The Tribe has joined Brian’s Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.
Alberto:
Oliver
Lily
Jasmine
Thankful Thursday
16
Tag Archives: Alberto
Walk Through The Web Wednesday 5/13
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!
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.
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!
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
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 4/15
Hello Furiends,
It’s Wednesday again although with the world so topsy turvey, it’s hard for this feline to figure out what day it is!
LIfe for the Tribe is a bit boring. The Female Human is home a lot more but the dispensing of snacks has not increased and I find this unacceptable.
It’s also been a bit more boring than usual and I have been forced to be creative about finding entertainment.
There is one thing though. The humans have been meowing about social distancing as though they invented it. We felines have been masters at social distancing for centuries.
That’s it for the news from our neck of the woods. Let’s check out what’s going on in the rest of the world.
Museum Cats Will Be Your Pen Pal
The cats at The Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma are feeling lonely and missing their human visitors. They would love to hear from you and if send them a letter they’ll reply through April 26th.
Cleo and Perilla are two of the three cats who live and “work” in the gardens. Their job is to keep the grounds pest free.
Perilla is the cat in charge. She likes to snooperviser and watch the other cats work, but she will hunt to earn her keep. Cleo (short for Cleome) is the youngest feline. She was dropped off at the museum as a kitten and has had a loving home there ever since. She shows her gratitude by bring an avid hunter.
Man Builds Beautiful HIgh Rise Towers For His Cats and Now Everyone Wants One
When a man built two luxury high-rise towers for his cat he created such a stir that people have been begging him for his building plans. Rob Coutu from Windsor, Connecticut set out to create something extraordinary for his cat Zach, a Savannah so he could indulge his favorite activity-climbing.
These towers are amazing with balconies, decks for Zack to hang out on, 3D printed windows, window boxes with flowers and a bridge that connects the two buildings.
Rob created a Facebook group where Zach posted a mock-up design for his ideal kitty digs. The group now has 15,000 members.
Now before you humans decide to begin building, you need to know that the building project has cost Rob about $3,500.00 so far, not to mention the hours of labor.
Construction began last May and improvements continue (you can follow the progress in Rob’s Facebook group. And if cost is no issue for you, you’ll be happy to know that Rob is considering making these towers for people as a custom install.
The Tribe loves these towers, what do you think?
Cat Ignores Stay At Home Order and Has To Be Rescued by Firemen
A kitty in St. George, Utah got herself in quite a pickle and her human had to call the Fire Department. They responded to the call arriving with a standard fire truck and crew but quickly realized the a ladder truck would be needed for the rescue.
The cat named D-O-G was so scared she offered no resistance to her rescuers. She was handed off to her owner after her hour-long ordeal. You can see photos of the entire exciting rescue.
Paws up to these fire fighters!
21 Mother’s Day Gifts for Cat Moms
There are some purrfect gifts in this list some for your cat mom, and some for the felines (because if your feline is happy, you’re a happy cat mom!). Our cat mom really liked the kitty yoga idea because, for some unknown reason, she has an issue wih us trying to take over her yoga mat when she’s using it.
Do not despair if your human doesn’t do yoga, there are all kinds of other purrfectly wonderful gifts like cat shaped tea bags, a customized paw print necklace, a tiny head massager designed for felines and silky cat pj’s.
Once you’ve decided what you want to get your cat mom just meow into Alexa and have it delivered. I’m sure she’ll thank you.
Pet Wine Shop is Helping You and Your Cat During Social Distancing With An Offer of Free Cat Wine
Felines, have you noticed your human drinking alone during these times of isolation? Well. Apollo Peak wants to put a stop to that. Your human can order Pinot Meow, Purrseco, Catburnet and other wines made just for felines. These wines are made with ingredients that are good for felines (like beets and catnip in Pinot Meow).
Just a note though. Evidently there are a lot of wine sipping felines out there so the retail store for these wines, Pet Wine Shop, has some cat wines on back order because of their very popular special #quarantineandchill free cat wine offer.
Here’s to all our wine drinking furiends – clink clink.
Walk Through The Web Wednesday 2/5
Hello There Furiends,
How has your week been going? Things are still pretty boring at our house so I decided I’d have to find some excitement on my own. The Female Human has this thing she calls a “foyer” (I call it the hallway by the front door) which she likes to decorate for the seasons or holidays. She took all the Christmas stuff off and now has the winter thingies there. I have no clue why she does this but I’m not complaining as she puts out tantalizing little knick knacks for me to knock down and bat around the house. The following photos show me checking out this very interesting area.
A cat’s got to do what a cat’s got to do and, if The Female Human insists on leaving us alone in the house during the day, she shouldn’t complain about the mischief we get up to!
And now, let’s see what wonders I discovered on the world-wide web.
What do a venomous primate and a cat have in common?
An international team, led by University of Queensland associate professor Bryan Fry, has been studying slow lorises in a wildlife reserve in West Java in Indonesia. Now you may be asking “Why?” and “What does this have to do with cats? Actually, quite a bit.
The bite of the large-eyed, and incredibly cute, slow loris can induce an allergy-like reaction in humans. They are the only primate that uses venom as a defense against predators. If you humans get bit by a slow loris, it will hurt and will also act and feel like an allergic reaction. These scientists think that studying the slow loris and it’s venom may help them understand why many of you humans are allergic to felines. Evidently the DNA of the protein in the slow loris venom is almost identical to what is in a feline’s fur that causes allergic reactions in humans. Cats secret this protein and coat themselves with it. The good doctor said, “Your pet cat wouldn’t know it, but it may have evolved a toxic defense to keep predators as far away from it as possible.”
Who knows, maybe the slow loris will be the answer to human/cat allergies. And, lest you think this is a hoax, the research has been published in the science journal Toxins.
Hero cat saves owner’s life over 50 times by detecting diabetic attacks
Hazel, a former psychiatric nurse, has type one diabetes and if her blood sugar drops while she sleeps, she can suffer seizures and even fall into a coma — with potentially fatal consequences, but not on Walter, the 9-year old felines watch. Walter can smell the chemical change in her body that happens when her sugar is getting low, and pokes her around the face until she wakes up.
Hazel says Walter is her literal life saver and her hero. The first time Walter went into action, Hazel had no idea what he was doing. Walter refused to be ignored and smacked her with his paw. She finally gave up, turned on the bedroom light and realized that her vision was blurred, a sign her blood sugar was low. Since that day, Walter has never failed to alert her when her blood sugar dips.
Evidently, some diseases, such as diabetes create a chemical change in the body that produces a smell that is too subtle for human noses but not felines.
She said: “When someone is suffering from a disease such as diabetes, chemical changes take place in their body that produce a smell that is too subtle for our noses.
This talent is usually one that dog’s exhibit and in fact, Hazel had gotten a dog with the intention of training her to be a diabetes dog but the dog “didn’t have a clue”.
An English zoo’s jungle cats would like your leftover perfume. Preferably Calvin Klein.
File this one under, “You’ve got to be kitten me!” Evidently big cats are attracted to fragrance. If you decide you don’t like the perfume you receive on Valentine’s Day, re-gift it to a lion. The Banham Zoo in Norfolk, England, put out an appeal this Tuesday for any unwanted fragrances, explaining its big cats are running low. Who knew that, cheetahs, jaguars and ocelots really like perfume — and they have a preference for the designer labels.
“For some reason Calvin Klein perfume is a huge hit with all big cats but in all honesty any perfumes work well and we do like to offer them a variety of different smells,” Mike Woolham, the zoo’s animal manager, said in a statement, adding that donations of aftershave were also welcome.
The zoo demonstrated in a short video this week how the cats “respond very positively” to scents more typically found at mall department stores. The reason is the ingredient, civetone, The civet, a small catlike mammal found throughout Southeast Asia and parts of Africa, marks its territory by secreting a distinctive scent from its anal glands. For hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years, those pheromones have been used in perfume, although today most fragrances rely on civetone, a lab-made copy.
Although fragrances such as Chanel No. 5 and Jovan Musk also contain civetone, the scent that seems to be the most popular with wildcats is Calvin Klein’s Obsession for Men. This has been confirmed with zookeepers all over the world.
Now this curious cat is wondering, do little cats like the scent as much as big cats? If any of my readers have a bottle of Calvin Klein’s Obsession around the house, give it a try and let me know the results.
Rachel McIntyre Smith launching cat cafe tour
This feline loving singer will be touring cat café’s during her Kitten Coma Tour. She will sell merchandise related to her song, “The Kitten Song,” with all proceeds from those sales going to animal rescue organizations. You can watch Smith sing that song and others on YouTube.
The Kitten Coma Tour will travel from Tennessee to North Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio. Smith released her self-titled debut album in April of last year showcasing her blend of country, indie and vintage pop.
Holistic Pet Care Team to host a Facebook live event focused on cats
CBD Dog Health and Two Crazy Cat Ladies, an all-natural product brand for cats in Las Vegas, will be hosting a free online event Feb. 15 focused on cannabidiol (CBD) products and other homeopathic remedies for cats. The event, which will be broadcast via Facebook Live, is part of the Healing Naturally Tour.
“We share a common goal with Adrienne and Jae, [owners of the Two Crazy Cat Ladies], to get our pets off of dangerous and unnecessary medications and help them heal naturally,” said Angela Ardolino, founder of CBD Dog Health, a Lutz, Fla.-based CBD manufacturer. “I know that together, we have a lot of information to share with our fellow cat people, and I can’t wait for cat chat.”
The Healing Naturally Tour is an alliance between Ardolino and Julie Anne Lee, DCH, founder of Adored Beast Apothecary. The tour will continue through mid-February, and will include sessions at veterinary offices, grooming and boarding salons, and boutique shops throughout California and Nevada
Walk Through The Web Wednesday 10/16
Hello Furiends,
Good grief, it’s Wednesday already! I don’t know about the rest of my feline furiends but life in The Tribe of Five always seems to be hectic. Although we love our Female Human, sometimes I really wonder if she’s attending to our needs properly.
Case in point. I have a toy box and it would be nice if The Female Human took some time to root around in there and find something new for me to play with but nooooooooo-I have to hop in there and look for myself.
And don’t get me started on meal service. The Female Human’s schedule is far too erratic for us and sometimes we have to remind her that she is late for meal time.
“Good morning Human. Will there be breakfast soon?” -Oliver
“Excuuuuuuse us but dinner is 30 minutes late and NO, you may NOT have a glass of wine before you feed us!” -Alberto
Sigh, I hope the level of service is more consistent in your house! But, enough whining, let’s get on with our Wednesday web wanderings.
Hunky Australian Firefighters Pose with Rescue Cats for a Purrfect 2020 Calendar
Okay, full disclosure, I’m including this news piece in a transparent attempt to apologize to The Female Human for my snarky comments earlier. If your female humans love cats (and shirtless first responders) you may want to show them this. The firefighters posed with rescue kitties for their annual calendar that benefits children’s organizations and rescue and therapy animals. And if your female human wants to see some more photos. please direct her to this slideshow.
Phew! The Cats In Okishima, Japan are Relocated & Safe as Hagibis Typhoon Hit Yesterday
I’ve reported often about the Japanese humans and their love of felines, especially 
Okishima the cat island. When I heard that the Hagibis typhoon (the worst storm in 60 years) was going to hit my feline and human furiends I was quite distraught. I am happy to report that all is well! The cats were relocated to a safe place for a few days until the storm was over. You can read tweets in the article about how the cats were looked after. We’re giving the humans on Okishima Cat Island our Paws Up award!
Alabama cat cafe burglarized as cats sit idly by
The human who wrote this piece for the NY Times fancies himself as quite the comedian. He opened with, “It was a purr-fect crime and the thief showed no meow-cy.”
Not only do I find his humor lacking but the pot shot he takes at the felines for doing nothing to stop the burglar has my whiskers in a twist.
The café owner of Gatos and Beans said “All the kitties were hiding,” They had a very rough night.”
Fortunately they didn’t get away with much and the kitties are all reported to be okay. Of course the “dog people” had to chime in. One snarky comment on social media said,“Open a dog cafe and it won’t happen lol”. I am not amused.
5 Airbnbs With Cats That Are Purr-fect For Your Next Trip
Feline loving humans rejoice! You may have to leave your kitty home but you can still get your feline fix on the road. The chic, mid-century home near Seattle has two cats named Nero and Nala, who are always available for snuggles. The stylish city accomodations in Copenhagen are within walking distance of everything you want to see and home to Coco who is very sociable. And since the Netherlands is only a hop, skip and a jump from Copenhagen, be sure to book in this Amsterdam apartment with a balcony and beautiful views of the city. If the weather is nice you can share your morning coffee out on the balcony with the resident felines, Ollie and Omar.
A private room in Kreuzberg , near Berlin offers comfort and cats. It doesn’t get any better than that, and finally, if you’re headed for an extended tour of the cat cafes in Tokyo, this private room is the place for you. And of course, it includes multiple felines.
The Hambone Award – the most unusual pet mishaps and the incredible recoveries that follow.
Two felines are in the running for the 2019 Hambone Award presented by Nationwide insurance. While reviewing the hundreds of thousands of pet insurance claims that come in annually, Nationwide associates noticed an abundance of claims that were unusually quirky. From the pooch who was carried away by an owl to the cat who fell three stories and lived to purr about it, these claims were in a league of their own and deserved special attention.
Inspired by these unique stories, Nationwide created the Hambone Award® to honor the most unusual pet insurance claim of the year. Each claim exemplifies the inspiring strengths of our pets, the harrowing actions of our pet parents and the amazing skills of trusted veterinarians.
All nominees considered for the award have made full recoveries and their owners received insurance reimbursement for eligible expenses.
This year’s feline finalists are Jasper, a Texas feline who narrowly escaped a dryer accident and Minnow, the Tabby who was saved by her real life guardian angel. Head on over and vote for your favorite.
Five Felines and One D-O-G (Jasmine Opines)
Hello Furiends,
There’s been a lot of change at our house and one of the most dramatic has been the arrival of two human friends and their canine. First, let me explain that the Tribe has never seen a canine, never heard a canine and never knew that anything like a canine existed. We see deer, raccoons and the occasional bear from our window perches but a canine, never seen such an animal.
Needless to say, we were all a bit rattled by the arrival of this four-legged guest. Last year, the Tribe wrote a book for humans about proper etiquette regarding pet sitting. furniture and guests. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we needed to include a section about other animal guests!
The Female Human quite likes this dog although the rest of the Tribe is still deciding how we feel.
KD the (gasp) dog at our house waiting for the squirrel to come to the upstairs deck.
First of all, the dog has taken over the bird/squirrel viewing area. This is of great concern to Oliver and Alberto. I don’t see why sharing the space is such a big deal to Ollie and Al but I do understand that the excited barking noise the dog makes when she sees the squirrel can be rather disconcerting. Or perhaps, terrifying is a better word because when she barks, Lily, Al and Oliver jump and then slip and side across the floors (like cartoon characters), looking for a place to hide. (Note, KD has never done anything aggressive to these chickens so their dramatic reaction is a bit over the top).
Lily is on canine watch. Tucker is watching the kitchen.
Since KD and her humans are staying downstairs, one feline is always tasked with guard duty at the top of the stairs. Tucker is exempt from this duty because he could care less. The dog has not interfered with Tucker’s breakfast, dinner or snack schedule so he refuses to purrticipate in this feline drama.
As soon as the dog’s paws touch the first step downstairs, the warning is issued and cats jump and scatter, heading off in various directions. This is a good thing for Oliver as a little exercise is needed where he’s concerned.
Alberto has proven himself to be quite the wimp. When the dog is in the house, Al whines and meows until The Female Human allows him access into my domain. I thought that I would be completely unaffected by what goes on in the rest of the house but now I have to share my space with this whiny, wimpy feline. Sheesh Al, get a grip.
Lily is quite content to hang out on top of the cat condo. Alberto will join her sometimes if he can’t weasel his way into the bedroom.
Lily takes a more pragmatic approach. She hangs out in the office, on top of the cat condo and demands that her wet food breakfast and dinner be served there. She seems to be quite content with this arrangement and, as that room is a dog free zone, she feels safe.
“Human, why does that canine make such a loud noise?” – Oliver
Oliver is almost as chill as Tucker unless KD the canine barks. He then hides under the small table in the living room or comes into the home office to complain to The Female Human.
As I noted, this is Tucker, not bothered or interested in our canine guest.
As for me, well, I am usually unaffected by what happens in the rest of the house but Alberto, the big baby is getting on my last nerve. Sigh. Still, we are all furry family members and I realize I must extend some grace toward him.
So, my feline furiends, if you ever have a canine visitor, I hope they are as polite and well-behaved as ours. KD is a nice doggie (but don’t tell her I said that.)
Purrs & Head Bonks,
Alberto Opines on Friday Fill Ins #159
Hello There Furiends,
Alberto here. I’m doing the Friday Fill Ins this week (Oliver has had far too much blog exposure lately! This is a blog hop which means you can hop on over to the hosts, 15andmeowing or Four-Legged Furballs and enter your blog post or, just opine about them in our comments section.
Enjoy!
Here are this week’s questions:
1. I would love to be a personal assistant to ___________________________.
2. If I had a boat, I would name it ________________________.
3. I want to improve my _________.
4. Surprises are _________.
Here are my answers:
1. I would love to be a personal assistant to the manager of a box factory. I can’t think of any other product I could be more excited about.
Good morning sir. May I shred some papers for you? Knock over your coffee? Alberto
2. If I had a boat, I would name it the SS Alberto. If The Female Human ever gets the lead out and takes me in the kayak, I will tell her she needs to rename it.
Me, still waiting for the female human to take me kayaking, Who could resist how handsome I look in my live vest? Alberto
3. I want to improve my guest greeting skills. This is the little settee in the foyer and I love to hang out here and greet guests. The problem is, some that haven’t met me before have been a bit startled.
Why hello there, Welcome to the house of Felines. Alberto
4. Surprises are great as long as you are the one doing the surprising.
Why hello there, don’t I make a lovely dining room table decoration? Alberto
Oliver Reminisces on Friendly Fill Ins #156
Hi There Furiends,
I’m doing the fill-ins this week and I can’t wait to meow about my answers. This is a blog hop which means you can join via the link at the host’s sites at 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Fur Balls and hop around to other sites, read their answers and of course, opine about your thoughts on their answers. 
Here are this week’s fill ins.
1. ______________ was a very good year.
2. There is nothing quite like _______________.
3. If I had a talk show, I would want to interview _________.
4. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for _________.
My Answers:
1. 2015 was a very good year. That’s the year The Female Human became a foster failure and my brother Alberto and I found our furever home. Weren’t we cute?
2. There is nothing quite like watching the local woodland wildlife with my brother.
3. If I had a talk show, I would want to interview Jackson Galaxy. The Female Human is always meowing about him and how much he knows about felines. I’d like to talk to him and see if he could figure out all the crazy idiosyncrasies of The Tribe of Five.
4. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for my fellow members of The Tribe of Five…well, except maybe giving up my favorite spot on the sofa.
Walk Through The Web Wednesday 3/27
Hello There Furiends,
“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain there would be no rainbow.” G.K. Chesterton
Finally, finally, it looks like spring is coming. Temperatures are warming up and The Female Human even opened the windows the other day for us to sit on the sill and sniff the great outdoors. The Tribe of Five is enjoying sun puddles and we captured Oliver the other day in a purrfect position to catch the colors from the Austrian crystal.
Purrs & Head Bonks,
Alberto
Man Gets Suspended For Helping Helpless Feline
Verizon employee Maurice German was recently suspended from his job after he rescued a cat named Princess Momma who had been stuck on a pole for over 12 hours. After the cat’s human called the fire department, animal rescue and the phone company but no one returned her calls. In desperation, the human approached Mr. German and he helped.
And what did his heroics get him? He was suspended for three weeks without pay for violating Verizon’s safety rules. Fortunately, there are lots of good-hearted humans out there who put together two Go Fund Me pages to help the man and his family while he goes without pay. One raised $3,395.00 and the other raised over $7,000.00..
Dear Verizon, I hiss in your direction.
Clever Kitty Finds Solution To The Door To His Litter Box Being Shut
When a cat’s gotta’ go, a cat’s gotta’ go! Tino, a British kitty needed to do his business when he discovered to his horror, that the door to his litter box was locked.
He weighed his options…..go on the floor, meow in dersperation for help? What’s a kitty to do?
Tino’s solution was to find the litter bag, knock it on it’s side and spill litter on the floor. He then attended to his business. Despite the fact that Tino’s human had a big mess to clean up, we give Tino a paws up award for ingenuity.
Tino is now an internet sensation and there are poems and odes to honor his feline problem solving skills. Note to humans…..make sure the door to the litter box is NEVER locked!
Under-Cats Photo Series Gives A Whole New Purrspective on Felines
Photo from Andrius Burba’s new series “Under-Cats”
Andrius Burba is famous for his unorthodox approach to animal photography. This time he’s presented an entirely new view of felines, from the bottom up. He’s added to his new portrait series Underlook with Under-Cats to show how we felines look from below.
He said, “The Underlook project started four years ago when I saw a ridiculous looking picture on the Internet. It was a cat sitting on a glass table that was photographed from underneath. I decided to level up the idea and photograph it professionaly to see those paws in hi-res and that is how the Underlook project was born.” If you humans think you know us felines, take a look at the pawsome photos on this site. Meow!
Tulsa Firefighters Rescue Snickers The Cat – Twice
Tulsa Fire Department’s Station 23 rescued a cat named Snickers – not once but twice.
They didn’t have to crawl up a pole because the fleeing feline took a 130 mile ride from Mustang, OK to Tulsa in an engine compartment of someone’s car.
When Snickers was discovered missing and her humans tried to find her, the kept praying and their prayers were answered.
Tulsa firefighters were called to help get the feline out of the car. found Snickers when they got the unusual call to rescue the furry feline from the car. They kept her at the fire station the first night and then one of the firefighters took her home where she resided in the laundry room while they tied to figure out what to do with her.
Fortunately, a story about Snickers was aired on the sister TV station in her home town and someone recognized her and contacted her humans.
Just when Snickers was so close to being returned home she found her way into a compartment under a fire truck at the station and the firefighters had to rescue her again.
The story has a happy ending, Snickers was extricated from the firetruck and back into the arms of her humans, right before the firefighters were called out to fight a fire. You can watch the video story here.
Paws up to these firefighters for going above and beyond and for saying, “I know that if it was my cat I’d want someone to do everything they could,” said Emerson.
Snickers, I suggest you stay inside and away from any type of moving vehicle!
Human’s Singing Pushes This Feline Named Harvey Over the Edge
We felines put up with a lot from you humans and most often we put up with your shenanigans but even felines have a breaking point.
YouTuber Greg Molick uploaded a video of his unusual rendition of “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie. His cat Harvey is not a fan of his singing voice.
After 30 seconds, Harvey decides to jump up on the bed and show Greg exactly how he feels about his musical abilities. You go Harvey and IMHO that screeching is tantamount to animal abuse! Watch the video and decide for yourself.
Walk Through The Web Wednesday….on Friday??
Hello Furiends,
I have my whiskers in a twist today. Staff has been slacking off this week. The Purrsonal Assistant says it’s because she’s been busy entering our blog, some photos, etc. in the #CWA (Cat Writer’s Association) contest. IMHO she had plenty of time to do that, get our social media done, feed us, clean our litter boxes, freshen our cat grass, go to the place she calls work……hmm, okay, maybe I’d better lighten up on The Purrsonal Assistant.
While I go give The Female Human (Purrsonal Assistant aka staff) an apologetic head bonk, I hope you will purruse these new listings and enjoy them.
Purrs & Head Bonks,
Meet Hamlet VIII, The Newest Algonquin Hotel Cat
I don’t know what to be excited about more….the information about the new Algonquin Hotel cat or the fact that I discovered a website called Hotels With Cats! The website is travel information for cat lovers, meowza, I love discovering new things.
But back to Hamlet. I’ve reported in the past about a previous Algonquin feline and I must say, that is one of the cushiest feline jobs ever. The Algonquin Cat custom has a long tradition. It is New York’s oldest working hotel and has had a feline mascot since a stray cat wandered in during the 1920’s. The name “Hamlet” was suggested by the actor John Barrymore and this is the name all the male cats have had. Female cats are called Matilda. The hotel has an executive assistant who also serves as Chief Cat Officer (a bit like our Female Human who also serves as our Purrsonal Assistant). Hamlet VIII has his own business card and also receives fan mail and presents from around the world is one lucky former feral rescue!
Basepaws-the 23andMe for Felines
This feline DNA thing is pretty cool. You humans can find out about our ancestral roots, get a health report and see if our genetics influence our risk for certain health issues or if we’re carrying a genetic disorder (like Oliver who seems to be carrying the “fat” gene). And if that information isn’t fantastic enough you humans can also find out neat things about us like predictions about our purrsonality, whether we might be likely to form a catnip addiction and other fun facts. This Basepaws stuff is the cat’s meow!
$1800.00 Feline Treadmill for Your Fat Cat
A feline treadmill for $1800.00? I’m not so sure. We opined about snoopervising The Female Human when she set up her treadmill and our positions in the mat and machine pretty much say it all. This is as much effort as we care to exert (come to think of it, The Female Human hasn’t exerted much effort on that machine lately either).
Still, when I look at my roly poly brother I have to admit that the idea of some exercise for the little fellow might be a good idea. Meet The Little Cat, an exercise machine from South Korea’s Pet Ding. Now if you felines can get over the fact that this thing looks like a hamster wheel, it has some cool features. It’s pricey because it has all kinds of goodies like LED lights inside the wheel designed to attract the feline to the wheel and to keep the feline interested while he’s moving on it. And of course, there’s an app that goes with it as well. Humans get a live feed of the kitty work outs and they can also record their voice to encourage their kitty to move faster. The Little Cat is expected to be available for purchase in March. I think for now, I’ll just chase Oliver up and down the stairs for his daily exercise.
Meows for Military Program a Success in Tucson
Oh how I love shelters that come up with innovative programs that help felines and humans too. Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter and Sanctuary in Tucson teamed up with the Southern Arizona Veterans Administration Health Care System (SAVAHCS) for the ‘Meows for Military’ program which is in its third year.
The Meows for Military program provides weekly cat visits to SAVAHCS. The felines are all chosen for this purrrticular mission of being Feline Ambassadors. The veterans and humans receive love and some of the felines even receive a furever home through the program. Animal assisted therapy is proven to be a success and helps humans lower blood pressure, decrease rates of depression and anxiety and promote healing. Meowza, I love this idea.
Crazy Places Cat’s Hide At The Vets
There are some funny photos here showing how many of my feline furiends attempt to keep away from the vet but I have to say, going to the place of white coats with the stabby people can be nerve wracking. The Tribe of Five used to hide until the people with the white coats where we go built a brand new, fearless practice. Oliver and I opined about this place and it is amazing. I would suggest that all my feline furiends talk to your humans and have them find a cat friendly place with white coats too.
Home | felineopines 