Walk Through The Web Wednesday 7/7

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Feline Opines

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hello Furiends,

It looks like there are weather issues in everyone’s neck of the woods this week. We’re purraying for our friends who are waiting for the hurricane to pass and for those of us suffering unusual heat, hang in there.

The air cooler The Human ordered finally arrived. As you can tell from this photo, it’s a hit with me!

Lily enjoys the evenings when it cools down enough to open the windows.

Lily also enjoys snoopervising whatever is going on in the kitchen.

“Shouldn’t there be flowers or something in here?”

And Oliver? Well, Ollie is just hanging around being Ollie and any chance for a nap is good for him, even when it’s hot!

So furiends, stay safe, stay cool and nap whenever you can!

Netflix’s next documentary star is the world’s greatest ‘cat rapper’

Beginning today, Netflix will show a 6-part docuseries called Cat People. There are all kinds of breeds of feline lovers like rescue workers, veterinarians, cat café owners and one of this feline’s favorites, Moshow, the cat rapper!

Moshow isn’t only a cat rapper, he puts his love of cats to good use as he promotes adoption for the Oregon Humane Society and is a participant in the Million Cat Challenge.

The Tribe gives Moshow paws up and says, “Rap on our furiend”. Enjoy the video and visit the full article for more Moshow feline rapping.

Woman woos stray cat

MOL! This could happen to our Human as she’s blind as a bat without her glasses. Claudia Hankin was enjoying sitting on her porch and reading on evening. She was delighted when she noticed a shy, little gray cat hanging out on her porch.

She doesn’t wear her glasses when she reads so she didn’t have a good view of the cat but she did the “psst, psst, here kitty” thing to try and get the cat close enough to pet.

Imagine her surprise when the “cat” got close enough to her for her to realize it wasn’t a cat at all but a possum! Hankin grabbed her phone to get a photo but as soon as the flash went off, the timid creature headed back to the woods.

I’m wondering , now that the human has extended the hand of friendship, if the possum will attempt to continue their relationship.

How to cool cats down in hot weather

Oliver). Signs of heat exhaustion are rapid breathing, lethargy, staggering movements, vomiting, red tongue and mouth, and a high temperature.

Thank goodness we cats sweat through our paw pads and we will attempt to disperse our body heat by moving to a cooler spot and drinking lots of water.

Now if your feline is extra furry they will be looking for heat relief but even the less furry of us appreciate some help.

Here are some ideas to help your kitty be more comfortable when the weather is too warm.

1. Freeze cat treats
If you like those tasty Churu mousse like treats or Delectables, tell your human to put a few in the freezer and voila-cat popsicles!

2. Provide an outdoor cat house.
If you find your feline lounging on the hot pavement, try a cat house that is more elevated and that offers some shade.

3. Make your own frozen cat treat.
Drain some tuna juice (water from the canned tuna), add a bit more water and pour into an ice cube tray. Tasty!

4. Consider a cat cooling mat
They make these for dogs but they work for cats too. If you have multiple felines, get a large mat so everyone can lounge on it.

5. Get a pet water fountain
Having plenty of fresh water is important during warmer months. Water fountains provide a regular supply of flowing water.

.6. Put ice cubes in water
Our Tribe loves this and, after we’ve had a nice cool drink, we like to swat the ice cubes around.

7. Make your own DIY cat cooling towel
Save the money for cat treats and just paper towels for DIY cooling towels.

9. Consider a catio
Make sure there is plenty of shade and cool water available.

10. Make sure your windows are safe
If you leave your windows open use netting frames that fit over the windows or doors to keep your cat safe and your home cooler.

12. Daily grooming
Cats with thick coats will especially appreciate frequent grooming.

14. Freeze a bottle of water.
Freeze the bottle, wrap it in a towel and place it where your cat likes to hang out

And remember, no matter how much your do, you may still have some dramatic felines in your home like Oliver.

Keeping cats safe in your yard

There is a lot of talk about catios, heck, I’ve reported on some fantastic ones myself but if you humans are adverse to attaching something to your home (especially if you have snowy winters) you might like this idea.

Happy Paws Out is a cat-proof fencing system that allows your felines to enjoy your yard and not pull a Houdini maneuver to escape. This can be installed on all kinds of fences or, 2D panels can be installed to close open garden areas.

You can go the DIY route or take advantage of their installation services (if you live in Ireland, that is). Purrsonally, I like the idea of fencing everyone in, not just the felines!

Meet Smokey, One of the First Cats to Beat FIP!

Oh my whiskers, if there ever was a time and a cat to celebrate, this is it! Smokey has been through quite a bit in his life. He was rescued when he was found in a field, sick and without his mother. He was diagnosed with feline infectious peritonitis or FIP which is a disease that is almost always fatal in cats. But our furiend Smokey defied all the odds and is one of the first cats to ever be cured of this nasty disease!

Smokey’s human, Peter, started ZenByCat which is a non-profit organization raising funds for further FIP research. Smokey is the organizations poster cat. Peter says that Smokey’s purpose is to give hope to people. You can follow Smokey and his siblings on their Instagram account.

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

The healthy Smokey spends his days walking on his wheel and playing with his 24 feline siblings. Peter adopts as many cats as he can to give them a happy home and, as a talented general contractor, he’s been able to modify his home with cat walks to create the best cat jungle him ever.

We give this human our Paws Up award and say concatulations to Smokey for beating this disease!

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 5/27

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Feline Opines

Happy Wednesday My Furiends,
Since The Female Human had an extra day to stay home with us we took full advantage of her presence. Whether she was watching the TV or trying to get a little yoga time in, we made sure to show her lots of love. There is always a bit of a kerfuffle when Oliver and I decide we want lap time at the same time (we are not small felines)

Lily has quite a different technique. She jumps up on the back of the sofa and than places herself strategically half on the sofa back and half on The Female Human’s shoulder.

“Human, please stay still, I am a tiny cat and I can’t imagine that your shoulder would suffer any ill effects from me perching here.”

In an effort to mitigate the leg, back and shoulder pain The Female Human is meowing about (I think she’s a bit of a hypochondriac) she does yoga to help. It’s a good thing she has The Tribe to help her with this endeavor.

“Human, clearly you are doing this wrong. Just watch how the lady on the TV does it. Sheesh, do I have to help you with everything? And by the way, you need a pedicure.”

As you can see, our Human would be in trouble if we weren’t around to take care of her. But, enough about us, it’s time to enjoy this week’s web wanderinbgs.,

Man builds luxury catio for his felines

Be sure and check out **the video** of this amazing feline palace.

All right humans, it’s time for you to up your catio game. I know The Female Human needs to pay attention to this as her idea of a catio is a pop-up thingy she puts on the front porch and upstairs deck.

This Cat Daddy in Georgia built what he calls, “Chateau de Chatons” (the kitten’s castle). This is definitely a castle, with a drinking fountain, scratching post, some cat furniture, a hammock and a ramp that connects to a “penthouse perch” that’s built into a tree. Meowza, those felines are living their best lives!

So all you humans take note, The Tribe gives this palatial outdoor kitty playpen the “Paws Up” award!

Why do cats like to sit in squares?

Now that The Feline Human is a certified cat behaviorist she is always reading stuff about what makes felines tick. This article speaks to the age old question…..”What is it about cats and boxes?”

Dr. Michelle Burch, DVM, a cat expert has some thoughts about this. She says that squares make felines feel secure and safe and that if you draw a square on the floor, your feline will come running. (The Female Human has not tried this yet, if any of your humans have, please meow about it in the comments)

Dr. Claudine Siever, DVM says in order to understand our fascination with squares you have to go back to our kittenhood. Kittens derive a sense of comfort and security from cuddling with their mother and siblings. As adult cats, boxes bring back that feeling of family love. These memories release happy hormone (like endorphin and oxytocin) and these reduce stress.

Squares also make a great hiding place where can pounce out and attack other cats in the house or our humans. It also provides a good place for us to hide when we’re a bit stressed or feeling needy.

Hmm, I wonder if The Tribe should get a great big box for our Human so she can hide in it when she’s stressed.

Trey Anastasio walks a mile in his cat’s shoes in New Quarantine Tune, “If I Could See The World”

Now I am a feline not well versed in the world of human music. My tastes lean more toward David Teie’s Music for Cats. As a matter of fact, The Tribe did a review of the first album (with videos) if you want to hear our favorite mewsic.

Still, I have to give this Trey Anastasio two paws up for looking at the quarantine through his cat Joey’s eyes, because, as all my furiends know, seeing life from a feline point of view is the best way! Joey actually shows his purrrspective of his home in the video, a “cat’s eye view “ if you will. There is also a cameo appearance from the other cat in residence who has not been named.

Cat vanishes under the Dean of Canterbury’s robes during sermon

Be sure and watch **the video** of Leo’s appearance during the morning prayers.

Since you humans have been stuck at home, The Tribe has had “video church” for a while. Now I must say, if The Human’s Pastor had thought to invite a feline, we might have stuck around for the sermon.

Leo, the Canterbury Cathedral cat has made himself famous after brazenly disrupting a recording of morning prayers.

The video of morning prayers captured Leo sauntering into view and then disappearing under the robes of the Dean of Canterbury.

The Revd Dr Robert Willis maintained his composure and continued with his sermon despite Leo’s shenanigans.

This was the press release from the Canterbury Cathedral Spokesperson:

“He has been enjoying making our daily broadcasts since March and, whilst he would be happy to be in every one, we have tried to include the others to prevent them getting jealous.

“With over 20,000 visitors to the Deanery and its gardens each year – and over 1.5 million to the cathedral – he is used to being on show and, having been born in the Deanery and growing up here, he is very used to company and is a very friendly and happy little cat (if not the brightest of the four).

“He loves to socialise with the cathedral’s many pilgrims and visitors and takes his role as ambassador very seriously.

“In calmer times he finds a cosy place in the house or sunny spot in the gardens to sleep.”

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

“Human, when the feng shui lady said to get us a water fountain, she didn’t mean the sink!?”

Our in-house feline behavior expert had to admit she knows nothing about feng shui and the positive affect it can have on cats but Cynthia Chomos, a feng shui consultant and founder-designer at Seattle’s Catio Spaces understands.

First of all, for the unenlightened, feng shui is the Chinese art of placement, a design system that created harmonious living spaces based on “chi” energy. Cats add positive energy in homes and Chomos believes that acknowledging the feline’s primal preference for the outdoors by providing fresh air and the sights and sounds of the natural makes our quality of life better. The Female Human is all for The Tribe to live our best lives so here are a few tips from the article.

Find a welcoming power spot for your felines (and your humans) outside the direct path entering a room. Cats prefer a wall that provides support from behind and provides a commanding view of their territory. Choose and place cat furniture, high cat trees, low domes, shelters or boxes, along the wall based on your feline’s comfort zone. (Now The Female Human hasn’t figure out where our comfort zone is but she put a great cat tree in her office by the window and we have a pawsome view of the woods below us.

Another recommendation is a catio because they keep us safe. Even though I griped about our pop-up catio, I have to say it’s really nice and we love being outside.

Provide a Zen space to relax. Feng shui practitioners hold that chi energy is both yin (restful) and yang (stimulating). A home needs both for the right balance. Cats need a cozy bed or hammock in a quiet room or Zen space for a catnap away from disturbances such as loud noises, remodeling projects, vacuum cleaners or unfamiliar people.

Stimulate yang energy indoors. Stimulate yang energy for your cat with daily playtime and a shelf near a window that offers the warmth of the sun and birdwatching opportunities. You don’t have to know anything about feng shui to know that playtime with your felines is critical to our health, happiness and our bond with our humans.

Litter box placement is always critical, even if you’re not looking to “feng shui” your home for your feline. Keep the box away from places where doors may be slammed, loud noises happen or anywhere where we can be startled while using the litter box. Remember, if we have a bad experience with our litter box, we may just stop using it.

Finally, feng shui suggests that you consider water fountains in the house. There are many nifty kitty drinking fountains (feng shui says to put the fountain in the north or southeast are of the house away from the food bowl.

In general, if your home is harmonious and attractive to the humans and felines, life will be enhanced for everyone.

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 5/13

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Feline Opines

Happy Wednesday Furiends,
Just when we were doing the happy dance and getting ready for The Female Human to get the catio out, our beautiful weather took a turn and now we’re back in the 40 degree area. Sigh. We did manage to get a shot of the view downstairs from the living room window when the sun was out. We’re keeping our paws crossed that catio weather and sun puddles will make their appeaance soon!

Our view from the back of the living room sofa. We love watching the robins taking a bath in our little waterfall.

In other breaking news, The Female Human actually caught Oliver and Lily snuggling! Mind you this only happened once but it sure made her happy. Lily misses her buddy Tucker so we’re hoping this wasn’t just a fluke.

Lily stealthily made her way over to Oliver when he was sleeping and a surreptitious snuggle was accomplished.

This stay at home thingy has definitely affected my waistline. The Female Human is working at that place she calls her “business” and therefore failing in her duty to mind my kibble consumption during the day (not to mention my plastic chewing). Sigh, I hope my life jacket still fits this summer!

Jasmine has this nice cat tree in her space, it’s clearly not made large enough for robust felines like myself.

Finally, we must take a moment to commend The Female Human. She is finally accomplishing something she’s wanted to do for years and just received her diploma (with “Distinction” she insisted I note) for her Feline Behavior and Psychology course. She’s always been a bit of a “know it all” when it comes to cats and now she’s really full of it…..cat behavior and psychology knowledge that is. She is now working on a course to become a Pet Bereavement Counselor.

Okay, enough about us, let’s take a look at what I found on my web wanderings.

How To Find A Cat in 10 (easy-ish) Steps

As I’ve noted before, The Female Human and her sister founded and operate a lost pet group in our community. She’s always meowing about the fact that people immediately think “stray” and not lost when they encounter an unfamiliar feline. This makes it hard for the folks who are desperate to find their lost feline. This article from Jack Hagerman from the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA has some great tips to help you find your missing feline.

Not all missing cats are lost or want to be found. Cats are notorious for hiding in impossible places. Before you assume kitty is missing, make a thorough search indoors, around the porch, garage and yards armed with a flashlight and the tastiest, smelliest treats.
Don’t waste time. If you know your cat is missing, immediately post photos and a description of your cat, including the neighborhood you live in on NextDoor, Facebook and any other social media platform you use. The more neighbors and friends who are aware, the more eyes you’ll have looking out for your kitty.
Think like your cat. If you were a cat, where would you go? Begin around your house and spread out to the immediate neighbors on all sides. Where does your cat normally head? What is the most likely escape route? What are her favorite bushes or hiding spots? Crouch low under porches, scan high on roof lines and tree branches. Could something have recently happened to spook them? Construction or a new neighbor’s cat or dog?
While you’re searching, ask pedestrians, knock on neighbor’s doors and show a photo. Ask if you can check their garage, sheds, under the porch. This is no time to be shy.
Leave a missing cat report with your vet, all the other local vets, shelters and rescue groups. If you live in one of our animal control service cities*, make sure to check out “lost and found” section of your shelter’s website regularly.
When you return home, leave food and water outside your door. Fearful cats will often slink out after dark. Leaving a baby monitor near the food may detect faint meows. Also consider searching late at night when the rest of the world is asleep.
Enlist family and friends to help post flyers and spread the word. Have push pins, tape and a staple gun, depending on the surface. The best posting spots include street intersection poles, local bulletin boards at grocery stores, library, laundromat and community center.
If you’ve recently moved, extend your search to your old neighborhood.
Persevere! Cats have returned weeks and months later. Keep networking, and asking neighbors if they’ve noticed anything. Keep your fliers or posters fresh with a “Still Missing” header.
Remember, you seriously improve your chances of finding your lost cat if your cat is microchipped and is wearing identification on a collar around their neck.

Quarantine Cat Film Festival

Oliver’s film has been entered in the video competition

In order to help movie theaters that have been shut down an independent movie theater owner came up with a brilliant plan and created the Quarantine Cat Film Festival. This cat video festival will be live streamed on Friday, June 29, 2020. A portion of the monies raised from ticket sales will go to benefit local independent movie theaters. It’s expected that over 100 movie theaters will be involved.

We say “Paws Up” to Brian Mendelssohn, founder of Row House Cinema and his wife (who made the brilliant suggestion to have a cat film festival).

The Female Human sent in our very own film “Bring Me My Catpuccino” starring Oliver!

Cat Insists on Having A Conversation With a Non-Cat Person

The Feline Human has been heard to say often that “If there is a room full of cat lovers and one non-cat person in the group, the cat will make a beeline for the non-cat person.” She’s got it right and this cat decides he wants to get up close and personal with this lady who is clearly not a cat fan.

Tiktok user John Gonzalez captured this momentous moment on video.
The Tribe is a bit put off by the lady’s expression of horror.

Pizzeria Owner Gets 25 Dog and Cats Adopted

You know how much I love it when people come up with creative ideas to help animals find a furever home and this lady’s idea is pawsome! Mary Alloy, owner of Just Pizza & Wing Co. in Amherst,NY came up with a purrfect way to help her local shelter, Niagara County SPCA.

Since February she’s put over 5,000 flyers with adoptable pets on her pizza boxes and so far over 25 dogs and cats have been adopted. She also rewards the clients who adopt with a $50.00 gift certificate for her pizzeria.

A Cat’s Eye View of The Australian Outback

Kartika is not a regular cat. The four year old Bengal has quite a taste for adventure and satisfies it as she travels the outback with her human, Lou Meyers. Kartika has spent most of her life traveling across Australia. When she was a kitten she learned quickly that when the leash and harness came out, fun times were ahead.

Despite the fact that Bengals are known for having an affinity for water Kartika is no water lover which could be because there is little of it in the outback.

A Bengal cat is perfect for the adventure life because Bengals are very active, have strong personalities and like to explore (get into things). Bengals require lots of care and exercise.

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”.

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.

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 6/20

Posted on June 20, 2019 by Feline Opines

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hello There Furiends,
I hope your summer is going well. The Tribe is anxious to get outside and enjoy the pop-up catio but the weather has not cooperated so we snooze on the sofa and await the sunshine. You may have noted that my Wednesday feature is appearing on Thursday..our Purrsonal Assistant has been under a lot of stress lately so we allowed her a days grace on my feature, as long as it does’t happen again!

This photo is of me chillaxin’ in The Female Human’s bedroom which is the territory that belongs to Jasmine but Jasmine does allow me to visit if I behave myself. This is me behaving myself.
final-43

Since we have been forced to stay inside, window duty is very important to us because you never know what you’ll see out there. The other day we watched The Female Human pull out of the garage, stop the car and then run into the front garden waving her arms and yelling. As Oliver and I took up our post at the kitchen window we had a front row seat to the comedy that ensued. Our Human is shouting and waving her arms. The freeloader in the garden remained unfazed and took his time munching on the newly emerging flowers. Sheesh, The Female Human could use a chill pill.
final-44

I hope you enjoy my web wanderings this week and here’s to days filled with lots of treats and head scratches.

Mysterious ‘Cat-Fox’ May Be a Newly Discovered Species, Researchers Say

Okay, I will admit that I am a feline of limited scientific knowledge but this “discovery” has me puzzled.

On the French island of Corsica in the Mediterranean, a strange, rarely seen beast stalks the night. Locals call it ghjattuvolpe – the cat-fox – and for the last decade, scientists have been hot on its trail, trying to unravel the mystery.

The article states that a “rare beast” has been discovered on the French island of Corsica. They call it ghjattuvolpe which means cat fox. Evidently scientists have been studying the animal for 10 years. They say it differs from domestic cats because of its large size, up to 35 inches or 90- centimeters from head to tip, wide ears, short whiskers and long canine teeth. Okay, maybe I’m off base here but this looks like a large feline with a floofy tail. There’s a video on the site but I’m still not convinced. What do you think about this “cat fox”?

Kitty Cure: New Research Suggests an End to Severe Cat Allergies Could Be in Sight

Getty Image

There is hope for humans who love felines but who can’t get near them without itchy eyes and sneezing fits. Purina scientists have been researching how to manage cat allergens and have recently made a breakthrough in their research. Purina announced that they have recently demonstrated “a proactive way to significantly reduce the active levels of the major cat allergen, Fel d1, at its source in cats’ saliva.”

“These allergens have created a huge barrier to cat ownership and may limit the loving interactions between cat lovers and cats,” immunologist Dr. Ebenezer Satyaraj, Director of Molecular Nutrition at Purina and lead investigator on the research, said in a statement. “Our discovery has the potential to transform how people manage cat allergens.”

I give Purina our paws up award for working to improve the relationship between felines and humans!

Cat-astrophe: Pakistani politician’s event streamed on Facebook with cat filter on

CatFilter

MOL! I can’t stop laughing about this one. Evidently Pakistani politician Shaukat Yousafzai held a press conference was live-streamed on Facebook — with the cat filter turned on. He wasn’t the only cat filtered human streamed on the event as the filter shifted to whichever human was talking. The cat filter was left on by accident and rather than calling it a cat-astrophe, I’d say it was probably the best political live stream ever done on Facebook!

Just like their mothers: in cat breeds, behaviour is inherited

“I must have inherited my love of high places.” Alberto

The human scientists are at it again. First they noted that different cats behave in different ways…DUH! So a team from the University of Helsinki studied information about 5726 cats and found differences in behavior between breeds across five different areas: activity level, sociability with humans, shyness, aggressiveness and stereotypical behavior.

Their sample of 5726 included 40 breeds (there are 71 in total, according to the International Cat Association), some of which had to be grouped, forming 19 breeds and breed groups.

You can read the findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports. Some of their conclusions are a bit suspect to me but what do I know, I’m just a cat.

Play with Your Cat for Science: New Online Study Seeking Participants Worldwide

playWithYourCat

It’s time for you humans to step up and play with your cats for science. Anyone who owns a cat is asked to record themselves playing with their cat and submit the recording online. The deadline is June 30, 2019. You can take part in the study here. Here are more details. So get out that cat dancer and play with your feline!

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 6/12

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
It finally warmed up at bit here. Tucker , Oliver and the rest of the Tribe have been waiting for some warmth and sun puddles. I’m more of a “go with the flow” kinda’ guy and I’ve just been hanging out on the cat tree, waiting for summer.

“Just me hanging out and waiting for some warm summer weather.” Alberto

I hope you enjoy this week’s web stories.

This Cat is Chonky: The fat-cat Facebook group lifting humans from despair

“I’m not chonky, I have big bones.” Oliver

Chonky is a fantastic Facebook Group and founder Tori Diaz says she receives messages from group members who want her to know how Chonky has cheered them up during their most stressful moments. “What hit me the hardest,” Diaz says, “were the people responding saying the group has helped them through suicidal thoughts, depression and severe medical problems.”

What I like about Chonky is that rudeness and judgment are not allowed, in other words, no chonk shaming.

I sent the Female Human over to the page to see if she can join. I think this would be a purrfect place for Oliver to hang out.

Cat Goes to Groomer for a Haircut, Leaves Looking Like the Feline Version of a Slinky

I often hear The Female Human meowing about her latest haircut but this is ridiculous. This cat (named Oliver) was taken to the groomers by his human grandfather and evidently the human thought this cut was a great idea. His human was not happy and posted about Oliver’s debacle on Twitter. Oh the humiliation, the shame. Poor Oliver! Good thing Oliver is a handsome fellow despite his ridiculous hairdo!

Vancouver Luxury Catios

Summer is coming and it’s catio time. A catio is a cat patio and the purrfect place for a feline to safely enjoy the great outdoors. The Vancouver SPCA ran a contest and lucky Canadian felines were the recipients of 6 catios.

There are all kinds of cations, some are fancier than some human’s outside space. The Tribe of Five has a pop up cation what we enjoy very much. We wrote about it in a two part blog post.

A chic Houston house where all the residents are cats

An amazing human named Patti Thomas turned her home over to felines needing their furever home. Her premise was that cats needed a comfortable environment to make them more house friendly and calm. This project was so successful she has donated another home as a cat shelter.

The home is decorated beautifully in ’50s-style teal and brown, complete with matching throw rugs. A leather couch faces a fireplace; a basket of cat magazines stands nearby. In the kitchen, a turquoise coffee machine shares counter space resident felines. The air is fresh and redolent of lavender thanks to constant cleaning by volunteers.

We give this idea our “Paws Up” award.

Whiskas Pet Food’s Interactive Voice Assistant Encourages Kids’ Curiosity

I have to admit, I’m still trying to understand why a cat food company created a purrsonal assistant but still, the thing sounds cool. Since cats are curious, Whiskas decided to create a purrsonal assistant that’s curious too. It’s called Mia and Mia asks questions rather than answers them.

Mia works using a motion sensor. When she senses that humans are nearby, the kitty assistant will start a conversation, asking questions about a whole variety of topics that kids will find interesting and offering multiple-choice answers. Mia is 3D-printed and comes in Whiskas’ signature colors of white and purple.

We told our staff to try and find out how much this little item costs but so far, no luck.

Tucker Opines on His Childhood And Other Important Things-Friendly Fill Ins #155

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Feline Opines

Hello There Furiends,
Tucker here. It’s been a while since The Tribe of Five has purrticipated in the Friendly Fill Ins. Things have been a bit stressful for our Purrsonal Assistant and she’s been overwhelmed. Still, we felines love to (and need to) opine so I urged her to let me do this week’s questions and here we are!

I have noted the questions for the week and encourage you all to opine, either as part of the blog hop hosted by 15andMeowing and Four-Legged Furballs or, just meow about your answers in the comment sections of this post.

I hope you all are having a wonderful spring, it’s almost time for The Female Human to break out the catio!
Sig_Tucker

This Week’s Questions:

1. 13 years ago, I __________________.

2. By this time next year, I hope to ________________________.

3. One word that describes me is _________.

4. If my life were a book or movie, it would be in the _________ genre.

My answers:

1. 13 years ago, I was still working as a tutor for the high school and my niece was still living with us ( she did until 2011). I knew nothing about cat blogs back then, I sure missed out on a lot.

2. By this time next year, I hope to still have all my loved ones ( 2-legged and 4-legged). I know this is not likely being that KaTwo has mammary cancer and Millie is shrinking away despite his big appetite and his thyroid meds.

3. One word that describes me is quirky I asked my mom what she thought and she said “weird”. I asked my hubby and he answered, compassionate. I like his answer.

4. If my life were a book or movie, it would be in the comedy genre.

And here are my answers:

1. 13 years ago, I was stuffed in a carrier in the back of the SUV with my sister Jasmine and Angel Miss P and Angel Buster. We were moving from California to Northern Idaho and I love it here (but I was NOT fond of the long drive!). Lots of wildlife to watch, lots of windows and a nice fireplace when it’s winter. This photo is Jasmine and I experiencing our first spring in Idaho (we stayed inside our first winter).

Hey Tucker, this grass is wet and smells funny. Forget about the grass Jasmine, what the &%##@ is that white stuff?

2. By this time next year, I hope to be sitting on the ledge of the upstairs deck and sunning myself but in light of my previous falls from the upstairs balcony into the ravine below and getting lost in my own neighborhood,I’ve come to the conclusion supervised front porch sitting is safer.

“Sitting on the front porch under human supervision is much safer than sitting on the railing of the upstairs deck.” – Tucker

3. One word that describes me is cute. Come on, admit it, not bad for a 16-year old feline.

4. If my life were a book or movie, it would be in the comedy genre.

“This is me doing my impression of a table decoration.” – Tucker

https://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=292250

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 4/3

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Feline Opines

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

It’s getting far too warm for this cozy felted bed.” -Alberto

Hello There Furiends,

Spring is finally happening in our neck of the woods. In fact, I’m a bit sad that it’s getting too warm for me to sit in my snuggly DharmaDog-Karma Kat felted wool bed. But the good news is that soon The Tribe and I will be enjoying the great outdoors safely in our catio.

Purrs & Head Bonks,

Siamese cat with blue eyes

Backpacker adopts a kitten on his world travels and customizes his bike to take the kitten with him.

Backpacker

This is a story that makes this feline smile. Dean Nicholson, began his journey in Dunbar, Scotland, last September and met his furry feline traveling companion in Bosnia. He named the kitten Nala and they’ve traveled to Albania and Greece together. She even has her own Pet Passport.

He recalls their first meeting, : ‘I was going up a steep hill with my music blaring out of my speaker when I heard a desperate meow from behind me.”

He got off his bike and picked up the kitten and that was it, love at first site. He wasn’t going to take her with him at first, but he quickly realized he couldn’t bear to part with her.

They’ve been traveling companions for the last four months. She travels on the front of his bike in a basket, and creates quite a stir everywhere she goes.

How does Nala feel about traveling? Well if you take a look at the photos in the news article you’ll see how much she loves her new life. The only time she shows her displeasure is when the bike rattles over cobblestones. She jumps on her human’s shoulder until the shaky part of the journey is over. To read more about this traveling team visit @1bike1world.

Cleveland Orchestra introduces ‘Cat Concerts’ on April Fools’ Day

OrchestraCats

MOL, you humans are a riot. This is by far the best April Fool’s trick. All those well heeled orchestra patrons were ready to bring a lint roller and listen to the feline concert. The announcement from the orchestra said that they would be offering concerts with cats from the Cleveland Animal Protection League. Their ad read, “Both classical music and interactions with animals bring people together, make a memorable impact on our lives, and have been proven to provide psychological benefits. Introducing this new initiative aligns with our mission to enrich lives by creating extraordinary musical experiences. These cat concerts will be just that: extraordinary.”

I say it sounds like a great idea, we felines can strum some mean tunes.

RCMP’s April Fools Announcement – A Police Cat Division

PoliceCat

B.C. Mounties have come up with the purrfect way to get their claws into crime. They’ve announced a Police Cat Services Division. The announcement read: “Front line officers throughout the province who have been volunteered for the pilot project will be assigned their police cats over the next few months. Each Police Cat handler will also be given a Cat carrying backpack, and each cat has been chosen based on a particular set of skills acquired over a very long training process,”

This April Fools announcement started a Twitter storm, someone stated that a police cat can work for almost 15 minutes a day before getting bored and they aren’t expected to be enthusiastic. Also, “A police cat entering the RCMP training program must be moody, aloof and pensive (no reason for it, they just are),” Frankly, I find the idea of a feline police force absolutely purrfect!

Pet Sematary director says cats who played Church were a ‘pack of divas’ on set

Evidently humans are bringing the Stephen King 1983 novel, Pet Sematary to the big screen. The character, Church, the undead feline who plays a major role in the film, was an import part to cast and a hunt was launched for the purrfect feline thespian.

The human directors decided that they would cast a Maine Coon with a multi-color coat. They didn’t realize that it would be difficult to find 8 cats exactly alike. Each feline actor had an acting specialty; one was a hisser, another could hold a steady stare, one was a jumper, etc. Each cat would have to become acclimated to the set when they arrived so all the actors would have to sit quietly and let the cat sniff everything for about ten minutes. Evidently being forced to sit and watch the cats didn’t sit well with the humans and they began calling the feline actors “a pack of divas”. Clearly, those humans have not come to the realization that this is a feline world and they are only allowed to live in it.

Click here to watch the movie trailer.

Cypriot Hotels Install Cat Hotels for Strays

Now THIS is how hotels should handle the feral cat population! Two resorts in Cyprus have built cat hotels for lucky feral felines. Volunteers of Animal Rescue Cyprus have been instrumental in this process and have been working on this solution for hotels for over ten years. The idea is that by providing on-site shelter and food stations, , cats have a safe place to eat and sleep, and will be less inclined to pester guests. One of the two resorts participating is the Columbia Beach Resort in Pissouri.

The resort has established the Columbia Cat Care Project, which traps, spays, neuters the cats and feeds and monitors them. The cats have become an attraction at the resort and often and many bond with certain felines and even sponsor their favorite cat for a cost of 25 Euros a year (that’s about $28.00 US).

Aphrodite Hills Hotel in Paphos is the second resort with a program to care for its cats. , They have installed feeding stations and are looking to build an entire cat hotel that is fenced and protected.

Paws up to these innovative humans!

Tucker Opines on Tail it Cat Tracker and Getting Lost

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends.
Tucker here. I would like to opine about cats getting lost. Now, many of you may be thinking, “My felines are indoor cats, they’d never get lost.” If this is you, I want to tell you a cautionary tale about this indoor cat and some close calls I’ve experienced.

Siamese on front porch — “Even indoor felines enjoy a little porch time.”
-Tucker

It’s Dangerous Out There

First, I must state that The Tribe is never allowed out without supervision. Still, sometimes, even the watchful eye of our humans is not watchful enough to keep us from getting away and becoming lost. There was that lovely summer day when The Female Human allowed me on the front porch with her. We enjoyed a nice afternoon and then, when it was time to go back inside, I decided I wanted a little alone time, wriggled out of her grasp and ran down the street like my tail was on fire. I led her on a merry chase through the neighborhood and then managed to hide myself away. Several hours later I decided it must be close to meal time and decided to head home. The only problem with that idea was that what I thought was home was actually the house next door. I howled and scratched on that front porch and no one would let me in. Thank goodness The Female Human heard my meowing and ran outside. She saw me on the porch next door but when she came toward me I freaked out and ran away from her again. You see, I am a very cross-eyed feline and my depth perception and vision is a little off. I get freaked out easily. The story does have a happy ending as I finally gave up running, hunkered down and let the Female Human pick me up and take me home.

Then there were the two plunges from the upstairs deck to the ravine below our house. We’re built into a hill in the woods and the distance from the upstairs deck to the bottom of the ravine is over 35 feet. We felines like to sit outside with The Female Human, soak up the sun and watch the birds. There is a nice wide railing around the deck and that’s my preferred place to sit, or used to be anyway.

My wacky vision and lack of perception caused me to use up two of my nine lives on that ledge. The cedar tree growing up from the bottom of the ravine is so tall its branches are way past the balcony. Birds like to sit on the tree branches and often fly by, sometimes just over my head. What’s a cat supposed to do when that happens? I jump up and reach my paw out to “extend the paw of friendship” to those birds. And, I tumble off the railing and down into the ravine. I don’t know who came closer to a heart attack, The Female Human or me! She ran downstairs and crawled sown the steep hill looking for me. Thankfully she found me both times, hunkered under the downstairs deck. I was so scared I didn’t run from her and so she saved me both times. If I would have run into the woods she never would have found me! And that ravine is full of lots of big, scary animals -no place for a sight impaired, pampered indoor kitty.

Now before you send accusatory comments to my Human, please note that none of The Tribe goes outside any more unless we are in our portable catio. My ledge lounging, neighborhood roaming days are over.

There is Good News!

I hope my experiences show you that spoiled indoor felines can get out and get lost and you humans need a plan for that. Everyone in The Tribe has a collar with our names and phone numbers embroidered on them but that doesn’t help our Humans find us. We’re all microchipped, but that doesn’t help our Human find us either. There is, thank goodness, a new product that does help humans find their missing felines. It’s called Cat Tracker

Tail It Cat Tracker

If I had been wearing a Tail It Cat Tracker device during any of the fur raising episodes I had, life would have been much easier (and less stressful) for me and The Female Human). And because the Tail it Cat Tracker will only update when you press “update location” in the app, the battery lasts a long time because it’s not used if humans aren’t asking for a location. And if all these wonderful aspects of the device aren’t enough, it also has a sound and light feature humans can activate to help them find us in the dark.

An app that tracks your cat and also has lights and sound!

And with the “live tracking” feature of the Tail it Cat Tracker, The Female Human would have been able to see my location immediately, live on the app.

Lost Cat Facts

There is a better way to find your lost feline.

There is a wonderful organization called the Missing Animal Response Network. You can find a helpful section on the site with lost cat behavior. Kat Albrecht, the Director, of the Missing Animal Response Network, collaborated with the University of Queensland and other experts to produce a Missing Cat Study in 2018 that those with felines in their homes will find interesting. Here are a few highlights:

Thirty percent of American households have a pet cat, and 15% of cat owners lose their pet at least once in a 5-year period
Many of these animals are not reunited with their owner, despite the owner desiring them back. A common outcome for a proportion of missing cats is to be taken into a shelter or municipal animal control facility. Many are ultimately euthanized if not reclaimed after a standard holding period that varies among shelters but is usually between 3 to 5 business days
Of stray animals entering shelters in USA and Australia, reported reclaim percentages for cats are typically 2–4% compared to reclaim percentages for dogs which usually range from 26–40%, but can be as high as 90%.
Cats are 13 times more likely to return to owners by means other than a visit to a shelter For example, reunification may occur directly via the general public if the cat has identification such as an ID tag, or as a result of signage (e.g., lost and found posters). Alternatively, local neighborhood searches and owner-initiated trapping may be successful

Get Me My Tail it Cat Tracker

Meowza! We felines don’t stand much of a chance of getting back home using traditional search methods according to this study. This makes me think all the more that our humans should make sure every one of their felines has a lightweight Tail It Cat Tracker device on their collar.

We indoor kitties aren’t too street savvy (as illustrated by my experiences) and even felines who are comfortable roaming around outside of their home can get lost. Why risk losing us forever when you can put a Tail It Cat Tracker on us and find us quickly on the Tail It app?

The Tribe of Five gives the Tail It cat tracker two paws up and the only question I have is, “Humans, what took you so long to develop something like this?”