well. And I must say it works! Lily is eating again and perking up, even coming over to get her “before bed treats”.The hardest part of this is keeping the stuff away from Oliver who needs no appetite stimulation!

Jasmine enjoys watching what’s going on in the woods.

The Female Human was a little stressed out about Tucker’s sister Jasmine after Tucker crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She took Jasmine to have her blood work done and her regular wellness check. Well guess what….Jasmine’s kidney numbers are lower than when she was first diagnosed with kidney disease. Meowza, you should have seen our Human doing the happy dance.

Oliver misses the big guy too so he spends some quality time with The Female Human in the evening. He’ll even hang out with her when she has a glass of wine on the weekend (note, Oliver does not drink wine)

And, as far as the problem with Oliver and I giving Lily a bad time…..things haven’t changed too much but it seems lately Lily is standing up for herself more.

Well, that’s all the news about the Tribe, now, on to the news!

What’s the best music for reducing cats’ stress levels?

A few years ago we opined about cat music on our website (yes we have a website in addition to this blog that our Purrsonal Assistant does not promote enough). We have mewsic at our house and we quite like it. The Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery recently reported on the stress-lowering effects of music in cats. This study says that classical rather than pop or heavy metal soothes felines best….well DUH! I don’t think you need to be a scientist to figure that out!

Now they did dig a little deeper and said that cat-specific music with ‘melodic’ lines based on cat vocalizations (like purring) sooths us. We also purrfer frequencies similar to feline vocal ranges, which are two octaves higher than those of humans.

These scientists studied 20 domestic cadts, playimg 20 minutes of cat-specific music, classical music or no music at random veterinary visits 2 weeks apart. They used cat stress scores (checking the feline’s body posture., ear placement, etc.) as well as how the cat’s responded to being handled. They drew blood samples to mark the physiological stress levels.

And what did they find out? Cat specific music might indeed lower stress levels. Now, I don’t want to sound snarky here but when this scientific study ends with, ““[C]at-specific music may benefit cats by decreasing the stress levels and increasing the quality of care in veterinary clinical settings.” I’m not impressed. Even our Female Human knows that our cat mewsic may calm us down but at least I give the researchers an “A” for effort. You can watch the videos on our website and come to your own scientific conclusions as to whether we were less stressed when listing to our Music for Cats album.

Miau Miau Clothing Company- shopping with a purpose to help homeless cats

Any company whose motto is, “life is better with cats!” is my kind of company! The company’s founder began this company after being inspired after she rescued a litter of kittens and their mother a few years ago. That rescue experience made her realize that there are thousands of cats and kittens who are not as fortunate as the ones she rescued. The company values are: Improving the Lives of Homeless Cats and Kittens – Advocating for Animals and their Rescuers – Compassion – Making a Difference.

Now who wouldn’t love to do business with a company like that! The Female Human loves their clothes and is going to order the pink hoodie. They have lots of great stuff like a “Cat Daddy” bottle opener, pawsome pins and bags, hats, jewelry and goodies for the felines in your life.

Boris the Yoga Cat

Every time The Female Human gets out h er yoga mat, Oliver and I head on over to snoopervise (well I snoopervise, Oliver splays himself out on the mat) and she gets her whiskers in a twist and shoos us away. Now that I’ve found Boris. the yoga cat I’m going to make a case for us doing yoga with our Human. If you check out Boris’ Instagram you will see there is not a pose that can’t be done with a kiitty!

11 Secrets Your Cat’s Tail Is Trying to Tell You

I don’t think you humans pay enough attention to our tails as they can tell you a lot. I’m not going into all 11 of the tail signs but I will highlight a few. You can read about all of them here.

Straight Up: When we stand with our tails straight up, pointing at the ceiling, it means we are happy, confident and willing to be friendly so come on over and give us a pet!

Fuzzy Tail: Well, that’s what we call it at our house. It’s when our tails get fuzzed up 3 times their regular size. If we are startled, scared or feeling threatened we will floof ourselves out to appear as big as possible. Trust me, you don’t want to pet us when are tails are fuzzy!

The Fast Flicking Tail: When you see us flicking our tails from side to side, the message we’re sending you is that something is wrong. It can be fear but it can also mean we are annoyed or reacting to something we don’t like.

The Slow Moving Gentle Tail Flick: This means we are zeroed in on something, that we’re very focused. We may be getting ready to pounce on a toy, another cat or a mouse. Basically it’s showing our intention to make a move.

I’ll let you read about the rest of the tail signals for yourself. Just remember, we are telling you a lot with our tails!

Your Cat Actually Has a Legit Reason For Getting Hyper Every Night at Bedtime

“It’s quite all right human, go back to bed. I’m just helping you arrange this mess.” – Alberto

Evidently, the fact that we get the zoomies at night is not because felines are nocturnal. Shelly Zacharias, DVM, VPM and vice president of Medical Affairs at Gallant, in an interview by POPSUGAR, said that cats are actually crepuscular, meaning their waking hours are at both sunrise and sunset.

Well that information is all well and good but our Female Human wants to know how to keep us from waking her in the middle of the night with our antics. Some suggest that you humans play with us before bedtime. Also, some interesting toys for us to play with while you are sleeping will help keep us busy.

If you have any foodaholic felines in your house (I shall not name names) you might want to consider splitting the evening meal in two. Feed us one earlier in the evening and the other one right before you go to bed. This is supposed to keep us from bugging you for food but evidently ,the expert that suggested this has never met Oliver.

They also suggest puzzle feeders. I don’t know about the rest of you felines out there but The Female Human tried that on us. We quickly let her know we do NOT work for food.

The article also suggests that you humans ignore us if we wake you up. That might work for some but when you suddenly find a 17-pound feline on your chest, your desire to breathe will take over your desire to ignore us.

Our Female Human has decided that the best remedy for our nighttime zoomies is to close her bedroom door (and then prepare herself for the havoc she sees in the morning). MOL

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 2/19

Posted on February 19, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
We’re getting used to the “new normal” at our house since Angel Tucker crossed the Rainbow Bridge. As my brother Oliver and I are still young-ish felines we are easily bored and always looking for a bit of fun. Lately, our “fun” has consisted of chasing Lily down the stairs and then not letting her come pack up the stairs. The Human keeps telling us to stop being “hooligans” (whatever that means, I’m sure it’s complimentary because we are such good kitties). Lily has taken to sitting on the ledge by the stairs and watching our every move. The Human is spraying pheromone stuff all over the house but so far, it has not had the desired effects.

“Human, would you PLEASE tell Al and Ollie to stop bullying me?

“Frankly, I think Lily is being a bit over dramatic.” – Oliver

“Okay, I admit I have a twinge of guilt for ganging up on Lily.” – Alberto

” I could care less what you two knuckleheads get up to. I have my own domain in the back of the house, safe from hooligans!” – Jasmine

If any of our furiends have advice for The Human as to how to keep us from treating Lily like prey, she’d sure like to hear it!

Okay, enough about us, let’s get on the the feline gems I found this week.

Game-changing feline diet promises relief for people allergic to cats

Purina Pro Plan LiveClear will be sold in veterinary clinics, online and in pet specialty retail outlets in three formulas—Adult Chicken & Rice, Adult Salmon & Rice, and Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Turkey & Oat Meal.

I’ve reported on many methods attempting to stop or mitigate the cat allergies that many humans suffer from and now there is a product coming to market in April that purports to do this. Purina Pro Pan LiveClear is formulated with a protein sourced from eggs that contain an anti Fel d1 antibody. Humans react to the protein Fel d1, produced by cats in their salivary glands. The protein is transferred to he cat’s hair and skin during grooming and it is eventually shed into the environment. It took more than ten years of research but the Purina Institute says this cat food, the first and only cat food capable of reducing the allergens in cat hair and dander is ready for the market.

Statistics show that about 20% of adult humans in the world are allergic to cats (meowza, that’s a lot!) but a study that was published last year in Immunity, Inflammation found that 47% fewer allergens were found in the hair and dander of cats eating Pro Plan LIveClear. These results manifested in the third week of feeding the cats the new product on a daily basis. The same study also found that active Fel d 1 production decreased in 97% of cats (with individual variability).

How does it work? As the cat eats the kibble coated with the special egg powder it neutralizes the Fel d 1.

Now our Human is very picky about what she feeds us and her first question was, “Is it safe for the cats?” Purina’s Director of veterinary technical communication, Jason Gagne said that the safety of the feline consumers was a key consideration. The goal was to neutralize the protein without impacting the physiology of the felines. The egg coating is perfectly healthy for cats to eat.

If you want to read more about the “sciency” details, be sure and read the article. We’re keeping our paws crossed that this will work and that more kitties will find furever homes because their humans no longer have to worry about sneezing, itching and other allergic reactions.

A Vietnam vet and a support cat formed an ‘amazing’ friendship

“We just hit it off, and we’ve been together ever since,” – Gary and Rascal

Our Human knows many people who take their felines to places to share them with others. Lots of folks at the Green Acres retirement home look forward to the bi-monthly visits from the non-profit organization, Country Cat Lady. As a rule there are about 12 residents ready to meet the dozen cats who come to visit. The organization has been in existence a little less than two years after the founder realized what a help her cats were with her special needs son.

The Country Cat Lady’s cats are trained to be support animals through exposure to people. After they graduate from their training, they are adopted out as support animals. Even if some of the cats don’t make the cut, they are adopted out to loving, furever homes.

The top tier cats live with the Country Cat Lady and they are the ones who travel to places like Green Acres. This is how Gary DeLude met a black cat named Trailblazer (although Gary refers to him as Rascal).DeLude says he can walk into the room, depressed about something and sitting down with Rascal makes him “feel better all over”. The Country Cat Lady has promised Gary that his buddy Rascal will stay with her so he can continue to come and visit.

The Country Cat Lady is now seeking partnerships, donations and support so she can continue and even expand her work.

What a pawsome job the Country Cat Lady has and she is helping so many people.. I hope you have something like this in your community and, if you don’t, find a human to start one!

Naughty cat disrupts live orchestra concert and steals the show

Oh my whiskers, this is hilarious. We’ve seen cats racing across sports fields, hanging out in stores and other places but this has to be my favorite “cat bomb”. The feline loving musicians try to welcome the music loving kitty but clearly this cat is having none of it. He was there for the music and not to make new friends!

Cats in Japan can now get digital resident cards in Kanagawa Prefecture

At first I had my whiskers in a twist and was quite outraged that a government would require felines to register. Then I read the article and realized this is an optional thing and might even help the humans of felines in the area.

Kanagawa Prefecture, Tokyo’s neighbor to the south, is home to 9.2 million people, just about all of whom have a form of ID. It may be a driver’s license, a student ID, or a resident card, but there’s some sort of document that says “This is who I am.” Now the felines who decide to have an ID can have one too through a partnership between the Kanagawa Prefectural government and pet-related media company PECO.

You can have the basic information on your card as well as your birth date, name of your human family members, special tricks or abilities you want the world to know about and even your motto. (Mine would be “I’m always feline fine”).

There are cards for doggos too but since this is a cat only blog I don’t feel the need to expound any further. Oh, and the cards are free!

Osaka cat lovers warm their feet, hearts at footbath featuring feline friends

Visitors enjoy a footbath while playing with cats at the Neko Yokujo cat bath house in Osaka’s Chuo Ward. (Mainichi/Ryoichi Mochizuki)

My last feature also comes from Japan. We’ve seen cat cafes, cat hostels, condos designed for cats ad their humans, cat ID cards and other fantastic feline stuff and this is yet another creative way the folks in Osaka are finding a new way to hang out with cats.

Neko Yokujo, “cat bath house” in Japanese, is operated by Gifu-based firm Neco Republic, which manages cat cafes across the country. The 15 felines at Neko Yokujo are rescues and all are available for adoption. And there is a hostel where guests can stay with cats, Neko Yokujo attached to the cat bath house. Meowza, I say it’s time for the good old US of A to catch up with all the fantastic feline venues in Japan!

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 2/12

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
I didn’t want to miss my regular Wednesday feature although things have been a bit sad at our house because of the loss of Tucker. The Female Human still gets leaky eyes when people talk about him but she is getting better and she’s thankful for all the kind words you furiends have been sending her. She is in the process of responding now.

The Female Human is spending extra time with us and giving us love. LIly is the one that misses Tucker the most as he was her cuddle buddy (and Oliver and I would never mess with her when the big guy was with her). They had a great bond and Lily is very sad now. This is the way you would always see them together.

It’s time to get to the feline news for this week. Stay safe and healthy my furiends and always make time to cuddle.

A True British Mystery – Where are the Black Cats Coming From?

A Kent Online office has been targeted by a mysterious artist who has been placing cat stickers across the county. The new tag appeared on a door of the Kentish Express in Ashford – just hours after an article was published about the feline phenomenon.

Black cats have popped up across the county, often on entrance signs to villages and towns – including Sittingbourne and Fordwich. They are also used to mark hospitals like the Kent and Canterbury and businesses such as Ramsgate’s Royal Victoria Pavilion Wetherspoons.

The miniature moggies have been spotted as far away as Rye and Bexley.

Ashford and its surrounding areas are becoming a hotbed for the unknown artist’s activity, with one at the William Harvey Hospital, one near Wye and another on the Orbital Park industrial estate.

Many believe this is the work of Whitstable street artist Catman, but he has denied any involvement.

Meow to the mystery artist!

Cross Eyed Cat Earns Money For Charity

Belarus has chronically crossed eyes as the result of a condition called strabismus, which causes his eyers to point in different directions.

Belarus might look confused, but it’s only his eye condition. He has been hard at work earning thousands of dollars for other rescue cats just like him. Those eyes were the main reason his human, Rachel Krallk, fell in love with him the first time she saw him on her local shelter’s Facebook page. She went to the shelter that day and adopted him.

Krakk began selling shirts and hoodies featuring Belarus’ unique face. She donates 100% of the proceeds to animal rescues and has donated to date, several thousand dollars. Be sure and visit Belarus’ online Bonfire store if you want to support shelters. Our Female Human thinks that we should be doing the same thing with the items in our store.

If you want to purchase some Belarus merchandise of your own, be sure and visit his online Bonfire store.

American Cat Owners Devote 20 Hours Per Week to be With Their Beloved Felines.

As yu can tyell by Oliver’s face, cuddle time is greatly appurreciated at our house.

A survey of 1,000 cat owners conducted by Fresh Step Litter found that cat owners take seven photos of their feline daily. And 41% of cat owners have a framed photo of their feline. As to treating your cat as part of the family, 84% said, “You betcha’!” Some of you humans won’t buy a toy for your 2-legged kids without purchasing something for your four-legged kids. The study found that cat owners are not just partial to their own cats, they love everyone else’s felines too.

Most of those surveyed brought their feline home through adoption.-22% adopted from a county or state shelter, 16% adopted from a friend or relative and 13% adopted from a at specific rescue.

A whopping 60 % of respondents said their cats were loyal and 53% said they were well-behaved. Nearly half of the respondents said their cat often cuddles with them. In addition to cuddling, over three quarters of owners talk to their cats and they said it was like therapy. Their cats helped them through difficult times and 66% said they would rather snuggle with their felines rather than spending time with friends. My question to you humans is this, have you spent your 20 hours with y9ur feline(s) this week?

Miss Rigby, the Seafaring Feline

Four-year old Miss Rigby has spent almost her whole life surrounded by water.

Five years ago husband and wife Shane and Maryvonne both in their 50s decided to leave their fast passed careers to sail around the world. After the humans were at sea for about a year, they met their furry shipmate. Mis Rigby (or Rigs) was given to them by a Connecticut breeder. Before they took of for foreign ports they trained Rigs and she now lives on and loves the 50 foot boat. She’s a natural sailor. The Burmese breed is very loving and loyal and trainable and Rigg’s sailing skills prove this. Her humans cannot imagine sailing anywhere without her. If you want to follow Rig’s ocean adventures, you can follow her on Instagram.

The Cat Flat Gives Cats a Home with 10 Things to Make Them Happy

A Swedish self-storage company has launched the Cat Flat, a cat house with space for your cat to play, sleep and feel at home-all inside a very attractive cabinet that won’t ruin your décor. The company describes the Cat Flat as “The world’s first non-ugly cat furniture” . The Cat Flat was designed in response to the rise of small space living in Sweden. According to cat psychologist Susanne Hellman Holmstrom, author of the book, :” The Cat Could Decide” when cat’s can’t fulfill all of their needs it will result in a change in their behavior. Cats need the opportunity to spy, hunt and have a place where they can hide.

Designed by Eleonor Moschevitz and built by Stockholms Möbelverkstad, the Cat Flat enables kitties to feel safe and secure inside their own enclosed environment and come and go as they please.

Cats can move freely throughout the three-level cabinet, which is made out of walnut veneer. The slats covering the doors of the cabinet function as an abstract interpretation of nature, while inside the cabinet is decorated with sisal mats and leather. The brushes are made of FSC-certified beech wood with boar bristles and the scrubs consist of ecological coconut.

The product will launch during Stockholm design week. The famous feline duo of Prime and Raven (who have 141k Instagram followers) were the first product testers. The product is being presented at Stockholm Design week this week. At the time of this report, no price could be found for the Cat Flat.

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 2/5

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello There Furiends,
How has your week been going? Things are still pretty boring at our house so I decided I’d have to find some excitement on my own. The Female Human has this thing she calls a “foyer” (I call it the hallway by the front door) which she likes to decorate for the seasons or holidays. She took all the Christmas stuff off and now has the winter thingies there. I have no clue why she does this but I’m not complaining as she puts out tantalizing little knick knacks for me to knock down and bat around the house. The following photos show me checking out this very interesting area.

“Okay, I’ve knocked a few things off, what other space can I clear?”

“Look at all that stuff on the floor to play with!”

“Now that shelf up there has some intriguing things. Look at the bushy tail on that squirrel! Let’s see if I can get my paw up there.”

A cat’s got to do what a cat’s got to do and, if The Female Human insists on leaving us alone in the house during the day, she shouldn’t complain about the mischief we get up to!

And now, let’s see what wonders I discovered on the world-wide web.

What do a venomous primate and a cat have in common?

The slow loris has a venomous bite to ward off predators.

An international team, led by University of Queensland associate professor Bryan Fry, has been studying slow lorises in a wildlife reserve in West Java in Indonesia. Now you may be asking “Why?” and “What does this have to do with cats? Actually, quite a bit.

The bite of the large-eyed, and incredibly cute, slow loris can induce an allergy-like reaction in humans. They are the only primate that uses venom as a defense against predators. If you humans get bit by a slow loris, it will hurt and will also act and feel like an allergic reaction. These scientists think that studying the slow loris and it’s venom may help them understand why many of you humans are allergic to felines. Evidently the DNA of the protein in the slow loris venom is almost identical to what is in a feline’s fur that causes allergic reactions in humans. Cats secret this protein and coat themselves with it. The good doctor said, “Your pet cat wouldn’t know it, but it may have evolved a toxic defense to keep predators as far away from it as possible.”

Who knows, maybe the slow loris will be the answer to human/cat allergies. And, lest you think this is a hoax, the research has been published in the science journal Toxins.

Hero cat saves owner’s life over 50 times by detecting diabetic attacks

Hazel, a former psychiatric nurse, has type one diabetes and if her blood sugar drops while she sleeps, she can suffer seizures and even fall into a coma — with potentially fatal consequences, but not on Walter, the 9-year old felines watch. Walter can smell the chemical change in her body that happens when her sugar is getting low, and pokes her around the face until she wakes up.

Hazel says Walter is her literal life saver and her hero. The first time Walter went into action, Hazel had no idea what he was doing. Walter refused to be ignored and smacked her with his paw. She finally gave up, turned on the bedroom light and realized that her vision was blurred, a sign her blood sugar was low. Since that day, Walter has never failed to alert her when her blood sugar dips.

Evidently, some diseases, such as diabetes create a chemical change in the body that produces a smell that is too subtle for human noses but not felines.

She said: “When someone is suffering from a disease such as diabetes, chemical changes take place in their body that produce a smell that is too subtle for our noses.

This talent is usually one that dog’s exhibit and in fact, Hazel had gotten a dog with the intention of training her to be a diabetes dog but the dog “didn’t have a clue”.

An English zoo’s jungle cats would like your leftover perfume. Preferably Calvin Klein.

File this one under, “You’ve got to be kitten me!” Evidently big cats are attracted to fragrance. If you decide you don’t like the perfume you receive on Valentine’s Day, re-gift it to a lion. The Banham Zoo in Norfolk, England, put out an appeal this Tuesday for any unwanted fragrances, explaining its big cats are running low. Who knew that, cheetahs, jaguars and ocelots really like perfume — and they have a preference for the designer labels.

“For some reason Calvin Klein perfume is a huge hit with all big cats but in all honesty any perfumes work well and we do like to offer them a variety of different smells,” Mike Woolham, the zoo’s animal manager, said in a statement, adding that donations of aftershave were also welcome.

The zoo demonstrated in a short video this week how the cats “respond very positively” to scents more typically found at mall department stores. The reason is the ingredient, civetone, The civet, a small catlike mammal found throughout Southeast Asia and parts of Africa, marks its territory by secreting a distinctive scent from its anal glands. For hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years, those pheromones have been used in perfume, although today most fragrances rely on civetone, a lab-made copy.

Although fragrances such as Chanel No. 5 and Jovan Musk also contain civetone, the scent that seems to be the most popular with wildcats is Calvin Klein’s Obsession for Men. This has been confirmed with zookeepers all over the world.

Now this curious cat is wondering, do little cats like the scent as much as big cats? If any of my readers have a bottle of Calvin Klein’s Obsession around the house, give it a try and let me know the results.

Rachel McIntyre Smith launching cat cafe tour

This feline loving singer will be touring cat café’s during her Kitten Coma Tour. She will sell merchandise related to her song, “The Kitten Song,” with all proceeds from those sales going to animal rescue organizations. You can watch Smith sing that song and others on YouTube.

The Kitten Coma Tour will travel from Tennessee to North Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio. Smith released her self-titled debut album in April of last year showcasing her blend of country, indie and vintage pop.

Holistic Pet Care Team to host a Facebook live event focused on cats

CBD Dog Health and Two Crazy Cat Ladies, an all-natural product brand for cats in Las Vegas, will be hosting a free online event Feb. 15 focused on cannabidiol (CBD) products and other homeopathic remedies for cats. The event, which will be broadcast via Facebook Live, is part of the Healing Naturally Tour.

“We share a common goal with Adrienne and Jae, [owners of the Two Crazy Cat Ladies], to get our pets off of dangerous and unnecessary medications and help them heal naturally,” said Angela Ardolino, founder of CBD Dog Health, a Lutz, Fla.-based CBD manufacturer. “I know that together, we have a lot of information to share with our fellow cat people, and I can’t wait for cat chat.”

The Healing Naturally Tour is an alliance between Ardolino and Julie Anne Lee, DCH, founder of Adored Beast Apothecary. The tour will continue through mid-February, and will include sessions at veterinary offices, grooming and boarding salons, and boutique shops throughout California and Nevada

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 1/22

Posted on January 22, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
Greetings from the snowy, blowy Inland Northwest. The humans are slipping and sliding all over the roads in their metal machines. We felines, on the other hand are staying close to home and keeping cozy.

Oliver and I are expurrts at staying warm.

I have been working though. Seems as if I can’t leave our Purrsonal Assistant alone for a minute so I have to snoopervise her every move. I did demand an “Al extension” on the desk and that my bed be placed there. If I have to work, I’m going to be comfy!

I hope you are all safe and well and that this little sign in our office will resonate with you.

Cat lovers urged to nominate their furry friends in National Cat Awards 2020

Jeffree, last year’s overall winner. Photo: metro.uk.co

Bad news for us North American felines but great news for felines across the pond. It’s time for nominations for National Cat of the Year 2020 . Last year’s overall winner, Jeffree took the title for helping teenager Finn Hackeson, who has Asperger syndrome, cope with the death of his father.

Other categories include ‘Hero Cat’ for cats that have saved the day and ‘Most Caring Cat’ for pets that have positively impacted a person’s health or wellbeing.

The ‘Furr-ever Friends’ category is aimed at bringing in tales of friendship between children and cats.

The ‘Outstanding Rescue Cat’ is a special award for the most fabulous felines that have been adopted from animal charities. There is also a Purina “Better Together” award to celebrate the special bond between a feline and a human.

The award ceremony will be a star-studded event at London’s Savoy Hotel and is sponsored by PURINA.

So my UK moggie furiends, ,get your humans in gear and have them enter the contest.

CHONKY cats beware, there’s a new f eline fitness tracker in town!

The PurrSong Pendant is a tiny device that measures cat’s activity and our sleep. Who knew, a fitness tracker just for felines? The idea behind PurrSong is to get data about our regular routines and to keep track of any times we change those routines. Changes in behavior could indicate there is something wrong. We cats are sneaky in hiding when we don’t feel good and this little gadget might just give you humans a heads up and get us to the vet sooner. The information is sent to an app on the human’s smart phone and will alert to abnormal patterns. The device attaches to our collars. The PurrSong Pendant will be released later this year and will sell for about $100.00. You can watch a video about this cat fitness tracker here.

Eagle Scout’s service project benefits shelter cats.

Contributed photo Marek Jablonski stands in front of the cat playground he built as an Eagle Scout service project for the Marshalltown Animal Rescue League.

Marshalltown High School student Marek Jablonski took the little things to another level when he helped renovate the Marshalltown Animal Rescue League’s cat playpen as his Eagle Scout public service project. We felines know how important environment enrichment is for us and it’s even more important for shelter kitties.

Jablonski created a wall climbing feature that allows kitties to get to the very top of the wall. When Jablonski visited the shelter he saw three kittens sitting on one of the steps, staring out the window

Paws Up award by FelineOpines.net for humans who do amazing things for cats

We give Marek Jablonski a paws up award for this pawsome gift to the shelter.

Feline Social Club offer s sound healing for kitties

Sound-healer Santiago Rodriguez plays some pet sounds as the cats try to be cool about it. Long Beach Post News

Since opening in September 2019, Feline Good Social Club has been a haven for the cat-deprived. If you can’t have a kitty of your own, you can pay $15.00 for a hour for lunch, a break or just some feline time. The Feline Good Social Club’s slogan is “get giddy with a kitty” and encourages all it’s patrons to enjoy the feline company they provide. The organization is a nonprofit, everyone there is a volunteer and the funds received used for facility upkeep, cat food, kitty letter, etc.

The Feline Good Social Club plans events with feline friendly titles such as Cats & Mats Yoga, Paint & Purrs, a cat toy making craft event and a cat-themed movie night. Last weekend Sound Healing with Illuminate Life came in to allow felines and humans to enjoy an unusual meditation session. The event was such a success they are considering doing it on a monthly basis. You can visit The Feline Good Social Club (and meet the kitties available for adoption) at their website or follow them on Facebook.

Homele ss cats airlifted to new homes in Washington

I’ve reported on Wings of Rescue and The Jackson Galaxy Project before. These wonderful folks (and others) fly felines (and doggos too) to places where they will have a better chance of being adopted. These 118 cats were airlifted from shelters in Louisiana and Mississippi to Washington State where folks are looking for kitties to give a furever home. Paws up to these folks who work so hard to get kitties adopted, even if it means transporting them thousands of miles away.

The cats chosen to be flown out came from Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter, St. Charles Animal Shelter, and Oktibbeha Humane Society.

Wings of Rescue has flown over 41,000 pets to safety since 2012. The Jackson Galaxy Project’s mission statement is “To improve the lives of animals at risk by transforming
the places they live and helping the people who care for them” and working with Wings of Rescue is only one part of their mission.

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 1/15

Posted on January 15, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello There Furiends,
My how time flies. It’s Wednesday already! It’s been a loooong week for our Female Human. We’ve had lots of snow and she’s been busy pushing all that white stuff off the driveway. We felines purrfer comfort so while she went out there at least four times per day, we kept ourselves warm and comfy and cheered her on. (We were with her in spirit).

This was pretty much The Female Human’s view sincer last Friday. Every time she got the driveway cleared that white stuff started falling. It’s been a long, consistent bad hair day for her. MOL

Oliver stands…..err….lounges in solidarity with The Female Human while he warms himself by the fire.

Lily posed in front of the snow-covered trees and I crawled into The Female Human’s lap each evening and gave her a therapeutic purr session.

We hope that wherever you are, you’re safe and warm! And now, on with the feline news of the week.

Brave Kitty!

We felines don’t always get the kudos we deserve which is why I’m bringing you the story of Max, the fearless cat. This kitty lives in southern California and ended up chasing of not 1, not 2 but 3 coyotes in his yard. And just so you know this isn’t some tall “tail” his humans got the whole dust up on their security camera..

Max’s humans heard the altercation and went out to chase the coyotes out of their yard and had no idea how much work Max had done fending them off until they watched the film from the security camera.

Poor old Max was just a whisker away from bring coyote dinner. Max’s outdoor days are now over bui his humans are talking about building him a catio.You’ve got to check out the security camera video!

A litterbox that keeps your tools handy and is easy to clean!

Tuft and Paw is an innovator in feline products and their latest kickstarter campaign illustrates this.

The Cove litterbox is simple, beautiful and has it’s own an integrated scoop, dustpan, and hand brush. It was created by designers, engineers, and cat behaviorists and made from recycled plastics that are completely toxin-free.

Double-walled, thick matte plastic looks and feels sturdy while a smooth interior is extremely easy to clean. Rubberized bottom firmly plants the box to the floor. Cove’s scoop is designed to sift faster and slide easily through coarse litter without much effort. The dustpan and handbrush allow for quick, easy tidying around the litter box. The litterbox can only be pre-ordered on their Kickstarter page at this time. Pre-order price is $99.00. Lining in a house with five felines, The Female Human isn’t sure that 5 Cove litterboxes are in our financial future but it does sound nice.

Spotify launches a pet playlist generator

I can’t say I’m all that excited about these choices, I’ll have to have a conversation with our Purrsonal Assistant who set it up. I have to say though, it’s about time a streaming company took some interest in feline mewsical preferences. The play list set up asks about your feline’s personality so I am hoping these tunes will suit me. Send your human over to set up your playlist.

Petcurean, a premium food manufacturer for cats and dogs is returning the “Uplift The Underdog – Cat Edition” program

Petcurean puts pets first and the purpose of this contest is to shine a light on the many cats who are overlooked for adoption because of health, weight, age or behavior or other issues, in other words, the feline “underdogs”. Rescue groups, shelters and cat adoption supporters from across North America are invited to purrticipate.

These entities will have until February 2^nd to submit the details of their most overlooked, but utterly adoptable cats. Of the cats nominated, 12 finalists will be selected – six Americans and six Canadians. These finalists will be announced on February 18, 2020, and supporters will be invited to learn about the finalists, do their part to help raise awareness, and vote for their favourite cats. The public voting period will last until February 24, 2020, at 6:00 pm P.S.T. The winner will be announced on February 25.

All 12 of the finalists’ shelters will receive a cat food donation of 2,000 meals to support the important work they’re doing to help animals in their communities. Petcurean will also pay the adoption fee for all 12 finalists, and if they are adopted, they will receive year’s supply of food to take to their new homes. The cat who receives the most votes in each category will receive a three-year supply of food from Petcurean.

Let’s get our shelters involved and help these kitties find furever homes!

Cat and bunny are best buddies

This odd couple in London is garnering world-wide fame for their relationship. A huge English bunny was recorded visiting his feline buddy. The cat’s human, Jessie Sayce recorded the bunny during his daily “hop over” to visit her cat. This has been happening since Leo was a kitten. She said, “”We thought it was really adorable, but didn’t think it would last, as Leo was getting bigger and thought he’d scare the rabbit,” she said. “This started 6 months ago, and they’re still super friendly!”

Their friendship has reached the point where the bunny has sneaked into the house via the cat door to look for Leo if he doesn’t find him outside. Sayce couldn’t figure out how the bunny was getting over the fence so she filmed him one day. She said he jumped on a chair to the top of the shed in her garden. She said they don’t always play, sometimes they just sit together and watch the world go by.