Walk Through The Web Wednesday 8/19

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Feline Opines

siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Happy Wednesday Furiends!
The heat is back in our neck of the woods but The Human has set us up quite well while she is away at that place she calls “work”. I hope you all are staying cool and comfortable. We are carrying on as usual on the upstairs deck because it is always shady there. You can see how “active” we are.

When the Human received the beautiful Muse medallion, we felt it was only fitting that we wear it for a while, after all, any product of this blog is thanks to the felines! The problem is that thing is HEAVY!

And now, on with the best about felines from the World Wide Web!

Cargo the stowaway cat finds a home

Meowza am I excited! It’s rare that I get to do a follow up on a previous feature. In my July 8^th Walk Through The Wednesday feature I reported on a kitty that stowed away on a military cargo plane and landed in Bangor Maine.

Well, the cat has a home and a name! Cargo the cat was first fostered and then adopted by Nanci Hamlin and her boyfriend who both work at the Bangor airport and had been following the cat’s story ever since he was discovered hiding under a cargo pallet in the belly of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane.

Looking for Cargo’s family was difficult as the plane originated in California and made a stop in Colorado before landing in Bangor. Fortunately, the pilot of the Europe bound plane found the cat before they left for their next destination.

Finding a stow away cat was a first for the pilot and the staff at the airport. As I reported, Cargo was taken to the local Humane Society and they contacted shelters in California and officials at Air Force Bases as well as social media. No one came forward to claim Cargo.

When this kitty’s family could not be located the shelter put him up for adoption and that’s when he found his furever home.

Cargo now lives with four other cats and an Alaskan husky and fits in purrfectly. His humans say he took over the house right away and Cargo’s best buddy is the dog, Akiko.

Now, Cargo is allowed outside only with human supervision. His humans say that it seems he wants to know what is outside but she says,” He’s an indoor cat now.”

We are thrilled that Cargo has a home and Cargo my furiend, this feline advises you to stick to the inside and stay away from cargo planes!

Most Americans with cats say they couldn’t have survived lockdown without their feline furiends

“You may now commence the Zoom meeting Human” – Alberto

I often get my whiskers in a twist when I search the web for my feline features. There are too many people who have too much negative to say about us felines! This article made me very happy though. Evidently three-quarters of Americans say they couldn’t have lasted through lockdown without their cats.

A new poll questioned 2,000 people (57% of whom also have dogs – we won’t hold that against them) listed the benefits their feline furiends provided them during their isolation.

Fifty-seven percent said that their feelings of anxiety were eased and they felt less alone. Forty nine percent said they felt less anxious with their in-house purr therapist by their side.

In addition 41% said their felines gave them someone to talk to and 35% said their kitties brought a feeling of positivity to their days.

The poll was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Royal Canin following International Cat Day Aug. 8.

While spending more time together two-thirds (66%) of cat owners surveyed learned or noticed something new about their pet, and three out of four respondents became closer to their kitty as a result of the quarantine.

Being cooped-up indoors gave respondents time to uncover a new spot their cat enjoys hiding in (64%), notice a new behavior (57%) and discover a new food their pet likes (55%).

Despite all the good things humans found that their cats brought to them in the lockdown, 73% of those surveyed said their cat seems to be ready for some space. (Well DUH, who wants their human hogging their favorite spot on the sofa all day or constantly interrupting nap time??)

Felines with disabilities to take spotlight at Alternative Cat Awards

This makes my kitty heart melt. Imperfect felines will be in the spotlight at Cats Protection’s #AlternativeCatAwards, a virtual celebration of cats with impurrfections.

This event was created after siblings Kathe and Keller came to the Cats Protection’s Forth Valley Adoption Centre, in Ochilvale Terrace, Fishcross,. These kitties needed someone to see past their disabilities and fall in love with them..

Both kitties have mild cerebellar hypoplasia, a condition in which the brain does not develop properly, affecting balance and co-ordination and making them wobble when they walk. Keller is also deaf, but this does not hold him back, and he loves to play with his sister.

Thankfully, these challenges didn’t stop Elaine Baxter from adopting them. Elaine was looking to fill the gap left by the death of her beloved 16-year-old cat Vinnie. Elaine was already used to dealing with cats with special needs, as Vinnie had diabetes for eight years.

Roslyn McKay, the shelter director said “We are delighted Kathe and Keller have settled in so well to their new home. They are real characters and firm favorites with the staff. “Disabled cats really shouldn’t put off experienced owners. They may require a little extra care or consideration but they have plenty of love to give.’

And now, disabled cats have their own category for this year’s virtual Alternative Cat Awards. All humans of disabled cats are invited to share videos of their #PurrfectlyImperfect cats, enjoying happy, healthy lives with a disability, health issue or superficial aesthetic deformity. Videos need to be shared on Twitter and Instagram using #AlternativeCatAwards before August 21.

Bravo to all you humans who give love and homes to these special cats!

‘He’s an artist’: Philly cat captivates social media with piano prowess

Winslow’s new single, “Bean Gotta Scream”

Okay, this story and the next one are targeted toward our very own Oliver. I’m not saying he’s fat but the Tribe has wellness exams next week and Oliver has “blossomed” quite a bit since his last visit!

This story is about a Philadelphia kitty who plays the piano for his food. Why is this you may ask?

Well it seems that Winslow, a former stray, needed to shed a few pounds but the famished feline would scream between his morning and evening feedings. And then one day, one of Winslow’s humans decided to use his fascination with a toy piano they had to attempt to help Winslow deal with his diet (and help the humans with his screaming)..

The human started splitting his snacks into smaller portions and began to teach him how to play for his snacks. Once she decided to video one of Winslows “concerts” he became a sensation. Now Winslow has been on the radio and even has a single on Spotify.

Winslow also has his own music video and song called “Bean Gotta Scream”.

And the best news is that Winslow has lost weight too! Oliver, I think you need to get a piano!

Automatic cat weighing machine knows which cat it is feeding

The Human is always meowing about the difficulties of a multi-cat household when it comes to putting cats on special diets. Neither Lily nor I have an eating problem but there is another feline (who shall remain nameless) who never met a food he didn’t like.

Well this new gadget in the making just might solve these problems. Psy0rz has joined with Meowton to create a weighing machine/feeder combo designed to regulate feline diets.

The system has a scale to weight the cat, a food area with dispenser and a scale for the food bowl. The cat has to stand on the scale to have the food dispensed. The feeder identifies each cat by weight and controls the quantity of food dispensed.

There is a live stream where you can see the device in action.

Oliver, your free feeding days may be coming to an end!

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 8/12

Posted on August 12, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
I hope this week finds you well. So many of my feline buddies have suffered through hurricanes, tornadoes, wind storms and lightning storms. Meowza, it’s dangerous out there and purraying you all are safe.

The most important news of the week for our neck of the woods is that we won a Muse Medallion award from CWA! We are excited!

In other more boring news, the temperatures are back to what they should be here in the Northwest and it’s cool enough in the mornings for Oliver and I to cuddle in bed.

Well, enough about us, let’s see what wonders the world-wide web holds for felines this week.

Mewsical cats from around the world

Cat videos with classical mewsic. What more could you ask for? Here are a few of the internet’s favourite felines with aspirations to be the next Dame Joan, Martha Argerich, or Berliner Philharmoniker.

Writer of Cats entertains his cat with Prokofiev

How cool would it be to be a cat living in the home of the writer of Cats? I’d say purrfectly wonderful.Andrew Lloyd Webber serenaded his cat with a brief performance of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf on the weekend .Sitting in front of his gleaming grand piano, the Cats composer gave his own feline, Fez, a special musical treat.

It looks like Fez is enjoying the private concert!

Shoe stealing cat burglar

Meowza! It seems like every week I’m reporting on another feline who has sticky paws. Last week it was a swim goggle stealing burglar, this week’s offender has a penchant for shoes,

Jordan the cat from Pennsylvania has a human who is attempting to atone for Jordan’s sins. She has created a Facebook page to try and reunite the purrloined shoes with their owners. Now that a camera has been installed to catch Jordan’s thievery on film, he’s garnered quite a few fans.

The camera has captured the klepto cat jumping a fence with a shoe in his mouth-he is determined! Good grief, what will felines be stealing next – priceless art work?

McDonald’s is selling the cutest cat grips to keep your fingers clean and bother your felines

If you want to eat French fries and keep your paws clean you’ll love these cat paw grips. The good news is you can use them to play with your cat after the fries are gone. The bad news is that, as of now, you can only get them from McDonald’s in China. IMHO I don’t think it’s too much to ask for our humans to hop on over to China to get us a great cat toy. Sadly, I discovered that this special ended in July so stop your humans before they book a flight.

Kamwei Fong’s new illustrations are purrfectly delightful.

Kamwei Fong loves to draw cats and his latest illustrations of black cats, called “Wonderfurryland” depict a plethora of felines with rotund bodies, puffy tails and whimsical poses. Fong even inked cat-shaped environmental fixtures, like a moon, sun, and mountain, into the black-and-white landscape.

The Malaysian artist said that it took him more than a month to complete this work. We say “paws up” for these wonderful pieces of art. You can see more on his Instagram page. Gee, I wonder if he’d be interested in a rotund model for his next series, Oliver is available.

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 8/5

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
Well, The Tribe has been languishing in the heat that we are experiencing in our neck of the woods. We have no desire to do anything except hang out on the upstairs deck, sleep and eat (and Oliver and I occasionally like to bully Lily, which we get in trouble for). This will explain why our photos from this week are almost identical to our photos from last week, it’s all about the cool deck time.

At least this week’s news items aren’t the same as last week. I hope you enjoy them!

Feline Fashionista takes Instagram by storm

I know, many of us feel a certain type of way about dressing cats. My regular readers will recall the disastrous dinosaur and sushi costume event that were my two (and only) kerfuffles with clothing.

Still, there many felines who love wearing clothes and Prunella is one of them. Often sphynx cats wear clothes to keep warm and, if you’re gonna’ wear clothes, why not make it fun?

That’s how Prunella’s human, Dee Kitsch, started clothing her. When Prunella arrived from the breeder, she was wearing a cute little sweater to keep her warm and the rest is history.

Five year old Prunella’s human is a photographer and it was a natural transition for putting Prunella on Instagram and have her pose in custom outfits.

The photos give people something to smile about and Dee Kitsch and Prunella love their photoshoot time together.

I know many cats who love to dress up and, if you have a feline who enjoys wearing clothing, let her fashionista flag fly. As for those of us who would rather go to the vet than wear clothing, please allow us to live happily au naturel.

After years of reporting in a war zone, journalist wonders if the cats she cared for in Kabul would remember her

Please take the time to read this story. It will bring (happy) tears to your eyes and reaffirm the truth that we felines love our humans and remember them.

Detained ‘drug smuggler’ cat escapes Sri Lanka prison

Unfortunately the felonious feline escaped before an official mug shot could be taken so we had to use a stock photo. Any resemblance to other felines is completely coincidental.

Oh my whiskers! A cat detained at Sri Lanka’s main prison while allegedly trying to smuggle drugs and cell phone SIM cards has escaped, media reports said Monday.

How the feline managed to make it into the high-security Welikada Prison is a mystery.

This felonious feline had nearly two grams of heroin, two SIM cards and a memory chip in a small plastic bag tied around his neck.

That cat escaped from a prison room where he was being held.

I can only hope that this feline has seen the error of his ways and plans to stay on the straight and narrow from now on.

Woman becomes pregnant and realizes it’s her cat’s fault

Playtonic1 is a Reddit user who happily announced the birth of his first child. The couple wanted a second child but decided that during the pandemic hysteria, it would be better to wait. They purchased the usual products to prevent unwanted pregnancy however they forgot about their cat’s habit of tearing up items found in drawers and cupboards.

When Mrs. Playtonic1’s pregnancy test came back positive they were shocked and couldn’t figure out what happened, until they found the shredded cause of the new pregnancy.

Being a feline who purrfers to be circumspect I won’t report on any more details but I am happy to tell you that the couple is delighted, despite the craziness in the world (and their latex chewing feline).

To find stray cat a home, her foster dad is giving grants to artists for her portrait

File this one under “human goes above and beyond to find a furever home for a cat.”

When Kyle Cassidy learned that a stray cat was frequenting his friend’s porch in West Philly, the longtime feline foster dad offered to take the girl in, certain he could find a home for her in three days or less. He posted her pictures on social media and asked his thousands of followers to help name her. The name Stabatha won.

When his “name that cat” contest didn’t get Stabatha a home, Cassidy, a West Philly writer and photographer started posting creative informative segments about Stabitha on Facebook such as, “ “She has an IQ of 122, speaks some French, and has put three stockbrokers in prison for insider trading.”

When this didn’t get Stabitha a furever home, artist Deanna Leist Aliano painted a portrait of Stabatha as an incentive for prospective adopters.

Inspired by that work, Cassidy created an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to raise money to pay out-of-work artists microgrants of $50 to paint Stabatha’s portrait, in the hope that the artworks might move someone to adopt her. “It was all part of a not really elaborate plot to keep her on people’s minds and have a street team trying to find her a home,” he said.

Since he began the campaign Monday, Cassidy has raised more than $600 ($100 more than his goal) and has given out seven grants. Artists from London to Italy have submitted portraits of Stabatha, portraying her as everything from a doctor fighting COVID-19 to an isolated kitty living in a surveillance state.

Still, affectionate, snuggly Stabatha, one of more than 4000,000 stray cats in Philadelphia, is looking for a home.

“She’s extraordinarily chatty. When I come down to visit her in the morning, she tells me the story of the entire night, of all the birds and opossums that walked past the window,” he said. “But when you sit down, she’ll curl up on your foot.”

Cassidy said he’s had people from as far away as Georgia and Virginia offer to drive up and adopt Stabatha, but he wants her to remain a Philly cat. “I think stray cat problems are local and perennial,” he said. “If you drive up from Georgia to get this stray cat, you’re driving past thousands of other stray cats.”

Those interested in applying to adopt Stabatha can contact City Kitties, the Philadelphia foster-based rescue service that’s handling her adoption. She’s received three local adoption applications so far, but Cassidy is hoping for many more, so City Kitties can find her the best home.

“This is a win-win-win situation. It’s a perpetual motion machine of joy. Everybody gets something out of it,” he said. “Artists get groceries. The cat gets a home. And I get my front porch back.”

I give Kyle Cassidy our Paws Up Award for one of the most creative adoption ideas ever!

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 7/29

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
Well, the heat finally hit our neck of the woods. None of us are thrilled about it.

“Oh for heavens sake Human, it’s hot and we want to go outside!” – Oliver

Thankfully, The Female Human invited us out to the upstairs deck. It was wonderful but we did tell her the deck could do with a good sweeping!

Well, it was a nice time outside and if it stays this hot I think there will be more times out there..

Now, let’s get on with this week’s feline web finds!

Cat hitches a ride to the U.S.

You humans need to keep track of your felines! I can’t believe how many stories I’ve featured this year about hitchhiking cats! There was even one who stowed away on a plane.

This feline from Redvers, Saskatoon in Canada took an unexpected trip to the United States. Thankfully he made it back home thanks to the help of truck driver Jack Shao.

Chylisse Marchand said she let Spooky the cat outside along with her two other cats Wednesday night. “I just kind of assumed that in the morning … they would all three come running the way they normally do,” she said. “And my other two cats did but Spooky did not.”

Chylisse began to grow more nervous as the day went on. She went through her community searching for her kitty but no one had seen a black cat.

Imagine how surprised she was when her veterinarian called her at 11:30pm and said, “I have a Jack Shao, a trucker on the other line, he’s in the U.S. right now, but he has your cat.”

The trucker was going to be back in Redvers the next day and was willing to bring the cat back but he was nerovous about bringing a cat across the border (Spooky wasn’t carrying his passport with him).

Marchand phoned the border and made arrangements for Spooky to cross and arranged to meet the truck driver to pick up Spooky.

It was a happy reunion and a good reminder to you humans that July is National Lost Pet Prevention Month. If Spooky wouldn’t have been microchipped, he might never had made it home.

Woman makes traditional Chinese clothing for cats

Qiu Qiao has been making clothes for her cat, Liu Liu. Since she decided to quit her job and turn her cat clothes into a business, she’s been cashing in. She designs, selects fabrics and matching accessories for her feline clothing line. Her Taobao shop in China sold out of all it’s items on opening day.

Now, a year after the store opened she has 16,000 fans for her clothing line and her top model, Liu Liu.

I happen to know a number of felines who enjoy wearing clothing and think they would look pawsome in some of these outfits.

Financial analyst quits job to become a full time cat artist

No, this lady isn’t painting cats on canvas….the cats are the canvas!

After being stressed out by her corporate job, Patricia Lee decided she’d switch careers and use her artsy side to become a cat groomer.

Patricia has creatively groomed over thirty different cats, and does traditional cat grooming as well. Her star feline runway model, Princess Shadowina, with whom Patricia has won several awards, passed away at the age of 20 earlier this year. She is now training two of her current pet cats, two-and-a-half-year-old Special Agent Gibbs and five-and-a-half-year-old IV Baby to be her next catwalk models to showcase her crazy designs.

Patricia said: ‘Dogs can guide themselves down the runway to be judged in grooming competitions, but I have to steer the cats myself. ‘They take longer to groom than dogs because they don’t stand still. (Well if I had some wacky human heading toward me with clippers and dye, I wouldn’t stand still either!)

It’s not surprising that Patricia has faced some negative comments from people who accuse her of mistreating her feline friends, but she says she is certain that the cats love being groomed as much as she loves grooming them. She said: ‘It’s not cruel as you’re not doing the designs on every single animal. ‘It’s all about doing it on the right animals.‘If it’s a cat that doesn’t like being handled then it’s not the right candidate. ‘My other cat Squishy doesn’t get creatively groomed because she doesn’t like being petted. ‘It depends on the character of the cats.’

Hmm, what do you think furiends? I took a look at the photos and those kitties didn’t look too happy.

WeCare Smart Health monitor for cats

It this monitor can do all it says it can do we are on board! Having lost our beloved Tucker and Jasmine in the last 4 months, we know how fast feline health can change.. These folks are running a Kickstarter program to fund their WeCare health monitor that they say works by monitoring litterbox habits by marking subtle changes in weight and other litterbox issues.

Our first thought was, “how does this work in multi cat households” but it appears they’ve already thought about that. Evidently the device recognizes different cats and each cat’s health history can be tracked separately. Now all we need to find out is if our humans can afford multiple devices for all the litter boxes in the house. What do you think about this?

Shelter uses old debate to fund new facility

A creative animal shelter is using the age old debate, “Are cats or dogs better?” to raise money for a new facility. Tri-County Humane Society in Minnesota is asking animal lovers to put their votes (and their money) where their hearts are. Money donated will benefit all the animals that TCJHS cares for and help them move into their new facility. They need lots of votes as the new facility is still about $2 million short of opening.

Those who give at least $50 through the Cats Vs. Dogs campaign will be able to have their pet’s photo featured in a mosaic that will be hung in the new shelter. I would certainly hope that my readers would be voting for the felines!

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 7/22

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
It’s been rather boring in our neck of the woods. The Female Human’s ankle is healing nicely and our pampering schedule is back to normal.

It has been a bit warm. We’re not used to any temperature in the high 80’s so when it gets hot, we just hang out and do as little as possible. In case any of our furiends do not have the skill of “hanging out and doing as little as possible” Oliver has included visual instructions.

We trust these instructive photos will be helpful.

Well, enough about us and on to the latest feline news.

Cat furniture designed for felines AND their humans

I’ve heard of cat furniture and human furniture but this is the first time I’ve heard of cat AND human furniture. The CatYou in a circle is a new modular design for both.

The marketing material says that the set includes “a floor sofa and a coffee table that aims to create a relaxing space for cats and their owners”. The designer of this furniture distributed questionnaires and, after 233 responses, began the design. It was discovered that 1/3 of cat owners live in spaces that are under 50 square meters. That’s just a tad over 538 square feet. Methinks this survey was not done in the U.S.

What the designer learned from the surveys was that cats don’t have enough hiding space, traditional cat furniture takes up too much living space and people want more room to bond with their cats.

CatYou in a Circle didn’t want to separate the pets from their owners so it is designed to bring them together while also maintaining boundaries. The hollow armrests and backrest offer cats a playground and hiding territory while the coffee table provides a place to sleep. The woven bamboo texture makes it possible for owners to see their cats even when they are hiding and play with through its holes. There are fabric cushions at the bottom of the armrests and coffee table.

Our Human is still trying to figure out what she thinks about this furniture. Meow at us and let us know what you think.

New Chartwell Cat takes up residence in Churchill’s home

Image copyright PA – Churchill requested that there should always be a cat with four white paws and a white bib at Chartwell

Now you human leaders take note. Sir Winston Churchill requested that a specific type of feline always take up residence at his home. A new rescue kitten is now living at Chartwell, in Kent, England.

The former prime minister was given a marmalade cat by one of his private secretaries, Sir John “Jock” Colville, for his 88th birthday in 1962 and Jock made it to many cabinet meeting. There is a rumor that meals could not begin unless Jock was at the table. (I sure wish we had that rule at my house!)

The good folks at the National Trust, which was left the property by Churchill’s family in 1966, has always honored the request. This month, seven-month old Jock VI moved in.

Trust officials say he takes afternoon naps, eats tuna and lounges on Persian rugs at the house. Jock had a tough start to his life but he’s living the vida loca now!

The folks at the Natural Trust say, “He’s a very caring, loving cat and I think our visitors will get lots of enjoyment from seeing him around the property for many years to come.”

Cat’s ‘cancer’ was instead hairbands and string from toys

This is a good news/bad news story and our Female Human insisted I include it because I have a bad habit of chewing plastic and rubber. Vets originally thought five-year-old Waffles had cancer, however an operation revealed the large mass in his tummy was actually hair elastics, string from cat toys, and yarn from his scratching post. Now, it’s good news that Waffles didn’t have cancer but the bad news is that all surgery could have been avoided had he not eaten that stuff! Note to self, stay away from the rubber bands!

Couple turns their home into a cat memorabilia museum

This one is for all you humans with too many cat trinkets…and you know who you are.

A couple in Menomonee Falls have rescued 21 cats from the streets or shelters — and thousands of cat items from secondhand shops. At last count they had more than 1,750 cat figurines, hundreds of collector plates, enough artwork to fill full walls of their home, as well as toys, cookie jars, jewelry, and more.

The clever husband came up with the idea to put all these treasures on display for others to see and to raise money for cat rescues. and this is how Redner’s Rescued Cat Figurine Mewseum was born.

“It (the museum) is very time-consuming because I want it to look good,” he said. “It takes time to get the right pieces in the right place.”

Redner estimated that they have spent “a couple thousand dollars, a few bucks at a time” on the collection and now you can see it too!

A soft opening for the museum was scheduled for noon to 6 p.m. July 19.

Moving forward, Redner plans to have the museum, N88 W15114 Cleveland Ave., Menomonee Falls, open from noon to 6 p.m. the third Sunday of every month. For updates, visit the museum’s Facebook page.

Admission is $5, which will be donated to local rescues; kids age 12 and younger get in for free. As operations get underway, Redner hopes to host a different rescue group every time the museum is open to talk about what it does and provide cat adoption information.

In the future, Redner dreams of moving the museum into a separate building and adding a cat adoption center.

Purrhaps it’s time for our Female Human to consider putting some of her cat collection on display!

Beware of the Meow Bot!

We felines have taken over the internet and although most of the cat stuff you see online is good, the Meow Bot is NOT!

It seems as though the Meow Bot was created to destroy databases that leave themselves open and exposed online without any security access controls.

Sadly, dozens of databases have already fallen victim to the unknown attacker.

Who is behind the Meow attacks?

Although the motive behind the Meow bot attacks is not yet known, nor has anyone figured out where the attacks come from, some computer experts say it could be the work of a vigilante “trying to give administrators a hard lesson in security.”

This is a heads up to all you feline aficionados who run databases, make sure they are secure! And for all of us with PC’s the Meow Bot is not designed for us but it’s always prudent to be very careful about what you open or click on! And by the way, I hiss in the direction of those malicious bot creators!

The Tribe Opines about how to celebrate Anti-Boredom month

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Feline Opines

The Tribe at FelineOpines wants to help you fight off boredom so they’ve put together some suggestions to keep you free of ennui.

Discover Your Inner Chef – Explore The Kitchen: Learn to Cook or Sharpen Your Cooking Skills

Discover Your Hidden Talents -Decorating, Writing, Media, etc.

If I move that flower a little more to the right I will have achieved Feng Shui

Now if I just paw this a bit to the left….

This blogging thing is a breeze, don’t know why our Purrsonal Assistant is always complaining!

Take a stroll, sniff the air, find a sun puddle

Tired of the toys you have? Get some new ones or create your own.

And don’t forget to dream!

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 7/1

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
It’s hard to believe it’s July, especially in our neck of the woods. We’ve had a few warm days (and by a few I mean 3 or 4). Oliver got another ride through the neighborhood in the cat stroller. I, on the other hand freaked out so bad I managed to wiggle through a tiny opening in the front screen so my neighborhood visit was short lived. On those few sunny days we managed to find sun puddles (Oliver is the master)

It’s been tough without our buddies Tucker and Jasmine and The Female Human still gets leaky eyes. Lily, Oliver and I are sleeping with her and we like to wake her up about 3 a.m. just to make sure she’s okay. I don’t understand why this makes her cranky. But we’re all a bit discombobulated these days as we adjust to being a Tribe of Three instead of Five.

Oliver and I like to cuddle but we also each purrfurr some alone time as well. I like to retreat to my catnip infused bag for a few moments of seclusion.

As I write this it is thundering and lightning, again! We felines are more than ready for summer and hope you are enjoying sunshine and warmer temps wherever you are.

Cat lovers invited to take part in feline-inspired baking competition

My regular readers know how much I love innovative ideas when it comes to raising money for shelters. This one really fits the bill. Well, once again those moggie loving folks in the UK have created a great idea to benefit felines. The Great British Bake Off celebrity Kim-Joy is judging Cat Protection’s contest – Pawson Afternoon Tea at Your place – which will consist of weekly cat-themed baking challenges being set for those taking part.

Entrants will then share a photo of their baked goods, ready for the professional to judge, before a weekly winner is announced, with the overall champion named at the end of July.

Each entry requires a small donation and the money will go to help the felines in the charity’s care.

Entries will be judged on appearance, creativity and effort. For those interested in entering you can get more details here.

Show Your Love of Cats in DUNGEONS & DRAGONS with the PURRFECT PAIRING Bundle of Supplements

I had to do some research on this as we felines are not big game players (except for that fish game on the iPad). The Female Human was no help either so my knowledge of this “Dungeons & Dragons game is limited however, any game that adds a “Circle of Catnip” subclass supplement for Druids is okay with me.

So what I learned is that these Druids like nature but the druids joining the Circle of Catnip love certain areas of nature such as sunshine, the ability to transform and commune with great feline creatures and the cultivation of (what else) catnip. They bask in the sun, roam around with their claws drawn and can turn themselves into other animals. This sounds like an ideal world to me. Where do I sign up to be a Circle of Catnip druid?

Feline has a fleet of Instagram fans thanks to his eyebrows

Cornelius Cornbread from Nashville is a Bombay cat with a distinct look that has garnered him many fans on Instagram. He has white marks on his forehead that look like purrfectly shaped eyebrows ever since he was a kitten. What seem to be brows are really a lack of fur between his eyes and ears. Cornelius’ human, Karen, started posting photos of this dapper gentleman on Instagram in 2018 and now he has more than six thousand followers. Note to our Instagram fans, purrhaps it’s time to up your game?

Male cat owners sound off: We are sexy and dateable, too!

For several weeks now the news media has been meowing about how “undateable” male humans with cats are. Now I take exception to this and frankly, I could care less what a bunch of people from Colorado State University have to say. Humph! Sounds like a bunch of cat haters there.

Well, cat loving men are fighting back and there are some pawsome cat daddy’s out there. Mishka Shubaly, a 43-year-old single writer (and the man featured in the photo) says, “We perceive that it’s OK for a man to have a dog because dogs are sort of sporty, adventurous, gregarious, outdoorsy — even macho. There are no cat dads in Norman Rockwell paintings, you know?” This former self-described “dog guy” now shares his home with “helpless and adorable” Elsie, who has cerebellar hypoplasia, also known as “wobbly cat syndrome.” He says his cat passion has not affected his dating. Ladies, really?? Take a look at this guy!

40-year-old Alex Katz, has a 13-year-old American shorthair tabby named Mischa and says, “she always comes first.” Alex, you are my kind of guy.

And if you’re still not convinced that cat daddy’s are the bomb, check out Audrey Kuhner’s , and Carolyn Newman’s book, “Hot Guys and Kittens,” which features sizzling photographs of hunks with newborn cats.

Our Female Human always says, “Real men love cats” and we agree!

Who needs fur! Proud owners of Sphynx cats share snaps of their pets showing off their hairless bodies

The Sphynx cat is an interesting breed and distinctive, they have no fur. Now I don’t think they’d do too well in our neck of the woods because it gets cold here! There are a lot of these felines all around the world and Bored Panda has been collecting their photos. They have collected funny photos, adorable photos and other categories that celebrate Sphynx cats.

Not only is their “bareness” distinctive, they also have pointy ears and prominent cheekbones. Although I’ve never met a Sphynx, I am told they are friendly and loyal and have often been compared to dogs. Really?? Cats can’t be friendly and loyal? Sometimes I wonder about the humans writing some of these news stories! Clearly many are not cat owners.

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 6/24

Posted on June 24, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
Thanks to the excellent work of our legal representative Oliver , my weekly feature is back on track.

It’s been a good week in our neck of the woods. I learned something new, ducks beg! Check out our little video. That was one bold mallard!

I can’t believe The Female Human was so enamoured of this bird!

the Female Human went to some event where she had to dress in clothes like humans wore in the 1920’s. She spent a lot of time working on her hat and I really don’t understand why she got so annoyed with me when I offered her some advice.

Calm down, I’m only trimming that blue stuff a little.

The whole endeavor stressed me out so I had to retire to the shower and ask the human to turn on the water. Sheesh, a cat’s life is complicated!

Ah well, it’s time to get to our web worthy feline news stories.

Ca t in Thailand is Watermelon Snoopervisor

Don’t let this guy’s grumpy face fool you. This cat named Pearl is serious about his job. He’s been guarding a watermelon farm for almost 6 years and is much loved by his humans. His human says he is the sweetest feline in the village.

Pon The Scottish Fold Will Rest His Chin on Anything

Pon the cat has an interesting habit, he loves to rest his head on anything you put under his chin . His YouTube Channel, Pon’s Diary documents the daily life of this Scottish Fold from Japan. Why does he do this? It may have something to do with the scent glands under his chin. Cats use these glands to mark their territory and Pon may just be a bit obsessive of making sure he marks everything that he comes in contact with.

How Bastet, Warrior Goddess of Fertility, Evolved into a Cat

The Tribe likes to remind our Human periodically that we felines were once worshipped as gods. This little film is for all you feline history buffs.

File This Under “Where There’s A Will There’s a Way”

Oh MOL! I don’t k now what’s funnier, this cat’s predicament or the sub titles. You MUST watch this video, it will be the best laugh of the day.

Ghost or No Ghost?

A woman believes her security camera captured her dead cat’s ghost curled up on the sofa. A note before you watch the video, the cat at the start of the video is a real living cat. After that cat leaves the room the “ghost cat” fades into view in the middle of the sofa. Is it her dearly departed cat or is it a pillow? What do you think?

Oliver Opines About Legal Stuff

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello Furiends,
Oliver here. Many of you may have noticed that Alberto’s “Walk Through The Web Wednesday” feature was not posted last week. There was no post, no explanation, and no mea culpa from our Purrsonal Assistant.

In light of these distressing circumstances, my legal services were called upon. Alberto (who is also my firms Purralegal ) brought his case to my office.

Alberto, Purralegal at Oliver & Associates, Feline Law

It appears that a gross violation of the contract between Feline Opines and it’s lackey…er…Purrsonal Assistant has occurred.

The Purrsonal Assistant has been tasked with ensuring our words and thoughts are presented on a regular basis on this blog as well as providing some other ancillary duties as dictated…err..requested by the feline members of this blog.

We live in Idaho which is a “work at will” state, the legal definition of “work at will” is ,””there is no set length for an employment relationship and either the employer or the employee may end it at any time, with or without notice; with or without cause.” At first blush the egregious lack of follow through by our Purrsonal Assistant would require immediate dismissal. However, being the cautious and thorough attorney I am, I did suggest to my clients (Alberto and Lily) that they carefully consider the repercussions of such an action.

Lily, being more reflective and cautious than Alberto, went for a stroll in the garden outside my office to ponder the advice I’d given. She came back with some thoughtful and important questions that Alberto had failed to ask.

She first asked about the definition of “ancillary”. I responded, “It is providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, institution, industry, or system.”

When she asked what some of those services might be I noted, feeding, brushing, treats, petting, etc..

The next thing she said was, “What in the world was Alberto thinking?!” She marched back into the office and chastised Alberto for shoddy purralegal work, reminding him that if they proceeded in this legal action and fired the Purrsonal Assistant, they would be missing a lot more than blog posts.

The conversation turned into a hissing match and I decided to retire to my office until some conclusion (and semblance of peace) had been reached. Volatile meetings are a recurring problem when you handle feline legal matters.

When Alberto and Lily calmed down, I suggested we convene again.

The culmination of our meeting was that Alberto would take the threat of firing the Purrsonal Assistant off the table as long as she signed a pledge to be more conscientious in her blog duties and immediately place an order with Chewy for a case of their favorite treats.

All in all, I must say that I’m quite proud of my legal guidance and would like to announce that my office is open for any and all feline clients who wish to seek my advice.

P.S. As a result of the recent legal settlement, Alberto’s regular “Walk Through The Web Wednesday” feature will appear this week.

Walk Through the Web Wednesday 6/10

Posted on June 10, 2020 by Feline Opines

Hello There Furiends,
Things have been a bit complicated in our next of the woods this past week. The Female Human is preparing a post to fill you all in. In the meantime, here’s a photo of my brother Oliver feeling reflective and staring out the bedroom window.

“Furiends, don’t forget to hug your kitties today.”
Oliver

Couple Creates Makeshift Art Gallery For Injured Cat, Netizens Say ‘purrr-fect’

Three year old cat Richard Parker had a foot injury and this kept him without much to do as he recuperated. It’s a good thing that Richard Parker has creative humans who decided to create a mini art museum for him to alleviate his boredom. The female in the human duo designed 11 paintings for Richard Parkers purrsonal gallery, all art was cat-related and inspired by famous paintings. The art installation was done across from the staircase, six feet from the floor. This project has created quite a sensation on Twitter with many contributing their very own cat art.

Cat owners in stitches as felines fight seagulls through windows during lockdown

For those of our furiends who live in places with seagulls, you know how annoying they can be! We live in the Inland Northwest and have a huge lake and we also have seagulls! The Female Human once had one dive bomb her head and grab what she was eating out of her hand! Well this lockdown stuff must be driving the seagulls crazy because they haven’t had as many humans to annoy so now they’re picking on cats. It’s a good thing there is a window between these felines and those pushy birds!

There’s Another New Grumpy Cat on Instagram and She Might Be the Frowniest Feline Yet

The Tribe isn’t star struck very often but there are some famous felines we do love. Grumpy Cat was one of those and the loss of this icon was terrible. Imagine our delight when we found out that this feline, Kitzia, has become an Instagram sensation. She is a cat with many facial expressions but her grumpiest ones are our favorites.

Exploding the myth of the aloof feline. Cats bond with caregivers just as much as babies and dogs.

The old stereotype of felines being aloof should have been blown up years ago but I guess this information is better late than never. A new study by researchers at Oregon State University’s Human-Animal Interaction Lab, which appears in Current Biology, finally provides scientific proof of how much we love our humans. The conclusion in short says that “cats bond with their caregivers to a similar degree as infants and dogs.”

“Cats that are insecure can be likely to run and hide or seem to act aloof. There’s long been a biased way of thinking that all cats behave this way. But the majority of cats use their owner as a source of security. Your cat is depending on you to feel secure when they are stressed out.” Kristyn Vitale.

If you want to read the “sciency” stuff be sure and go to the article. I think all you humans who know and love cats have known this for a long time and you don’t need science to tell you how much we love our humans.

Humans, it’s time to use your 3D printer for the benefit of your cat

Humans, stop being so selfish with your 3D printers and creating stuff just for you. There are tons of fantastic cat toys you can print for your feline buddies and even some very cool kitty armor (might be helpful when we’re back outside and dealing with those pesky seagulls).I like the laser robot buy my brother Oliver has his whiskers in a twist about the items designed to help cats not eat so much. Print away humans but don’t forget to print something for your feline.