Tag Archives: cat photography

Walk Through The Web Wednesday – 5/17

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Okay, you got us. Another week and another day late. This was however, due to our hard and diligent work as feline authors, bloggers and content creators. Since The Human has shifted her focus to writing (our books and blogs), marketing said writing and finally adding items to our merch shop we have been very busy felines. No more just lazing around the office, we all have a job to do and fame to deal with. Here is a glimpse.

All these book signings are wearing my paws out. Writing is not just writing you know and as the marketing side of the business I’m very busy.
My Wednesday news features are important and this feline is sometimes a bit overwhelmed. I’ thinking about hiring some kitten interns.
Oh my whiskers, being the “face” of this enterprise is exhausting. So many interviews and then there’s the fans to deal with. It’s a hard job but some cat has to do it.

Well there you go, lest you think The Tribe is not pulling their weight, we’re working our paws to the bone! Now, let’s take a look at the feline news this week.

Friendly Cat has new collar with a warning

Sometimes a cat’s gotta’ do what a cat’s gotta’ do. Cleo the cat is a lover of people and very friendly. So much so that she will follow strangers down the street. This behavior has forced Taylor Williams, Cleo’s human to have a collar made for her that let’s folks know about her wandering ways. Sometimes Cleo even tries to get on the bus with other humans and the collar has helped keep her in the neighborhood.  

Taylor Williams frequently receives messages from her neighbors about their encounters with four-year-old Cleo.  Cleo will regularly follow people to the bus stop, wait for the bus to arrive and hop on board before being shooed away.

Taylor can see Cleo from her living room window, following people down the road. Cleo has a loving family at home, which is why she now wears a color that says, ‘I follow people but I have a home’. So if you meet Cleo on the street, know that there are humans who love her at home.  

 Researchers say they’ve found a way to get a cat to come to you, MOL!

Hey Guys, turn around. I think that human is talking to us.

Ah, you human researchers, always claiming to have figured out the mysterious ways of the feline population.  Now a group of French researchers have looked into “the nuances of cat-human conversation,” with some expected findings and some a little more surprising. The study was published recently in the journal Animals, by a research team out of Paris Nanterre University led by Charlotte de Mouzon. The team wanted to see if cats responded better to people if the humans involved used visual gestures, vocal cues, or both. De Mouzon selected herself as the main participant, heading into a cat cafe with a dozen felines.

Once the cats became accustomed to her, De tried four different ways of interacting with her furry subjects. First, she called out to them only. Second, she silently made gestures toward them, such as reaching out her hand. Next, she tried doing both a vocal and visual cue simultaneously, and finally, for the control part of the experiment, she just sat back and did nothing.

The cats in de Mouzon’s study came up to her more quickly if she used both visual and vocal cues. If she used visual cues alone the cats reacted faster than when she only called out to them. If she was just sitting there, doing and saying nothing, the cats would flick their tails, often a sign of discomfort or stress. So what can you humans take away from this? I guess if you want your felines in residence to pay attention to you, use both vocal and visual cues to get our attention.

Winnipeg woman, 99, crocheting blankets for cats

You are never too old to do something good for felines. This lady in Winnipeg, Canada keeps herself busy crocheting little blankets for cats.

Gladys Wheeler picks up her yarn and creates small rectangular blankets for the cats at the Winnipeg Humane Society’s satellite location at Best West Pet Foods.

“The cat gets a mat and the mat stays with the feline when they go to their furever home.  Taking the mat with them to their new home makes the transition to the new place easier for them.

Wheeler has been making these cat mats since 2006 and since then about 1,000 blankets have been given to cats and their adopted families.

In the 17 years, about 1,000 of her blankets have been given to cats and their “I can’t not do it. I get a minute to spare, there I am crocheting,” she said.

Wheeler’s companion Susan Taylor helps her out with the blankets by tidying up the ends and picking out yarn.

Giving back has always been an important part of Wheeler and her family’s life. She says, “ “Here I am, doing something for the animals and I got my health and I got my family, what else do I need?”  Two paws up for you Gladys!

He Made Cats Famous before the Internet was even invented

Walter Chandoha was the pioneer in cat photography waaay before the internet or cat blogs like this one existed.

In the 1950’s and 60’s, Chandoha’s cat photos were everywhere: advertisements, greeting cards, calendars, jigsaw puzzles. They could also be found on posters, T-shirts and cans of cat food.

He authored more than 30 books during a career that lasted over seven decades. Some are collections of his cutest cat photos and some are “how-to” books for both budding and professional photographers.

Chandoha took photos of dogs and other animals, too, but he was always drawn to cats.-of course!

“I relished the challenge of mak­ing photographs of cats and quickly saw the potential of attempting to capture their naturally expressive personalities,” he wrote.  

Chandoha’s career took off shortly after adopting a stray kitten in 1949. The freelance photographer was walking back from classes at New York University when he saw a tiny kitten shivering in the snow. He put the cat in his coat pocket and brought him home to meet his wife, Maria.

They named the cat Loco, and Chandoha started taking pictures of the new family member. He sold some of those photos to various publications, and before he knew it his career was created and ended up earning the title, “the world’s most famous cat photographer”. It’s estimated that over his lifetime he produced more than 90,000 photos of cats.

“If he didn’t have an assignment, he’d go outside. He’d see that one cat just had kittens, and he’d be there all day taking the pictures,” his daughter said.

And, when the internet came along, Chandoha embraced it, posting cat photos and offering cat photography tips.

He advised people that they need to know their subject and their behavior and have patience, lots of it!

7 Superstitions About Cats From Around the World

Meowza! After reading these stupid myths, this cat needs a glass of wine!

Okay, we felines are a bit weary of some of the tall tales you humans tell about cats, presenting these fabrications as though there are the gospel truth. Here are some that might be new to you, all a bit crazy if you ask me!

1. Cats are gossips.

Excuse me?? Everything I meow is the truth but in the Netherlands, cats are often believed to be gossipy creatures who will happily blab all of your deepest, darkest secrets. For that reason, people try not to have important or private conversations while a cat’s in the room, just in case it’s listening. Well, let me tell you, it’s too late for our Human because our Tribe will blog about everything she does, MOL!

2. A grooming cat means unexpected visitors are coming.

According to Japanese superstition, if a cat washes its face with its paws, it’s not just grooming—it means that visitors are on their way. There are similar superstitions in other countries, too, with some people in the U.S. expecting a visit from a member of the clergy if a cat starts cleaning its whiskers. Let me tell you, none of the grooming of the three of us has every resulted in visitors.


3. A sneezing cat is lucky (except when it isn’t).

In Italy, hearing a cat sneeze is supposed to be good luck. Specifically, if your feline gets the sneezes, it means there’s money coming your way. If a bride hears a cat sneeze on her wedding day, it means the marriage will be a good one. Beware, though—while one sneeze might be good luck, if a cat sneezes three times it supposedly indicates that you’re going to come down with a cold. Oh my whiskers, you’d have to carry a calculator and a list to figure out the meaning of your cat sneezes.

4. Black cats sink ships.

Of all the kinds of cats there are, black cats are the ones with the most superstitions attached. Maybe that’s due to the ancient Egyptian belief that black cats were associated with the goddess Bastet, and keeping one would bring her favor; maybe it’s to do with the European conviction that witches had black cats as familiars making them evil omens. One black cat superstition you might not have heard is that if a black cat walks onto a ship and then back off again, the ship will sink on its next voyage (though according to an old Irish and British superstition, black cats were actually good luck for a ship). In other words, you humans have no idea what you’re talking about.

5. Cats can raise the dead.

In parts of Southern Europe, folklore has it that if a cat jumps across a person’s grave, they’ll rise again as a vampire. Oh spare me, this is really ridiculous.

6. Being a cat lady can help you get married.

Although pop culture has turned cats into a symbol of eternal singledom, according to one book on Pennsylvania German tradition, cats can help a woman who is anxious to get married. All she has to do is “feed the cat from her shoe,” although the superstition doesn’t say what’s supposed to happen next—or how to get the uneaten cat food out of the shoe. Hmmm, since The Human isn’t married maybe she should feed us out of her she but then again, we’ve got a good gig going here and maybe there’s no need to bring a stranger into the mix.

7. Wet cats can make it rain.

You might suspect there’s some cause and effect confusion going on here, but in parts of Indonesia, cats are associated with the weather. If people wanted it to rain, they’d pour water over a cat. Presumably the cat in question then made it rain as revenge. Any of my regular readers know that I take my version of a kitty shower every day and no, it doesn’t rain very day around our house

Walk Through The Web Wednesday – 11/23

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siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hello there furiends!
It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I hope this post finds you all well and comfy and ready to eat some turkey! We’ve had enough snow in our neck of the woods to put us in the holiday spirit. Lily and Oliver and I have been arguing over the Thanksgiving greeting we wanted to share. The Human got tired of us meowing at each other and said we should put all the images up, although why Lily got one photo with her only didn’t make Oliver and I happy. The Human told us that we get a lot more blog time than Lily does-whatever!

Here are our greetings, hope you like them!

TSA finds cat in checked baggage 


PEOPLE!  Please check your luggage before you leave the house!

A sneaky feline tried to have a little Thanksgiving getaway — until he was discovered by TSA agents. The orange cat was discovered at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Tuesday morning after an agent spotted some orange hair poking out of the zipper of the suitcase.

The human who owned the suitcase told TSA he had no idea the cat was in the bag. The feline was discovered when the bag was x-rayed.

The human, who was visiting from out of town,  said the cat, named Smells, was owned by another family member. The New York Post followed up with the cats real humans who said Smells must have crawled in the relative’s bag while they were at work. No one knew Smells was gone until they received a phone call from the TSA and Smells’ owner’s fiancée got a cab and went to rescue the cat only to find Smells was chilling with the TSA folks and acting like he had not a care in the world.  

Again, I beg you, please check your and your relatives luggage this holiday season!

10 cat sleeping positions and what your cat’s favorite snoozing pose means, according to vets

The crescent

This is the most common sleeping position according to Zac Pilossoph, consulting veterinarian at Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. Some people also call this pose the Donut.

In this pose, we curl up in a ball, with our head bent toward our feet and our tail tucked in.

According to Pilossoph, your cat may sleep in the Crescent pose for two reasons:

1. We’re  conserving body heat.

2. We’re protecting our chest and tummy from predator attacks.

“This sleeping position was important for survival when they lived in the wild – and still is for wild cats,” Pilossoph says. Even though most domestic cats have never met a wolf or bear, they still have the instinct to protect themselves while they sleep.

the loaf

In the Loaf, we sleep with our body upright and our paws and tail tucked in. This creates a square shape, much like a loaf of banana bread fresh from the oven.  We use this sleeping position to conserve body heat. As winter approaches, you may catch us sleeping in these compact positions more often. 

The container

We felines love to sleep in containers of all shapes and sizes, from shoeboxes to mixing bowls to a tall boot. They may take on an almost liquid quality to “melt” into the shape of their chosen bed. 

Sometimes we seek out a hidden sleeping spot if we feel threatened — like when we’re wary of a strange-smelling visitor, or in the middle of a spat with a fellow feline. 

side sprawl

When we sleep in a side sprawl we lie on our side, legs out and belly half-exposed. This sleeping position usually means we feel relaxed and safe, although time of  year, temperature and time of day will also influence our sleeping positions.

belly up

The Belly Up position is exactly what you might imagine: we lie on our back, tummy fully bared. Our legs may be stretched out or flat at their sides. 

Sleeping belly up exposes our vital organs to the world. So, if you see us sleeping with our belly faced completely upward, you can take that as a sign we feel extremely comfortable around you, Pilossoph says. Warm temperatures may also cause us to sleep in the belly op position.

monorail

Sometimes we just drift off where we’re sitting and you’ll find us with our body resting on the perch and sometimes our legs dangling down the sides.

pretzel

And then there are times when we sleep with our head and limbs in every direction. It may even seem as if we’re about to tie ourselves in a knot. This position goes by the name Pretzel or Contortionist.

“Sleeping in strange positions makes it more difficult for potential predators to predict their next move. It also helps them to stay alert and aware of their surroundings,” Whoriskey says.

While you might find it impossible to sleep in a similar position, your cat may feel perfectly cozy. Generally, this sleeping position is harmless — as long as we can untangle ourselves when we wake up.

faceplant

In the face plant position we  rest our face flat on the ground, often with our paws covering our eyes. 

Whoriskey says felines may sleep like this for a few different reasons:

To keep our head and neck low to the ground, unseen by predators, to stay warm and to signal we want to be left alone. Sometime we cover our eyes if the light is too bright.

cuddle

We can cuddle with humans, hugging your arm or burrowing between your neck and the pillow. Lily sleeps on The Human’s arm cuddled against her side. We can even cuddle with each other and when Lily finally cuddled with me and Oliver after her cuddle buddy Tucker, crossed the Rainbow Bridge, it was a sign her grief was lessening.  

When we cuddle, it’s is a sign of trust and affection. It’s also a great way to share body heat and get cozy. 

One sleeping position yoou don’t want to see is a headpress

The Headpress position is when we firmly presses our head against a wall or solid furniture and fall asleep in this position. You won’t notice us rubbing our scent glands on anything — just sitting still with our face hidden. 

Unlike the other sleep positions on this list, headpressing almost always suggests a serious health concern. Most commonly, it happens as a sign of hepatic encephalopathy, a neurological condition caused by liver dysfunction. 

If you see us in the Headpress position, whether we’re awake or asleep, take us to the vet as soon as you can for an evaluation.

We felines have all kinds of sleeping positions and rarely stick to just one. If you ever see us sleeping in a position that concerns you, you can always take us for a check up at the vet.

Man Says His Rescue Cat, Garfield, May Have Saved His Life

A Massachusetts man credits his cat with saving his leg and likely his life.

Garfield, a 17-month-old rescue cat, was the hero for 69-year-old Thomas Williams. Garfield came to Williams from an abusive situation. Garfield received a second chance through his adoption and he soon returned the favor.

“He just kept sniffing my legs, and I said, ‘What’s he doing?'” Williams said. “And he got under my wheelchair, and he kept taking his paw, just poking at me.” Williams is an amputee and decided he’d call his visiting nurse. She came to see him and told him that animals can detect infection.

Williams’ doctor found a blood clot in his artery and there was an infection there as well.

“If I didn’t pay attention to what the cat was doing, I probably could have died,” he said. And credits  keeping his leg and his life because of Garfield.

“Like a guardian angel from heaven,” he said. “God put him in my life, and I’m glad he did.” And this cat says a big AMEN to that!

Photographer Captures Comedic Stray Cats on the Streets of Tokyo

Many photographers hit the streets in search of a perfect photo. But not Japanese photographer Masayuki Oki.

Oki scours his hometown of Tokyo and other cities for cats expressing themselves in unusual ways or posing in funny positions.

He fills his social media pages with his quirky and often hilarious photos that show cats fighting amount themselves, sitting in odd positions, and generally living up to their weird reputation.

“It was New Year’s Eve, 2013 when I began my interest in cat street photography,” Oki tells PetaPixel.

“When I was exhausted in a nearby park during a break in between work, I met the fateful cat ‘Busanyan-senpai’ in the middle of the road in the park. From the time I met him, the course of my life changed greatly.”

Oki was fascinated with Mr. Busanyan, who he describes as a gray-haired American shorthair cat with a bizarre appearance

“The more I look at him, the more things come to mind in my head, and the more I want to shoot. A passion was born in my heart. I’ve always liked cats, but I was unable to keep them due to my living environment, etc,” he explains.

“The next day, in 2014, during my work break, I picked up my camera and started taking pictures of cats.”

Since then Oki has taken his Canon 1DX III onto the streets to the delight of his nearly 300,000 followers on Instagram.

“I started taking photos and uploaded them to social media every day where I received exaggerated compliments from people all over the world,” says Oki.

According to The Oriental Economist, there are an estimated 1.1 million cats living in the Tokyo Metropolis, 60,000 of which are strays. This feline loves the fact that this man is trying to capture all of them in photos!

Walk Through The Web Wednesday 8/28

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siamese cat on a leash walking through a garden

Hello Furiends,
The Female Human tells me that summer is coming to and end. This is very upsetting to me because she has not taken me out in the kayak yet. I know she’s had a tough few months and is extra busy trying to get things settled at our house and in her life but sheesh, this shouldn’t affect the felines!

final-82

All this upheaval has made us all a bit needy. Me in particular.  I regularly demand access to Jasmine’s domain in the bedroom. Here I am looking cute and attempting to tell The Female Human I should be able to stay. Still, despite my cuteness, I am  being punished simply because I stretched out my unusually long legs and  kicked Jasmine off the end of the bed and across the room when she was in a deep sleep. Hey, mistakes happen and look at me, how could you banish me from the bedroom when I look so cute?!

final-81

If The Female Human tries to ignore me, I just get on top of her and stare into her face and I will often put my paws on her shoulder to make sure she notices me. I am one big guy (lean but long and full of muscle) and when I am sitting on your chest and purring, it is extremely hard to ignore me -or to breathe.

 

I am not the only Tribe member who is a bit unsettled these days. Oliver and Tucker are always looking for extra love and assurance too.

 

Despite the changes we are experiencing I am happy to report that we are still the spoiled, loved pampered Tribe we have always been.

Well, enough about us, it’s time to see what fantastic feline facts I’ve uncovered this week.

img_0739

Walter Chandoha’s Cat Photography: A 70-Year Love Story

WALTER-CHANDOHA-CATS-LEDE

Oh my whiskers, you humans need to get out and buy this new book, Walter Chandoha Cats: 1948-2018, “a career-spanning retrospective of the greatest cat photographer.”  by Susan Mitchell. Not only are there amazing photos of felines but some great ones of the photographer showing how he got those amazing photos (humans take note)!

Everything you need to know about ‘sheep cats,’ the curly-haired cats going viral on Instagram

SheepCats.JPG

The Tribe is made up of rescue cats who are basically mutts, no pedigrees here. But there are some pawsome felines who do have a pedigree and these “sheep cats” are one of those breeds.

They do have a breed name, which is Selkirk Rex and they are curly, even their whiskers are curly! They’re a newer breed and came into being in 1987 when a Montana cat breeder named  Jeri Newman found a curly-haired cat at an animal shelter. He bred said cat with a Persian, and gained official recognition for the new breed by the Cat Fanciers Association in 1992 and all Selkirk Rexes are descended from Newman’s original cat named, Miss DePesto.

These curly beauties can be long or short-haired and usually have a chunky build.   Their coats are dense with three layers but they require very little grooming.

Police Mascot Sgt. Butters loses his job but finds a new home 

SgtButters

Sgt. Butters at his swearing in ceremony at the Mocksville Police Department.

After reading this report below, I too have some concerns about Sgt. Butters. Why won’t anyone say where he is? What’s the big cover up? Clearly, cats and politics don’t mix!

More than 50 people gathered Aug. 20 inside the chambers of the Mocksville Town Board of Commissioners, and several more stood in the Town Hall’s lobby.

It was the largest crowd ever to attend the monthly meeting of the town board, Mayor William Marklin said.

The reason for the turnout? Concerns about the fate of Sgt. Butters, the feline mascot of the Mocksville Police Department, who was taken out of the department and whose Facebook page was taken down last week. A town commissioner was reportedly concerned about the cat’s presence around a pregnant employee who has said that she cannot be around cats.

On Aug. 20, the mayor attempted to reassure the crowd that Sgt. Butters is living comfortably at the home of a friend of the police department.

Sgt. Butters didn’t attend the meeting.

Officers rescued the cat in 2018 after spotting him around the department’s building on Main Street. They nursed him back to health and he had been allowed him to stay in the police department’s offices.

Marklin said that the year-old cat’s social media page will return soon with its usual posts and pictures.

“While decisions regarding social media and Sarge Butters are made by town management and have not been addressed by the (town) board, the commitment of this agency to protect and serve the citizens of Mocksville remains our first priority, and as always, we will protect the well-being of Sarge Butters.”

Marklin spoke about the cat before a public-comment period in which four people told the town board about their concerns regarding Sgt. Butters. Afterward, the town’s board took no action regarding Sgt. Butters, and none of the five town commissioners spoke about the cat.

Alan Bagshaw of Mount Airy, a native of Mocksville, said he was troubled that town officials haven’t spoken much publicly about the cat’s fate.

“Silence is the message that the town of Mocksville has sent, to the nation and not just Mocksville,” Bagshaw said.

“True, Sgt. Butters is just a cat. We all want what is best for him.”

Bagshaw described Marklin’s statement about Sgt. Butters as ambiguous. Rumors are circulating about the cat because town officials have declined to publicly discuss Sgt. Butters, Bagshaw said.

“If Sgt. Butters is able to be cared for, and the police department is not the suitable place for him, I understand,” Bagshaw said. “But let’s talk about it. What the town of Mocksville did is set a precedent that they will treat a living creature as just a piece of property and throw it away when it’s no longer needed.”

Susan Whitener of Advance, a representative of the Save Sarge Butters Facebook Page, said that town officials should have considered the public’s concerns about the cat.

“Then one day, last week … Sarge was evicted from the probably only home that he’s ever known,” Whitener said. “Ripped from all of his fans and supporters, Sgt. Butters was gone. You should all be ashamed. I beg you to rethink your decision.”

Barry Williams of Advance acknowledged that Sgt. Butters is a good public-relations image for the police department, but he said that the public’s concern for him might be misplaced.

After the town board’s meeting, Marklin declined to say whether Sgt. Butters was living in a home in Mocksville or somewhere else in Davie County. Town Manager Matt Settlemyer declined to comment on the matter.

In addition, Police Chief Patrick Reagan declined to discuss Sgt. Butters.

‘Crazy cat lady’ stereotype has no evidence to support it, study finds

CrazyCatLady

My feline furiends, gather your female humans around the computer for this one.  A recent report found that dog owners are just as sensitive to their pets’ needs as the proverbial “crazy cat ladies” we’re always hearing so much about.

In fact, a study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science appears to debunk the idea of the “crazy cat lady” altogether, not only because dog-owners are similarly empathetic to the sounds of their distressed pets, but also because cat owners show no signs of being more anxious, emotional or depressed than their doggie-doting counterparts.

Researchers at UCLA initially hypothesized that cat owners would be more emotional, or suffer from more anxiety and depression, than other groups they observed, including dog owners and folks with no pets at all. Upon examining the results from the study’s 511 participants (264 owned pets, 297 did not), their hypothesis didn’t hold up.

“We found no differences between cat owners and the other participants on any of the self-reported measures of anxiety, depression or experiences in relationships,” the study explains. Hah! Shows what you know UCLA!

The pet owners, overall, did appear to empathize more with their dogs and cats upon hearing the animals’ meows and whimpers, as they rated the sounds “sadder” than the group who didn’t already own pets.

Interestingly enough, the sounds of a whimpering dog were rated “significantly sadder” than the meows of cats.

“We found no evidence to support the ‘cat lady’ stereotype,” wrote the study’s authors, who traced the trope as far back as 1872, when The New York Times published an editorial called “Cats and Craziness.”

So there you go, the truth is finally out!

Girls and their cats – a new book

CatLadies

Now that we’ve debunked the fiction of the “crazy cat ladies” I bring you another new book from fashion and beauty photographer  BriAnne Wills, Girls and Their Cats, which started as an Instagram photo series of the “cutest cat ladies and their feline companions”.  The  book full of portraits and profiles of 50 women – artists, entrepreneurs, writers and activists – and their furry sidekicks.

She says, “Our relationship is symbiotic. Cats give us what we need and vice versa, and we don’t take anything more. We respect each other and sometimes even learn from each other.” She has two cats, Tuck and Liza. Tuck is a black and white tuxedo who loves attention and wags his tail like a dog when he’s excited. Liza is a brown tabby, a mama’s girl with a thing for vegan cheese.

I say paws up to a book that celebrates beautiful cat ladies and the felines they love.

Navi’s Tea Party

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Siamese cat with tiaraHello All,
Jasmine here. I am so excited to tell you about my elegant friend Navi and her wonderful human, Crystal .  Thanks to the wonder of the internet (and with the help of my purrsonal assistant) I was able to interview Navi and talk to her about her life and amazing tea party.  Navi and I have much in common as I am a bit of a princess myself.

Without fur-ther ado, meet my friend Navi who reminded me that as a Siamese, she has lots to say.red rose on stem

 

 

 

 

Navi the Siamese cat wearing pearls standing on a table

Siamese cat with tiara
Navi, you have an interesting name, how did you get it?

 

Siamese cat NaviThat’s a good question Jasmine. It took a week for my mommy to name me. She wanted to get to know my purrrsonality first but she was stumped. The first week in my new home I was quite the chatterbox, I followed her everywhere, blinking my baby blue eyes at her and begging for attention. Then inspiration came. Navi, from the Legend of Zelda game, is one of the most annoying video game characters of all time. In one of the episodes, there was a little blue-eyed fairy that would follow Link around and in order to get his attention, would yell, “Hey listen.” My big blue eyes and habit of following Mommy around everywhere chattering at her gave her the inspiration for my name.   She declared that Navi was a purrrfect name for me.

Siamese cat with tiara
That’s a great story Navi, my humans aren’t well versed in Video games which is why they named me after the lady that rescued me and my brother Tucker.   So how did you come to live with your humans?

Siamese cat Navi
I moved in about three years ago when I was a 5-month old kitten. My human had a Siamese friend when she was little and she loved that feline. Sadly, not all of the Siamese she met later on were very healthy and she lost several Siamese fur kids at very young ages.  This made my human very lonely and sad. She really missed having a Siamese friend in the house. That was when she decided to look into traditional Siamese felines and met a lady who loved Siamese cats as much as she does. This lady had my brother and sister who went to live with another human. My Mom had made her mind up that she wanted a big male Siamese but my brother was a little goofy looking (no offense bro) so she picked me instead.

Siamese cat with tiara

Did you have a hard time getting used to your new home?

 

Siamese cat Navi
Not really, at first I kept myself a bit aloof, you know, have to check out the resident humans and the place to make sure it fit my needs. I even refused to sit in the human’s lap at first but that’s all changed.

 

Siamese cat with tiara
Are there any other fur kids in your house?

 

 

Siamese cat Navi
I’m the only kitty. Mom did try to bring another cat into the house once but he got very sick and she was worried that I would get sick too. Now she lavishes all her love and attention on me, well, except for the rats.

 

Siamese cat with tiara

Rats? Like rodents?

 

 

Siamese cat Navi
Oh yes, the rats don’t have life spans as long as felines, but as long as I’ve lived here there have been pet rats as well. As a matter of fact, I have a new rat-brother named Moose. I get along with him okay but, between you and me, rats scare me. And I’m not so fond of them when they chase me. Moose is already proving to be a problem, grabbing my tail and messing with my fur. But, he’s a family member so I tolerate him.

Siamese cat with tiara
Hmm, I have four feline siblings and I’m not so sure one rat might not be better.Maybe we should talk about a trade sometime.  Navi, I want to talk about the beautiful photos of your tea party and your very stylish pearls.  Do you wear them all the time?
Siamese on tea table wearing pearls

 

Siamese cat Navi
Thank you; I do love my pearl necklace. Mommy made them just for me. I wear them once in a while but I have lots of collars to choose from. I prefer not to wear them too often as they mess up my lovely fur. Actually I think there is a new collar in my Christmas stocking, but don’t tell my Mom I know!
Siamese cat with tiara

Mum’s the word Navi. Now, tell me how this elegant tea party came about.

 

naviandcrystal_2

 

Siamese cat Navi
This was was an elegant “girls” party and I don’t think Daddy would have been interested in attending had we invited him. I love doing things with Mommy, especially things that involve food.

 

Siamese cat drinking tea

siamese cat criniing rea

Siamese cat with tiara
I must ask what kind of tea were you drinking? The female human has never offered us tea.

 

 

Siamese cat Navi

Mommy had human hibiscus tea which I would turn my nose up at had she offered it to me. So, of course, she made me catnip tea!

 

Siamese cat with tiara

 

There is tea from catnip? Meow!

 

 

Siamese cat Navi

Actually, humans can drink catnip tea to help them sleep but I like it too. I also enjoyed the fishy treats I received on the lovely china.

 

Siamese Cat and human having a tea party

Siamese cat with tiara
Do you and your female human do other things together besides having tea parties?

 

Siamese cat Navi
We do everything together, she even threw me a birthday party when I turned three and made me a shrimp and scallop birthday cake with a little candle in it!

We take road trips together, once all the way from Florida (where we live) to Michigan. We visited her grandparents and I met some new dog friends.

 

Siamese cat with tiara
Hiss, I hate car trips, I always fight being put into the kitty tent and then I yowl all the way to our destination (which is usually that nasty place where the people with the white coats poke and prod me). A road trip doesn’t sound very fun at all.

 

Siamese cat Navi
Oh, the first time I got in the car I was scared too but as we took more long rides it got better. And on long trips, Daddy drives and Mommy and I sit in the back and because I’m so well behaved, I get to sit in her lap and not in the cat carrier.

 

Siamese cat with tiara
Hmm, not sure if you’ve convinced me about car rides but I do love lap sitting!
Navi, you look so graceful and elegant in the photos from your tea party. Do you have any tips for our feline readers in case they are invited to a tea party?

Siamese cat on tea table

 

Siamese cat Navi
Well Jasmine, there’s just no hope for some boy cats, their paws are just too big and clumsy. But for more elegant tea-attending felines, here are a few tips: remember that it helps when Mommy has a chair  close to the edge of the tablewith so you can reach your cup easily. Then it’s important to keep your whiskers out of the cup and your fur clean. Oh, and don’t slurp, that’s tacky! Sometimes though the tea and treats are just so good, you want to jump on the table! I suggest you only do that if invited to do so.

 

Siamese cat with tiara

 

Navi, how did these amazing photos of your tea party come about?

 

Siamese cat Navi
Mommy loves to take pictures, especially of me (who wouldn’t?). She got a new tea set and although she’s not one of those female humans who love to dress up, but she does love to do fun, silly things (especially with me). When her father joked that she could have a tea party with me she thought, of course, what a purrrfect idea!  Since she doesn’t get to see her Dad too often she thought our tea party photos would make him smile. You should have seen her setting the camera up on the tripod thing and then rushing to her chair to appear as though she was leisurely sipping her tea. It was funny!

She posted some of the photos on Facebook and we were surprised at how folks liked them (and all the compliments I received).

 

Siamese cat on tea taBLE

Siamese cat with tiara
Yes, that’s how our female human found out about you and she couldn’t wait to see if you would allow us to interview you. Thanks, by the way.

Siamese cat Navi

 

You’re very welcome Jasmine!
Siamese cat with tiara
Navi, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers before we finish our interview?

 

 

Siamese cat Navi
First, I want to thank everyone who noticed these photos my mommy took and for interviewing me! I think every human should try to spend more time with their kitties and involve them more. Just to be clear, I’m not suggesting felines go through your human’s dishes or start drinking out of their cups to indicate you’d like a tea party too. That could end badly. Better to offer some extra purrs and head butts or just sit quietly in a chair across the table from them. I’m sure they’ll get the hint and do something special for you too. Try to be as well behaved as I am and your humans may just take you on adventures. I get to go lots of places with Mommy.

I wish all my friends a furry Christmas. I can’t wait for Christmas and to open my stocking! There’s also something really big under the tree that I just know is for me! And of course, she’ll be taking more pictures to make more memories.

– Purrs & kisses – Navi
Siamese cat Navi

 

 

Siamese cat with tiara
And Meows to you too Navi!  Well folks, that’s it for our feature on Navi and her tea party. I’m hoping she’ll come back again sometime to share photos and stories about her next adventure.

Your friend, Jasmine

bouqet of yellow roses

Crystal Howard PhotographerAbout Navi’s Human:

Crystal Howard is the photographer of these enchanting photos. She and Navi and the family live in Florida. Although the tea party photos depict her as quite elegant, she grew up in Michigan and spent most of her childhood on farms where she enjoyed running around the fields.

Crystal always loved animals (especially cats), nature, art and photography. When she was six, her grandmother gave her a Canon camera and that started her passion for photography.

Her first Siamese came to live with her when she was fifteen and she’s been in love with the breed ever since. She trained her first Siamese so well that the feline turned people who weren’t “cat people” into cat lovers.

Crystal’s relationship with her cats is one of deep love and affection cultivated by time spent with them. She says that Navi never ceases to amaze her and reminds her how smart and emotional animals can be.

Crystal says, “. I feel like all animals are amazing and have the ability to understand so much, sometimes we are just so busy we just don’t take time to notice or appreciate them. That is what I try to express through my photographs. When we get down to their level and interact or just observe we can see how incredible animals and nature really are. Cats especially are such a gift and I always say some of my most special cats have been my best friends and little lifesavers!”

box of pink roses with a pink ribbon