Hello Furiends, I wanted to take my turn to chat this week about a group of incredible humans from a Facebook group called This Cat is CHONKY. They are the kindest, most wonderful group of humans you will ever meet. One note though, you have to apply to join the group as it is private.
If any of my feline furiends have something they’d like to meow about on Cat Chat just send us a couple of photos and let us know what you want to say. And don’t worry, if writing’s not your thing, I will have our Purrsonal Assistant do the writing for you and email it over before we record the chat. You can reach us at FelineOpines@gmail.com.
Happy Wednesday Furiends! I hope you have all had a good week. Our week was okay although I heard The Human speaking to someone at the stabby place on the phone. This did not bode well.
“Human, this is what I think of visiting the stabby place for a wellness exam!”
Oliver was also less than enthused about these developments.
“I refuse to have a conversation about the stabby place. Talk to the paw Human!”
Lily took the more direct approach.
“Do I need to remind you why my nickname is ‘Princess Stabby Toes’?”
Unfortunately, the visit to the stabby place will happen next month, sigh.
Let’s hope my news items this week will be more enjoyable than our conversation with our Human.
When I was a little whippersnapper, I had a mini iPad with a fishy game and I quite enjoyed it but it lost it’s attraction for me. Now the Friskies people have updated the game, called Cat Fishing 2. It has special sounds and schools of fish. The more fish you catch, the more points you get . I am a rather competitive feline so I like this “points” thing.
Friskies tested the update with real felines and they all gave it a paws up. We felines need enrichment and mental stimulation and this game provides it. Go the Friskies game page and download your game!
When a suspicious bag was found outside of a church, the bomb squad was called. When they opened the suspicious package they discovered a cat and her six kittens.
The officers said when they approached the bag, instead of ticking, they heard purring.
There was a note inside the bag saying that the cat, Sprinkles had given birth the day before. The sheriff’s office took the felines to the Animal Friends Humane Society where they are now warm and fed.
Sprinkles has had all her tests and blood work and is pronounced healthy as are her kittens. She and her babies will be placed in foster care. The shelter will provide regular updates on Sprinkles and her family on their Facebook page.
While I am thankful this momma and her babies are safe I really don’t understand some humans who would abandon this little family in a suitcase instead of taking them to the shelter where they know they would be safe!
Paws up for this creative young human! JoLee Becker from Marion, Iowa received a Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, for her cat stools.
The stools improve the health of shelter felines and encourages them to exercise. She created her first stool for her adopted cat who weighed more than 20 pounds and was a bit aggressive. She worked with her cat, giving the feline a routine of play and exercise and the cat lost 9 pounds. The cat’s behavior changed as well as JoLee played with her each day.
JoLee decided she wanted to design more stools for the cats in her local shelter. Keeping the cats fit and happy will give them a better chance of finding forever homes. The ten stools she modified for the cats were given to PAWS & More Shelter in Washington, Iowa
“As soon as we put the cat stools into the cages, the cats went nuts,” said Becker. “The kittens were scratching and playing with the toys. The older cats were lying in the blanket baskets under the stool tops. The rest of the cats were playing with each other and running around the stools.”
Talk about an over-achiever! 8-year old Alexis and her human Anika Moritz from Austria just broke the record for the most tricks performed by a cat in one minute, 26 in total.
Alexis has lived with Anika since she was a kitten and her training began when she was 12 weeks old. Alexis is a fast learner and Anika said that she wanted to show the world how amazing cats are. She began planning in 2017 for Alexis to break the Guinness WorldRecord of most tricks performed in a minute.
The article provides lots of advice for any of you felines who are hankering to go after Alexis’ record (or would just like to learn a trick or two)
Here’s a list of all the tricks Alexis did in 60 seconds. Meowza! I’m tired just reading the list! How many tricks on this list can you do my furiends?
Hello Furiends, It’s that time of the week when we felines get on (or rather in) our soapboxes and let the world know what we’re thinking!
We are always looking for feline “chatters” for this feature. What gets your whiskers in a twist? Do you want to brag about your clowder or your human staff? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a photo and your thoughts and you could be chatting to! (FelineOpines@gmail.com)
Harry is our guest this week. He’s a member of the clowder at Debbie’s house where Hermione and Stripey live. Thanks for meowing for us Harry!
Happy Wednesday Furiends, I hope you are all keeping safe and warm. We are worried about our Texas furiends, many without the comfort of heat and fires. At least, in our neck of the woods we have the dreaded winter and are always prepared to stay safe and warm, even if (heaven forbid) our electricity goes away. I almost feel guilty posting this photo but it’s rare that I get the fireplace all to myself without Oliver’s portly presence.
As for Lily, she’s getting strange. Started to get close to me on the cat condo (a first) and then she took over my catnip infused bag (another first!)
“She’s behind me, isn’t she?”
At least Oliver is predictable!
“Human, please make sure this photo doesn’t make me look too broad in the beam.”“Are you smocking me?!”
Let’s get on with this week’s feline news. We have some of my favorite subjects, creative cat adoption ideas, a famous purrlitical cat, a lost cat found and more.
This feline always loves it when humans at shelters find new and clever ways to find furever homes for our feline furiends. The Ten Lives Club lined up business sponsors for photos of cats in hats with the business logo of the sponsor on the picture.
The shelter is hoping this new way to showcase adoptable felines will help them clear the shelter.
Along with sponsors, The Ten Lives Club is looking for small hat donations or, if you’re creative you can make your own small hats to donate. Go to their Facebook page and scroll through the mini-hatted felines.
Next week marks 10 years since Larry, the cat at Downing Street began his purrlitical career. I’ve reported on Larry in the past since he went to live at one of England’s most famous addresses from his humble beginnings as a homeless feline from Battersea rescue centre.
Larry, as the Prime Minister’s top feline has become quite a celebrity and has many photo ops with famous people.
He’s lived with three Prime Ministers during his tenure but he’s not spilling the beans on life with any of them which, I think, this is a wise purrlitical move.
There has been no cat door installed for Larry at 10 Downing Street so he’s forced to wait patiently for the on duty police officer to let him in…and out…an in…and out. Be sure and check out some of the photographic highlights of Larry’s last ten years.
Honey the cat went to visit Natalia Guerara’s relatives the week before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, Honey slipped out the front door of the relative’s house.
Every day Honey’s humans searched the streets, trails and woods for the 6-year old cat. They joined lost pet groups, posted flyers and prayed. They did everything they could to get the word out about Honey.
Half a mile away from Honey’s last location, a woman noticed a new cat in her neighborhood. Laura Bell is wise about cats and knew that the sudden appearance of this well taken care of feline meant that someone was missing her.
The cat hung around for a few weeks because one of the neighbors fed her. Bell did a survey of the neighborhood to make sure the cat didn’t belong to someone and then she borrowed a humane trap to catch the cat.
Once the cat had been secured in the trap, Bell took the frightened feline to the humane society.
Bell then posted the cat’s photo on the local Lost and Found pet’s page and people noticed the resemblance of this cat to Honey. Then began the comedy of errors.
Unfortunately, Guevara had changed her phone number so no one could contact her and she wasn’t checking Facebook as much as she had when Honey first went missing.
Finally, shelter manager Jenny Haynes recognized the cat as the missing Honey due to the distinctive black spots on her pink nose. Guevara went to the shelter months earlier to report Honey missing, so the shelter had information on her. A friend of Guevara saw the shelter’s note about Honey and called the shelter to provide them with the correct phone number.
The rest, as they say, is history and last week Honey was reunited with her humans.
The moral to this story my furiends is this, NEVER GIVE UP! Oh, and make sure your phone number is correct!
Potential adopters were taken to the brewery’s tasting room to meet the felines, have a drink and purchase decorated Valentine’s hearts to benefit the PSPCA.
Prior to the shutdown, Philadelphia Brewing Company hosted “Caturday” which was a monthly adoption event at the brewery. The Valentine’s event was the first one that had been hosted in a year.
There were many humans who found their purrfect Valentine’s match that day. Paws up to the Philadelphia Brewing Company and the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for innovative thinking and a great partnership!
I doubt there’s anyone on the planet who hasn’t heard about this and seen all the hilarious memes. Now I normally don’t report on news items that have gone viral, as I’m always striving to bring you fresh news but this has a new twist.
We heard all about the filter but did anyone tell us how to actually use the filter on our next zoom meeting? Well here you go, turn your boring online session into a fabulous feline gathering. You’re welcome!
How to use the famous cat filter on your next Zoom video chat
1. Download the free Snap Camera app for Windows or Mac. (Just make sure you read the terms and conditions first.) It’ll ask for permission to use your camera and microphone.
2. Open the app, and you’ll find a variety of “lenses” or filters to search through. Whatever you click on will appear at the top of the app, where you can see it overlaid on your face.
3. Go to the Search Lenses bar, and type in “kitten” (or anything else you’d like to try).
4. Search through the different options, and choose the feline that speaks to you the most.
Choose from all kids of different kitten filters on Snap Camera.
5. To connect your new filter to Zoom, open the Zoom app. (You may have to restart it if it was already open while Snap Camera was downloading.)
6. In Zoom, go to Settings > Video > Camera, and from the drop-down menu, select Snap Camera. You should see your face with the filter you selected appearing in the preview.
7. Start or join a Zoom meeting. Your face will appear as a kitten, or whatever filter you selected.
Hello Furiends, It’s my favorite time of the week when our feline furiends have the opportunity to let the world know their thoughts. This week’s Cat Chat is a feline Cinderella story and a reminder of the power of love.
Tyler lives with his human Mollie Hunt (a professional member of Cat Writers Association and fantastic author) and Ginchen (a previous Cat Chat guest)
This handsome brown Tabby man cat with brown stripes has quite a history and the fact that his new life suits him is illustrated by his healthy weight, 14 pounds and counting. And by the way, Tyler is the light of his human Jim’s life!
Furiends, if you are a feline with a message and would like to “chat” on our Thursday feature, send us an email at FelineOpines@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you.
Hello There Furiends, I hope all has been fine in your neck of the woods this past week. Things have been fairly quiet around here, except for the very exciting announcement which I will reveal in a moment. I’ve been working hard on our blog and responding to all your wonderful comments (we love it when you meow at us!)
This blogging thing is exhausting!
When I’ve had enough, I do like to wander into the living room and enjoy the view from the big windows. You never know what kind of critter you might spy down there!
And now for the exciting news….drumroll please….my human nephew, Burke Fahling has recently signed with the Charleston Battery so if any of my readers live near Charleston, SC and like soccer, go cheer him on and tell him Alberto sent you!
Okay, enough shameless family self-promotion and on with the news!
Woo Hoo! Get your best photos out kitties! A CFA Virtual Cat Competition event is going on and is open to every cat, everywhere, and will turn 11 lucky kitties into mini-celebrities!
TrapKing’s From Feral to Fancy TNR Fundraising Cat Photo Contest offers cats all over the world the chance to enter their picture and compete for over 100 prizes.
Proceeds from the event will go to TrapKing’s nonprofit, TrapKing Humane Cat Solutions, which will use the money to educate and teach cat rescuers the basics of TNR.
This event is part of CFA’s Companion Cat World Program, that purrfectly reflects the organization’s mission to enhance all cats’ lives with love, care and celebration. CFA is partnering with Sterling “TrapKing” Davis because of his exemplary work in bringing diversity to the animal world.
To thank all the spayed/neutered rescue/pet cats for their support, Sterling has a special GIFT! FREE CCW Membership and a special edition “TrapKing Klowder” ID card!
Kitty contestants can choose from 11 categories, including the Main Event, Me & My Cat Lady/Cat Daddy, Beautiful Eyes, Gotcha Day, Cats in Costume, Outdoor/Adventure, Purrfectly Impurrfect Cats, and Cats Looking for Fur-ever Homes. The judging lineup includes well-known cat influencers Nathan the Cat Lady, Sunglass Cat, Adventure Cats, “Catification” designer Kate Benjamin, and Pet Behavior Expert Arden Moore, plus many more.
Photo entries accepted now through February 21, 2021 11:59 PST
Voting on your favorite cats is $1 each and can be done now through February 21, 2021 11:59 PST
As if a zoom meeting with lawmakers isn’t boring enough, now New Hampshire wants to do them without felines???
Okay furiends, I rarely get purrlitical in this news feature but this got my whiskers in a twist! New Hampshire lawmakers have reportedly been told to keep their pets away from Zoom calls and remote hearings while working from home, according to the Associated Press.
Are you kidding me?? Sure barkies may be a bit more malleable but we felines do what we want. And, what we want is to walk all over your desk.
Whoever these feline haters are that are making the rules need to be voted out! So please, all my feline readers in New Hampshire, get your humans to make some noise and let their elected officials know that these anti-feline policies can get them unelected!
A Pittsburgh crisis center has found the purrfect team member to help their clients cope with trauma. Her name is Thea and she’s a 4-year old Sphynx who is a member of the Paws for Empowerment team. She is the only feline on the team, which is dedicated to bringing animal-assisted therapy to survivors of domestic violence.
Thea is not new to the therapy biz, before COVID, she had been working in counseling sessions with children aged 2-19.
Today, Thea meets virtually with kids who cannot come into the center and helps clients cope with the challenges of COVID through mindfulness strategies like meditation. Sydney Stephenson, Thea’s handler and a CCN youth counselor, told Today that she and Thea typically work with children who have experienced various types of trauma.
I don’t know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods but we just received an extension on our wind chill advisory for two more days. Meowza, am I glad I’m an indoor kitty! Does this mean that local felines need to bundle up for the next few days?
Dr. Lorraine A. Corriveau, DVM, a small animal primary care clinician at Purdue University Veterinary Hospital, says “Cats that have fur could get overheated from wearing a sweater—as their fur is a ‘natural coat’ for them.” For hairless cats like Sphynx, this is a different story and sweaters may be required.
Even we house kitties like to find a heating vent, sun puddle or blankets during cold weather. Outdoor kitties need appropriate shelters to prevent frostbite,, sore and irritated feet from the salt ad grit used to melt ice but this is a shelter and not a sweater (and I purrsonally don’t know any humans who would like to try to wrestle a feral cat into a sweater!)
And aside from the fact that a sweater could overheat us, it also interferes with our natural grooming activity and for those of us who are not hairless, making us wear a sweater could stress us out.
Sometimes you humans put us in onesies or sweaters to keep us from licking wounds or surgery sites (and may be more pleasant than the cone of shame).
And in case The Human isn’t clear about my stand on this I would just say, “Don’t even think about it!”
Someone told Jimmy Lavalle that a song he wrote over 18 years ago has recently become popular with cats and the proof is on TikTok, he was shocked. The song in question was written in Reykjavik, Iceland and now cats have discovered it.
In December someone sent Lavalle a link to a video of a cat vibing to the opening of “Windows”, the first song on the album In A Safe Place. Lavalle thought it was funny but after multiple people sent him links to the video he became interested in the phenomenon of cats and mewsic.
And now, this musical phenomenon has morphed into the “See if Your Cat Will Come Cuddle With You Challenge”. The videos vary with some cats running to the source of the sound and others who indicate they couldn’t care less.
My readers know that we felines do have preferences in mewsic and we did videos when we received our first album of Music for Cats from David Teie.
If you find the subject of mewsic and cats interesting, there is more information in the Rolling Stones article.
