Sorry, no embed code!
Ta much, MSiegel!
Ta much, dear MSiegel!
Sideways ass kitteh FTW
Parkour is for pussies.
Li'l sideways ass kitteh FTW
Ta much, dear MSiegel!
Tommaso, a four-year-old, one-time stray from Rome, is thought to have become the world's richest cat.
Since the death of his 94-year-old mistress last month, he has become a property magnate — or perhaps mognate — with flats and houses worth an estimated €10m scattered from Milan in the north to Calabria in the south.
In a handwritten will, signed on 26 November, 2009, Tommaso's mistress — the childless widow of a successful builder — gave her lawyers the task of identifying "the animal welfare body or association to which to leave the inheritance and the task of looking after the cat Tommaso". ...
Ta much, Glenn321
Since the death of his 94-year-old mistress last month, he has become a property magnate — or perhaps mognate — with flats and houses worth an estimated €10m scattered from Milan in the north to Calabria in the south.
In a handwritten will, signed on 26 November, 2009, Tommaso's mistress — the childless widow of a successful builder — gave her lawyers the task of identifying "the animal welfare body or association to which to leave the inheritance and the task of looking after the cat Tommaso". ...
Ta much, Glenn321
Thanks, Angelclare!
Angry pussycat courtesy of MSiegel
... If a tiger laps at the speed of a housecat, four times a second, it will splash itself. If a domestic cat imitates a tiger, it won't get anything to drink. Jeffrey Aristoff, a mathematician, admires the calculated engineering involved:
"The amount of liquid available for the cat to capture each time it closes its mouth depends on the size and speed of the tongue. Our research - the experimental measurements and theoretical predictions - suggests that the cat chooses the speed in order to maximize the amount of liquid ingested per lap. This suggests that cats are smarter than many people think, at least when it comes to hydrodynamics."
So when your cat looks at you with contempt, it's just because your furry pal finds your grasp of fluid dynamics pathetically limited. Also, it wants fishies. Now.
Ta much, dear MSiegel
"The amount of liquid available for the cat to capture each time it closes its mouth depends on the size and speed of the tongue. Our research - the experimental measurements and theoretical predictions - suggests that the cat chooses the speed in order to maximize the amount of liquid ingested per lap. This suggests that cats are smarter than many people think, at least when it comes to hydrodynamics."
So when your cat looks at you with contempt, it's just because your furry pal finds your grasp of fluid dynamics pathetically limited. Also, it wants fishies. Now.
Ta much, dear MSiegel
Funerary Papyrus of Hunefer. The Sungod as a great cat killing the serpent of darkness.
o_- indeed, dear MSiegel
Ta much, dear MSiegel
Ta much, dear Edosan
Cat - fox hunter
This cat’s owner is a fanatic wildlife photographer. Once he decided to stay for winter for five month in unique protected areas of Kamchatka and had no way to leave his pet at home. So the only option was to take two boxes with him - one for the cat, by the way named Ryska, and the other for cat-food reserve for half a year.
Living in a tiny barn standing in the middle of nowhere this guy began each morning with coffee and fried eggs with bacon. The smell of fresh fried bacon appeared to be a kind of a drug for local foxes. Dozens of their generations have never known that people are hunting them for fur so they fearlessly joined the photographer each morning to have a portion of delicious smell. Some of the foxes even competed for the right to come closer to the window in order not only to smell but to see bacon.
Ryska was spoilt with expensive cat-food and hunted local mice just for fun of it. In short, she was extremely unaggressive. But watching a pack of foxes impudently smelling master’s fried bacon was intolerable. Anywhere 50 meters far from the barn foxes were severely oppressed. Once Ryska even drove a frightened fox onto a tree! What is more she even used the same manner to bears. They were not so fearful but still preferred not to come close.
Buncha ahem pussies.
I often wish more costumed pets'd attack their owners: it might end the lamentable practice. ;)
Ta much, dear Edosan
Wenig kuscheln Gesichter! Little snuggle-faces!
Those itteh bitteh kittehs don't even have angry feet!
Ta much, dear Edosan
Those itteh bitteh kittehs don't even have angry feet!
Ta much, dear Edosan
Diamond Pet Foods Announces Recall of Premium Edge Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball Cat Food
Company Contact:
800-977-8797
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 27, 2009 - On September 23, Diamond Pet Foods issued a voluntary recall for Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat because they have the potential to produce Thiamine Deficiency. Today’s announcement provides additional information from the company’s posted announcement of September 23 when the initial recall information was provided.
Thiamine is essential for cats. Symptoms of deficiency displayed by an affected cat can be gastrointestinal or neurological in nature. At the first stage the cat may show decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting, and weight loss. Later, neurologic signs can develop, which may include ventriflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, wobbly walking, circling, falling, and seizures. These ultimately may result in the death of the animal if left untreated. If your cat has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
The affected products were distributed in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida.
The affected date codes were RAF0501A22X 18lb. (BB28NOV10), RAF0501A2X 6 lb. (BB28NOV10), RAF0802B12X 18lb (BB30FEB11), RAH0501A22X 18 lb. (BB28NOV10), RAH0501A2X 6lb. (BB28NOV10, BB30NOV10, BB08DEC10)
To date, 21 cases of thiamine deficiency in cats have been reported and confirmed by Diamond. The reports have been confined to the New York and Pennsylvania areas and none have been received since October 19.
Diamond has tested the product and found the cat foods were deficient in thiamine. Samples taken by the FDA indicated that there were additional lots with insufficient levels of thiamine. No other complaints have been reported on any other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods.
Consumers who have purchased the affected lots are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-977-8797, Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Time. ...
Company Contact:
800-977-8797
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 27, 2009 - On September 23, Diamond Pet Foods issued a voluntary recall for Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat because they have the potential to produce Thiamine Deficiency. Today’s announcement provides additional information from the company’s posted announcement of September 23 when the initial recall information was provided.
Thiamine is essential for cats. Symptoms of deficiency displayed by an affected cat can be gastrointestinal or neurological in nature. At the first stage the cat may show decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting, and weight loss. Later, neurologic signs can develop, which may include ventriflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, wobbly walking, circling, falling, and seizures. These ultimately may result in the death of the animal if left untreated. If your cat has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
The affected products were distributed in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida.
The affected date codes were RAF0501A22X 18lb. (BB28NOV10), RAF0501A2X 6 lb. (BB28NOV10), RAF0802B12X 18lb (BB30FEB11), RAH0501A22X 18 lb. (BB28NOV10), RAH0501A2X 6lb. (BB28NOV10, BB30NOV10, BB08DEC10)
To date, 21 cases of thiamine deficiency in cats have been reported and confirmed by Diamond. The reports have been confined to the New York and Pennsylvania areas and none have been received since October 19.
Diamond has tested the product and found the cat foods were deficient in thiamine. Samples taken by the FDA indicated that there were additional lots with insufficient levels of thiamine. No other complaints have been reported on any other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods.
Consumers who have purchased the affected lots are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-977-8797, Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Time. ...
Cat awarded online high school diploma
I can haz GED!
By Rik Myslewski in San Francisco
Posted in Odds and Sods, 15th August 2009
A cat belonging to a US and Canada Better Business Bureau exec has been granted a high school diploma.
Yes, it's an online high school. According to a report by msnbc.com, the two-year-old feline graduated from Jefferson High School Online (JHSO), an institution so confident in its pedagogical perfection that it offers a money-back guarantee.
Oreo is the cat's name, and she lives in Macon, Georgia. All Oreo needed to do to earn her ersatz sheepskin was answer 14 questions to determine her "elective and life experience credits" - including questions about her level of physical activity and her favorite musical genre - then take an online quiz, which she did with the help of her favorite human, Kelvin Collins, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia.
Oh, and there's the $199 fee. ...
I can haz GED!
By Rik Myslewski in San Francisco
Posted in Odds and Sods, 15th August 2009
A cat belonging to a US and Canada Better Business Bureau exec has been granted a high school diploma.
Yes, it's an online high school. According to a report by msnbc.com, the two-year-old feline graduated from Jefferson High School Online (JHSO), an institution so confident in its pedagogical perfection that it offers a money-back guarantee.
Oreo is the cat's name, and she lives in Macon, Georgia. All Oreo needed to do to earn her ersatz sheepskin was answer 14 questions to determine her "elective and life experience credits" - including questions about her level of physical activity and her favorite musical genre - then take an online quiz, which she did with the help of her favorite human, Kelvin Collins, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia.
Oh, and there's the $199 fee. ...
Dear Edosan often sends me lolworthy/macro-ready images, ferinstance this one. Result below.
moar funny pictures
moar funny pictures
Meeeeeeeeeeeeeyow.
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
But perfect proof of why pets - and most people! - need neutering or spaying.
But perfect proof of why pets - and most people! - need neutering or spaying.
Click pics for other sites.
Pun intended.
Little odd-eyed Goddess kitty who speaks Portuguesa.
Homer's The Best!
To hell with breeders - go to a shelter!
Yup. This gets the 'bad cop no doughnut' tag.
Olde school, yo.
Adorable photo but amaryllis are poisonous, which is what this plant is. Lilies are also toxic. Pet-proof your holiday plants!
That's an expen$ive kitteh.
That's a miniscule but naughty ninja kitteh.
Nicked shamelessly from my mutual friend BettyJoBradley, who isn't on my send-to list because SU's so cool.
[Ren Hek]What IS it, Maaaaaaaan?!!![/Ren Hek]
Un gatito exquisito verdaderamente!
You could indeed die from all this cute, Bristol3.
Consider yrselves warned, folks.
You could indeed die from all this cute, Bristol3.
Consider yrselves warned, folks.
May 26, 2008
Cat hired as station chief brings passengers back
By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press Writer
TOKYO (AP) -- A money-losing Japanese train company has found the purr-fect pet mascot to draw crowds and bring back business - [calico] Tama.
All the 9-year-old female cat does is sit by the entrance of Kishi Station in western Japan, wearing a black uniform cap and posing for photos for the tourists who are now flocking in droves from across the nation.
Tama has been doing such a good job of raising revenue for the troubled Kishikawa train line that she was recently promoted to "super-station-master."
"She never complains, even though passengers touch her all over the place. She is an amazing cat. She has patience and charisma," Wakayama Electric Railway Co. spokeswoman Yoshiko Yamaki told The Associated Press Monday. "She is the perfect station master."
Appointing a cat to turn around fortunes makes cultural sense in Japan, where cats are considered good luck and are believed to bring in business.
People are snatching up novelty goods - postcards, erasers, notebooks and pins - decorated with Tama's photos. There's even a special 1,365 yen ($13) book of photos of Tama called, "Diary of Tama, the Station Master." ...
Cat hired as station chief brings passengers back
By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press Writer
TOKYO (AP) -- A money-losing Japanese train company has found the purr-fect pet mascot to draw crowds and bring back business - [calico] Tama.
All the 9-year-old female cat does is sit by the entrance of Kishi Station in western Japan, wearing a black uniform cap and posing for photos for the tourists who are now flocking in droves from across the nation.
Tama has been doing such a good job of raising revenue for the troubled Kishikawa train line that she was recently promoted to "super-station-master."
"She never complains, even though passengers touch her all over the place. She is an amazing cat. She has patience and charisma," Wakayama Electric Railway Co. spokeswoman Yoshiko Yamaki told The Associated Press Monday. "She is the perfect station master."
Appointing a cat to turn around fortunes makes cultural sense in Japan, where cats are considered good luck and are believed to bring in business.
People are snatching up novelty goods - postcards, erasers, notebooks and pins - decorated with Tama's photos. There's even a special 1,365 yen ($13) book of photos of Tama called, "Diary of Tama, the Station Master." ...
Kittens Credited With Saving Lives In Fire
Two-Alarm Blaze Damages Three Houses
May 13, 2008
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The six people who got out of a burning Springfield, Fla., home early Tuesday credited their kittens with waking them up and allowing them to escape without injury, television station WJXT reported. ...
Two-Alarm Blaze Damages Three Houses
May 13, 2008
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The six people who got out of a burning Springfield, Fla., home early Tuesday credited their kittens with waking them up and allowing them to escape without injury, television station WJXT reported. ...
PS Sir Isaac Newton is thought to have invented the cat flap, but he didn't live in the so-called Temperate zone which we Detroiters enjoy so much.
Peruvian surfer Domingo Pianezzi rides a wave accompanied by Nicolasa at the San Bartolo beach in Lima, Peru, January 31, 2008. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares
http://uk.reuters.com/news/pictures/slideshow?collectionId=1530&galleryName=News#a=1
Cougar Nearly Joins SD Woman in Hot Tub
Saturday, December 8, 2007
DEADWOOD, S.D. (AP) -- A relaxing soak in a hot tub came to an abrupt end when Marlene Todd came eye to eye with a mountain lion in her backyard.
"I was kind of hidden, sitting with my back up against the side of the tub, and I heard a little rustling sound in the needles right beside me," she said.
Todd said she thought it might have been her house cat until she saw "this big, tan, hairy body" just 4 inches away.
"I didn't realize what it was until it took a leap and jumped up on the side of my hot tub," Todd said. ...
Saturday, December 8, 2007
DEADWOOD, S.D. (AP) -- A relaxing soak in a hot tub came to an abrupt end when Marlene Todd came eye to eye with a mountain lion in her backyard.
"I was kind of hidden, sitting with my back up against the side of the tub, and I heard a little rustling sound in the needles right beside me," she said.
Todd said she thought it might have been her house cat until she saw "this big, tan, hairy body" just 4 inches away.
"I didn't realize what it was until it took a leap and jumped up on the side of my hot tub," Todd said. ...
Cat Warns Couple of Carbon Monoxide Leak
Thursday, November 15, 2007
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) -- A cat named Oreo is being credited for nipping a carbon monoxide leak in the bud. Jeanie Probst said her cat began to act strangely since she began using her heater in the past couple of weeks.
"He came out here yelling," Probst said.
Oreo would run in circles under the vent or jump onto the back of a chair, stare at the register and make loud noises, she said.
"It was one of those scary meows," Probst said. ...
... Probst said she and her boyfriend began to realize they were getting headaches and feeling tired. They called MidAmerican Energy, which discovered the furnace was pumping carbon monoxide into their Cedar Rapids apartment, and a technician fixed it.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) -- A cat named Oreo is being credited for nipping a carbon monoxide leak in the bud. Jeanie Probst said her cat began to act strangely since she began using her heater in the past couple of weeks.
"He came out here yelling," Probst said.
Oreo would run in circles under the vent or jump onto the back of a chair, stare at the register and make loud noises, she said.
"It was one of those scary meows," Probst said. ...
... Probst said she and her boyfriend began to realize they were getting headaches and feeling tired. They called MidAmerican Energy, which discovered the furnace was pumping carbon monoxide into their Cedar Rapids apartment, and a technician fixed it.
Cat's daily routine baffles owner
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
A cat is baffling his owner by wandering off at night before expecting to be collected by car every morning at exactly the same time and place.
Sgt Podge, a Norwegian Forest Cat, disappears from his owner's home in Talbot Woods, Bournemouth, every night.
The next morning, the 12-year-old cat can always be found in exactly the same place, on a pavement about one and a half miles (2.4km) away.
His owner, Liz Bullard, takes her son to school before collecting Sgt Podge.
She said the routine began earlier this year, when Sgt Podge disappeared one day. ...
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
A cat is baffling his owner by wandering off at night before expecting to be collected by car every morning at exactly the same time and place.
Sgt Podge, a Norwegian Forest Cat, disappears from his owner's home in Talbot Woods, Bournemouth, every night.
The next morning, the 12-year-old cat can always be found in exactly the same place, on a pavement about one and a half miles (2.4km) away.
His owner, Liz Bullard, takes her son to school before collecting Sgt Podge.
She said the routine began earlier this year, when Sgt Podge disappeared one day. ...
This critter - an Indonesian Fishing Cat - is on the CITES list, which means it's illegal to take them from their natural homes. How these folks wound up with her/him isn't mentioned.
S/he looks like fabulous company aside from the mess, but s/he sure as hell doesn't belong in a tiny apartment.
S/he looks like fabulous company aside from the mess, but s/he sure as hell doesn't belong in a tiny apartment.
Zoe, a domestic short-hair cat, touches the mouse of a computer during a media preview for The Cat Fanciers' Association 5th Annual CFA-Iams Cat Championship in New York October 10, 2007. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
Golden Retriever Nurses Stray Kitten
Monday, October 8, 2007
STEPHENS CITY, Va. (AP) -- A stray kitten has found a new mother in a golden retriever, who began producing milk for the gray tabby after hearing its cries.
The hungry kitten, found in an old tire at a concrete plant, refused to drink from a bottle and her rescuers feared she would die. That's when Honey, the family dog who hadn't given birth in 18 months, stepped in with her motherly instincts.
"She started licking her and loving her. Within a couple of days, Honey started naturally lactating," said Kathy Martin, whose husband, Jimmy, brought the kitten home six weeks ago. "The kitten took right to her." ...
Monday, October 8, 2007
STEPHENS CITY, Va. (AP) -- A stray kitten has found a new mother in a golden retriever, who began producing milk for the gray tabby after hearing its cries.
The hungry kitten, found in an old tire at a concrete plant, refused to drink from a bottle and her rescuers feared she would die. That's when Honey, the family dog who hadn't given birth in 18 months, stepped in with her motherly instincts.
"She started licking her and loving her. Within a couple of days, Honey started naturally lactating," said Kathy Martin, whose husband, Jimmy, brought the kitten home six weeks ago. "The kitten took right to her." ...
The God's honest truth.
No. 10 has its first cat since Humphrey
Tue Sep 11, 2007
LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly a decade since Humphrey was shown the door to No. 10 Downing Street, the prime ministerial house has a cat in residence again. ...
Tue Sep 11, 2007
LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly a decade since Humphrey was shown the door to No. 10 Downing Street, the prime ministerial house has a cat in residence again. ...
What a wonderful pillow.
Oscar the cat predicts patients' deaths
By Ray Henry
Associated Press Writer
July 25, 2007
Oscar, a hospice cat at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, R.I., walks past an activity room at the facility Monday, July 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.
"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," said Dr. David Dosa in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.
The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.
After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.
Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.
Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill. ...
By Ray Henry
Associated Press Writer
July 25, 2007
Oscar, a hospice cat at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, R.I., walks past an activity room at the facility Monday, July 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.
"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," said Dr. David Dosa in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.
The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.
After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.
Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.
Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill. ...
Scientists Link Housecats to Wildcat Subspecies
By NICHOLAS WADE
Published: June 28, 2007
Some 10,000 years ago, somewhere in the Near East, an audacious wild cat crept into one of the crude villages of early human settlers, the first to domesticate wheat and barley. There she felt safe from her many predators in the region, such as hyenas and larger cats, and the rodents that infested the settlers' homes and granaries were sufficient prey for her.
Seeing she was earning her keep, the settlers tolerated her, and their children greeted her kittens with delight.
At least five females, of the wildcat subspecies known as Felis silvestris lybica, accomplished this delicate transition from forest to village, scientists have concluded, based on new DNA research. And from these five matriarchs, all the world's 600 million housecats are descended.
Carlos A. Driscoll of the National Cancer Institute and colleagues spent more than six years collecting species of wildcat from Scotland to Israel. He then analyzed the DNA of the wildcats, of many ordinary house cats and of the fancy cats that breeders started to develop in the 19th century.
Five subspecies of wildcat spread across the Old World. They are known as the European wildcat, the Near Eastern wildcat, the Southern African wildcat, the Central Asian wildcat and the Chinese desert cat. Their patterns of DNA fall into 5 clusters. The DNA of all house cats and fancy cats falls within the Near Eastern wildcat cluster, making clear that this subspecies is their ancestor, Dr. Driscoll and his colleagues report in a paper published online by Science.
The wildcat DNA closest to that of modern house cats came from 15 individuals collected in the remote deserts of Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the researchers say. ...
By NICHOLAS WADE
Published: June 28, 2007
Some 10,000 years ago, somewhere in the Near East, an audacious wild cat crept into one of the crude villages of early human settlers, the first to domesticate wheat and barley. There she felt safe from her many predators in the region, such as hyenas and larger cats, and the rodents that infested the settlers' homes and granaries were sufficient prey for her.
Seeing she was earning her keep, the settlers tolerated her, and their children greeted her kittens with delight.
At least five females, of the wildcat subspecies known as Felis silvestris lybica, accomplished this delicate transition from forest to village, scientists have concluded, based on new DNA research. And from these five matriarchs, all the world's 600 million housecats are descended.
Carlos A. Driscoll of the National Cancer Institute and colleagues spent more than six years collecting species of wildcat from Scotland to Israel. He then analyzed the DNA of the wildcats, of many ordinary house cats and of the fancy cats that breeders started to develop in the 19th century.
Five subspecies of wildcat spread across the Old World. They are known as the European wildcat, the Near Eastern wildcat, the Southern African wildcat, the Central Asian wildcat and the Chinese desert cat. Their patterns of DNA fall into 5 clusters. The DNA of all house cats and fancy cats falls within the Near Eastern wildcat cluster, making clear that this subspecies is their ancestor, Dr. Driscoll and his colleagues report in a paper published online by Science.
The wildcat DNA closest to that of modern house cats came from 15 individuals collected in the remote deserts of Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the researchers say. ...
Ain't it da trut' bruddah?
NYC Couple Complete 2,500-Mile Cab Ride
By TERRY TANG
Monday, April 16, 2007
PHOENIX (AP) -- A retired New York couple who hailed a taxi for their 2,500-mile move to northern Arizona arrived with their two cats at their destination on Monday.
Neither Betty nor Bob Matas drive and they wanted to spare their cats, Pretty Face and Cleopatra, a trip on an airplane to their retirement home about 90 miles north of Phoenix.
New York City cab driver Douglas Guldeniz, left, stands with Bob and Betty Matas after arriving at the Junipine Resort in Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona, Ariz., Monday, April 16, 2007, at the end of their 25-hundred mile (4,023-kilometer) cab ride from New York to Arizona...Bob Matas is pictured holding his cat Cleo. (AP Photo/Jake Bacon)
They left the couple's Queens neighborhood April 10 in Douglas Guldeniz's canary-colored Ford SUV cab and traveled about 10 hours a day for a $3,000 flat rate plus gas, meals and lodging. The SUV is a hybrid-electric vehicle, which helped lessen the cost of fuel. ...
... Matas said he was "flabbergasted" by the attention surrounding the couple's trip. Passers-by recognized them when they saw the New York cab, he said.
"Every state that we hit, people would say 'Are you the ones?' and we would say 'Yes, we are the ones,' " Matas said. ...
By TERRY TANG
Monday, April 16, 2007
PHOENIX (AP) -- A retired New York couple who hailed a taxi for their 2,500-mile move to northern Arizona arrived with their two cats at their destination on Monday.
Neither Betty nor Bob Matas drive and they wanted to spare their cats, Pretty Face and Cleopatra, a trip on an airplane to their retirement home about 90 miles north of Phoenix.
New York City cab driver Douglas Guldeniz, left, stands with Bob and Betty Matas after arriving at the Junipine Resort in Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona, Ariz., Monday, April 16, 2007, at the end of their 25-hundred mile (4,023-kilometer) cab ride from New York to Arizona...Bob Matas is pictured holding his cat Cleo. (AP Photo/Jake Bacon)
They left the couple's Queens neighborhood April 10 in Douglas Guldeniz's canary-colored Ford SUV cab and traveled about 10 hours a day for a $3,000 flat rate plus gas, meals and lodging. The SUV is a hybrid-electric vehicle, which helped lessen the cost of fuel. ...
... Matas said he was "flabbergasted" by the attention surrounding the couple's trip. Passers-by recognized them when they saw the New York cab, he said.
"Every state that we hit, people would say 'Are you the ones?' and we would say 'Yes, we are the ones,' " Matas said. ...
Mystery cat takes regular bus to the shops
9th April 2007
Bus drivers have nicknamed a white cat Macavity after it has started using the No 331 several mornings a week.
The feline, which has a purple collar, gets onto the busy Walsall to Wolverhampton bus at the same stop most mornings - he then jumps off at the next stop 400m down the road, near a fish and chip shop. ...
Many thanks to dear Gracey
9th April 2007
Bus drivers have nicknamed a white cat Macavity after it has started using the No 331 several mornings a week.
The feline, which has a purple collar, gets onto the busy Walsall to Wolverhampton bus at the same stop most mornings - he then jumps off at the next stop 400m down the road, near a fish and chip shop. ...
Many thanks to dear Gracey
Cat Food Contains Salmonella, FDA Says
Wild Kitty Raw Food Contaminated
February 14, 2007
WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to cat owners concerning Wild Kitty Cat Food.
Consumers were told they should not buy or use 3.5 ounce and 1 pound containers of the brand's "Raw All Natural, Frozen Cat Food - Chicken with Clam Recipe."
The FDA said cats and other pets who eat the food could become infected with salmonella, which was found in a raw sample. It said people are at risk of infection if they handle the cat food, touch pets that ate the food or come into contact with any surface the food has touched.
The agency is not aware of any reports of illnesses.
The company's president said the FDA warning affects less than 1,000 pounds of cat food, which consumers could have purchased since July 2006.
What took them so goddamn long to issue the warning?
Wild Kitty Raw Food Contaminated
February 14, 2007
WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to cat owners concerning Wild Kitty Cat Food.
Consumers were told they should not buy or use 3.5 ounce and 1 pound containers of the brand's "Raw All Natural, Frozen Cat Food - Chicken with Clam Recipe."
The FDA said cats and other pets who eat the food could become infected with salmonella, which was found in a raw sample. It said people are at risk of infection if they handle the cat food, touch pets that ate the food or come into contact with any surface the food has touched.
The agency is not aware of any reports of illnesses.
The company's president said the FDA warning affects less than 1,000 pounds of cat food, which consumers could have purchased since July 2006.
What took them so goddamn long to issue the warning?
Cat Survives Being Frozen in Trough
Sunday February 11, 2007
LOSANTVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A cat found half-frozen in a water trough is recovering, but may lose his tail.
Melissa Jones said she found the cat Tuesday when she stepped onto her porch for a cigarette. His tail and hind legs were stuck in about three inches of ice. She and her husband used buckets of hot water to free him.
``His little ears are droopy and purple and so are his little feet,'' Jones said, adding that his new nickname is ``Droopy.''
In the morning, she took the seven-month-old yellow and white tiger cat to a veterinarian, where he was given an antibiotic. The vet recommended a regimen of warm water and foot and tail massages to help its circulation, but still may lose its tail. ...
Sunday February 11, 2007
LOSANTVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A cat found half-frozen in a water trough is recovering, but may lose his tail.
Melissa Jones said she found the cat Tuesday when she stepped onto her porch for a cigarette. His tail and hind legs were stuck in about three inches of ice. She and her husband used buckets of hot water to free him.
``His little ears are droopy and purple and so are his little feet,'' Jones said, adding that his new nickname is ``Droopy.''
In the morning, she took the seven-month-old yellow and white tiger cat to a veterinarian, where he was given an antibiotic. The vet recommended a regimen of warm water and foot and tail massages to help its circulation, but still may lose its tail. ...
'She's A Little Terror'
Updated: 11:37, Tuesday January 16, 2007
Royal Mail bosses are threatening to suspend deliveries to a woman's home - because of her aggressive cat.
While dogs are traditionally the bane of a postman's life, Dipity the "little terror" has also sent fur flying.
The cat patrols owner Sarah Gregg's Huddersfield house like a guard dog and loves to pick fights.
But mail bosses have now received a complaint from the local depot manager after Dipity leapt three feet and slashed a postie's hand as he popped a delivery through the letter box, drawing blood.
They wrote to Sarah saying: "If any further incidents are allowed to take place I shall have to consider suspending deliveries until I am satisfied the danger is removed." ...
Updated: 11:37, Tuesday January 16, 2007
Royal Mail bosses are threatening to suspend deliveries to a woman's home - because of her aggressive cat.
While dogs are traditionally the bane of a postman's life, Dipity the "little terror" has also sent fur flying.
The cat patrols owner Sarah Gregg's Huddersfield house like a guard dog and loves to pick fights.
But mail bosses have now received a complaint from the local depot manager after Dipity leapt three feet and slashed a postie's hand as he popped a delivery through the letter box, drawing blood.
They wrote to Sarah saying: "If any further incidents are allowed to take place I shall have to consider suspending deliveries until I am satisfied the danger is removed." ...
Adopted Cat Alerts Owner of House Fire
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
CLINTON, Iowa (AP) -- Tigger has impeccable timing. The cat alerted its Clinton owner, Carole Behr, to smoke early Tuesday morning, allowing Behr and her daughter just enough time to call 911 and escape from the a fire that destroyed much of their home.
Behr said the cat jumped on her and then sat until she woke up, to find it staring out the door of her bedroom.
Firefighters used a ladder to rescue them from a second-story window, Behr said.
Behr and her 15-year-old daughter, Connie Chapman, were not injured. Tigger, who jumped from the window, was also unharmed.
The family adopted the cat last year from the Humane Society. ...
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
CLINTON, Iowa (AP) -- Tigger has impeccable timing. The cat alerted its Clinton owner, Carole Behr, to smoke early Tuesday morning, allowing Behr and her daughter just enough time to call 911 and escape from the a fire that destroyed much of their home.
Behr said the cat jumped on her and then sat until she woke up, to find it staring out the door of her bedroom.
Firefighters used a ladder to rescue them from a second-story window, Behr said.
Behr and her 15-year-old daughter, Connie Chapman, were not injured. Tigger, who jumped from the window, was also unharmed.
The family adopted the cat last year from the Humane Society. ...
Oregon Man Reunited With His Tubby Tabby
Thursday, January 11, 2007; 8:21 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Here, KITTY KITTY KITTY. Goliath, a 20-pound stray whose girth got him stuck in a pet door while trying to plunder some dog food, is back with his owner.
His name isn't really Goliath, but it's close. It's Hercules, says owner Geoff Ernest, who was reunited with his tubby tabby Thursday at the Oregon Humane Society.
Gresham resident Jadwiga Drozdek found the feline stuck in the dog door of her home a few days ago, helped free him and gave him a plate of food on her patio.
Ernest said he had a house-sitter when he went to Seattle for a lung transplant six months ago, and Hercules departed.
While at the Humane Society, Hercules was diagnosed with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, similar to HIV in humans.
The society says cats can live years with the virus and still make good pets, but owners should keep them indoors to keep it from spreading. ...
Thursday, January 11, 2007; 8:21 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Here, KITTY KITTY KITTY. Goliath, a 20-pound stray whose girth got him stuck in a pet door while trying to plunder some dog food, is back with his owner.
His name isn't really Goliath, but it's close. It's Hercules, says owner Geoff Ernest, who was reunited with his tubby tabby Thursday at the Oregon Humane Society.
Gresham resident Jadwiga Drozdek found the feline stuck in the dog door of her home a few days ago, helped free him and gave him a plate of food on her patio.
Ernest said he had a house-sitter when he went to Seattle for a lung transplant six months ago, and Hercules departed.
While at the Humane Society, Hercules was diagnosed with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, similar to HIV in humans.
The society says cats can live years with the virus and still make good pets, but owners should keep them indoors to keep it from spreading. ...
Ziggy the cat's 17-day journey from Israel to UK
Fri Nov 24, 2006
LONDON (Reuters) - Ziggy the cat used up at least one of his nine lives after surviving for 17 days without food on a 2,300 mile voyage that took him from northern Israel to England.
The skinny white cat named after Ziggy Stardust -- the character created by David Bowie in the 1970s, because like the rock star he has one green and one blue eye -- made his epic trip as a stowaway in a 40-foot container.
His journey began when he wandered into a consignment of plastic goods which were then sealed in Afula in Israel and shipped from Haifa on October 31. ...
... Ziggy's background or owners remain a mystery as he had no collar or microchip, but the RSCPA believe he is someone's pet because he is so friendly. He will now stay in quarantine in Britain for six months as a precaution against rabies.
Well, he won't be friendly after being locked up for six months. He'll be insane. That's what quarantine does to pets that survive it.
Fri Nov 24, 2006
LONDON (Reuters) - Ziggy the cat used up at least one of his nine lives after surviving for 17 days without food on a 2,300 mile voyage that took him from northern Israel to England.
The skinny white cat named after Ziggy Stardust -- the character created by David Bowie in the 1970s, because like the rock star he has one green and one blue eye -- made his epic trip as a stowaway in a 40-foot container.
His journey began when he wandered into a consignment of plastic goods which were then sealed in Afula in Israel and shipped from Haifa on October 31. ...
... Ziggy's background or owners remain a mystery as he had no collar or microchip, but the RSCPA believe he is someone's pet because he is so friendly. He will now stay in quarantine in Britain for six months as a precaution against rabies.
Well, he won't be friendly after being locked up for six months. He'll be insane. That's what quarantine does to pets that survive it.
Sweet, sexy, expen$ive Bengal kitties nicked from Thomas-Jefferson
They are the dog's bollocks, but so are all the mongrel moggies who've appeared on my doorstep. No purebreds for me, thanks, except in pictures.
Feline felon suspected in glove thefts
Willy, a 1-year-old cat is photographed Thursday, July 20, 2006, with a display of several pairs of garden gloves that he took from unknown yards in his neighborhood in Pelham, N.Y. Willy has brought home nine pairs of gloves and five singles over several weeks laying them on his owners' front or back porches. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
By Jim Fitzgerald, Associated Press Writer | July 20, 2006
PELHAM, N.Y. --A pink-and-white gardening glove was missing Thursday morning from Jeannine Goche's front porch. But there was absolutely no mystery about who had taken it. Willy, the cat who loves gloves, had struck again.
"It has to be him," said Goche, an attorney. "I've heard about him."
As if the gardeners of Pelham don't have enough to worry about, with the rocky soil and the slugs and the big trees casting too much shade, a feline felon has been sneaking into their back yards and carrying off gardening gloves.
Goche's flower-patterned number may soon take its place on the clothesline that's strung across the front fence at Willy's home, which he shares with Jennifer and Dan Pifer, their 19-month-old son Hudson and a mutt named Peanut Chew.
Above the line is a sign that says, in words and pictures, "Our cat is a glove snatcher. Please take these if yours."
On Thursday morning, nine pairs of gardening gloves and five singles were strung up, nicely framed by the Pifers' flourishing tomato and basil plants. Willy, looking innocent, was playing with a beetle under the Subaru in the driveway and occasionally dashing after Hudson.
"This all started about the time people began working in their gardens, I guess March or April," Jennifer Pifer said. "Willy would just show up with a glove, or we'd see them on the front steps. I guess it's better than if he was bringing home dead birds."
A friend, Claudia Bonci, said she was in the Pifers' kitchen recently and had noticed a single gardening glove on the sidewalk.
"Jennifer was telling me all about how Willy was bringing home all these gloves, and there was a small pile of them outside the door, and then here comes the cat with a glove in his mouth, proud as could be, like he was giving me a gift." ...
Willy, a 1-year-old cat is photographed Thursday, July 20, 2006, with a display of several pairs of garden gloves that he took from unknown yards in his neighborhood in Pelham, N.Y. Willy has brought home nine pairs of gloves and five singles over several weeks laying them on his owners' front or back porches. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
By Jim Fitzgerald, Associated Press Writer | July 20, 2006
PELHAM, N.Y. --A pink-and-white gardening glove was missing Thursday morning from Jeannine Goche's front porch. But there was absolutely no mystery about who had taken it. Willy, the cat who loves gloves, had struck again.
"It has to be him," said Goche, an attorney. "I've heard about him."
As if the gardeners of Pelham don't have enough to worry about, with the rocky soil and the slugs and the big trees casting too much shade, a feline felon has been sneaking into their back yards and carrying off gardening gloves.
Goche's flower-patterned number may soon take its place on the clothesline that's strung across the front fence at Willy's home, which he shares with Jennifer and Dan Pifer, their 19-month-old son Hudson and a mutt named Peanut Chew.
Above the line is a sign that says, in words and pictures, "Our cat is a glove snatcher. Please take these if yours."
On Thursday morning, nine pairs of gardening gloves and five singles were strung up, nicely framed by the Pifers' flourishing tomato and basil plants. Willy, looking innocent, was playing with a beetle under the Subaru in the driveway and occasionally dashing after Hudson.
"This all started about the time people began working in their gardens, I guess March or April," Jennifer Pifer said. "Willy would just show up with a glove, or we'd see them on the front steps. I guess it's better than if he was bringing home dead birds."
A friend, Claudia Bonci, said she was in the Pifers' kitchen recently and had noticed a single gardening glove on the sidewalk.
"Jennifer was telling me all about how Willy was bringing home all these gloves, and there was a small pile of them outside the door, and then here comes the cat with a glove in his mouth, proud as could be, like he was giving me a gift." ...
Gotta love those thumbed beasties!!
Many thanks to Fgviva for this one
Simba is a six-month old caracal
Pennsylvania Cat Nurses Rejected Pug Puppy
Apr 21, 6:01 PM (ET)
CONNELLSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - A pug puppy rejected by his mother has found a new, more welcoming family - a cat and her three kittens.
Kelly Kent, of Connellsville, said her 2-year-old cat, Zoey, has been nursing a black pug puppy since he was rejected by his mother in late March. Zoey doesn't usually like dogs but seems to have made an exception, Kent said.
The puppy, who belongs to Kent's neighbor, is about the same size as Zoey's kittens and regularly lines up for milk with his adopted feline siblings.
It is not unusual for mothers to adopt in nature, even if the baby is of another species, said William Shepherd, a Uniontown veterinarian. Shepherd said a puppy can drink a cat's milk, but warned that Zoey might not be able to produce enough as the young pug gets older and bigger.
The pug puppy, the runt of his litter, doesn't yet have a name.
Apr 21, 6:01 PM (ET)
CONNELLSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - A pug puppy rejected by his mother has found a new, more welcoming family - a cat and her three kittens.
Kelly Kent, of Connellsville, said her 2-year-old cat, Zoey, has been nursing a black pug puppy since he was rejected by his mother in late March. Zoey doesn't usually like dogs but seems to have made an exception, Kent said.
The puppy, who belongs to Kent's neighbor, is about the same size as Zoey's kittens and regularly lines up for milk with his adopted feline siblings.
It is not unusual for mothers to adopt in nature, even if the baby is of another species, said William Shepherd, a Uniontown veterinarian. Shepherd said a puppy can drink a cat's milk, but warned that Zoey might not be able to produce enough as the young pug gets older and bigger.
The pug puppy, the runt of his litter, doesn't yet have a name.
Cat saves baby's life
Apr 15, 10:27 PM (ET)
BERLIN (Reuters) - A cat saved the life of a newborn baby abandoned on the doorstep of a Cologne house in the middle of the night by meowing loudly until someone woke up, a police spokesman said Saturday.
"The cat is a hero," Cologne police spokesman Uwe Beier said. "Its loud meowing got the attention of the homeowner and saved the baby from suffering life-threatening hypothermia. The homeowner opened the door to see why the cat was making so much noise and discovered the newborn."
Beier said the boy was taken to hospital at 5 a.m. on Thursday, when overnight temperatures fell toward zero, and had suffered only mild hypothermia. He said there was no indication of what happened to the boy's mother.
What your humble narrator thinks of its mother ain't fit for family reading, 'less it's in Mongolian.
Iruugai avaj nuruugai maijmar, ilgai avaj bogsoo archmar, ungas sormor!
Apr 15, 10:27 PM (ET)
BERLIN (Reuters) - A cat saved the life of a newborn baby abandoned on the doorstep of a Cologne house in the middle of the night by meowing loudly until someone woke up, a police spokesman said Saturday.
"The cat is a hero," Cologne police spokesman Uwe Beier said. "Its loud meowing got the attention of the homeowner and saved the baby from suffering life-threatening hypothermia. The homeowner opened the door to see why the cat was making so much noise and discovered the newborn."
Beier said the boy was taken to hospital at 5 a.m. on Thursday, when overnight temperatures fell toward zero, and had suffered only mild hypothermia. He said there was no indication of what happened to the boy's mother.
What your humble narrator thinks of its mother ain't fit for family reading, 'less it's in Mongolian.
Iruugai avaj nuruugai maijmar, ilgai avaj bogsoo archmar, ungas sormor!
NYC Cat Finally Rescued After 14 Days
Apr 15, 10:24 AM (ET)
By TIM McCAHILL
Molly, the 11-month-old cat, sits in a cage after she was rescued late Friday night after two weeks of being trapped behind the walls of a deli in a 19th century Greenwich Village building, Friday, April 14, 2006 in New York. A volunteer had to climb into the wall and grab her by the legs and get her out, as she was stuck between bricks and a piece of sheet metal.(AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh)
NEW YORK (AP) - After 14 days trapped in the innards of a Greenwich Village building, Molly the cat finally emerged wearing a look on her face that said, "What's all the fuss about?"
As a crowd of reporters and onlookers jostled for a glance, the 11-month-old black cat appeared docile and unscathed despite her ordeal, which came to a happy end on Friday after a volunteer pulled her to safety from a crawl space.
"I think you'll all agree that she is in great shape," said a proud Peter Myers, a delicatessen owner in the building who kept Molly in his store to catch mice.
Molly's distressed meows - audible from the sidewalk outside the building - became international news, and rescuers worked almost around the clock for her safe retrieval.
The activity began after the cat wandered into a narrow space between walls and got lost in the building's complex network of beams and pipes.
Those involved in the rescue effort drilled and hammered out bricks in the cellar of the 157-year-old edifice, trying everything from special cameras to traps to locate her and get her out. Kittens were used as bait to appeal to Molly's maternal side. ...
But in the end, it was good old-fashioned elbow grease that got the job done.
Rescuers drilled a hole in the wall from inside the store, cutting through layers of brick to get to Molly, said Mike Pastore, field director for Animal Care & Control of New York City, a private organization with a city contract to handle lost, injured and unwanted animals. ...
Apr 15, 10:24 AM (ET)
By TIM McCAHILL
Molly, the 11-month-old cat, sits in a cage after she was rescued late Friday night after two weeks of being trapped behind the walls of a deli in a 19th century Greenwich Village building, Friday, April 14, 2006 in New York. A volunteer had to climb into the wall and grab her by the legs and get her out, as she was stuck between bricks and a piece of sheet metal.(AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh)
NEW YORK (AP) - After 14 days trapped in the innards of a Greenwich Village building, Molly the cat finally emerged wearing a look on her face that said, "What's all the fuss about?"
As a crowd of reporters and onlookers jostled for a glance, the 11-month-old black cat appeared docile and unscathed despite her ordeal, which came to a happy end on Friday after a volunteer pulled her to safety from a crawl space.
"I think you'll all agree that she is in great shape," said a proud Peter Myers, a delicatessen owner in the building who kept Molly in his store to catch mice.
Molly's distressed meows - audible from the sidewalk outside the building - became international news, and rescuers worked almost around the clock for her safe retrieval.
The activity began after the cat wandered into a narrow space between walls and got lost in the building's complex network of beams and pipes.
Those involved in the rescue effort drilled and hammered out bricks in the cellar of the 157-year-old edifice, trying everything from special cameras to traps to locate her and get her out. Kittens were used as bait to appeal to Molly's maternal side. ...
But in the end, it was good old-fashioned elbow grease that got the job done.
Rescuers drilled a hole in the wall from inside the store, cutting through layers of brick to get to Molly, said Mike Pastore, field director for Animal Care & Control of New York City, a private organization with a city contract to handle lost, injured and unwanted animals. ...
Trapped NYC Cat Enters Day 13 of Captivity
Apr 13, 6:36 PM (ET)
By RICHARD PYLE
NEW YORK (AP) - With Molly the fugitive feline sending out distress calls from a few feet - or maybe just inches - away, animal rescue and city experts tried anew on Thursday to lure the 11-month-old black cat from the innards of a 19th century building where she has been trapped for nearly two weeks.
The low-key drama, with no end in sight, was playing out in the basement wall and ceiling of a Greenwich Village delicatessen, where Molly had been official house mouser until wandering into a narrow space between walls and becoming lost in what rescue supervisor Mike Pastore described as "a maze of beams and pipes, going every which way."
With city building officials on hand to supervise, more bricks were hammered out in the cellar of the 157-year-old, four-story building on Hudson Street. The edifice is part of a landmarked historic district where alterations are prohibited without official permission.
Pastore said he hoped Molly's situation would be seen as enough of an emergency "so that we can knock out a few more bricks." ...
We're rootin' for ya, Molly! Get yr fuzzy arse outta there!
Apr 13, 6:36 PM (ET)
By RICHARD PYLE
NEW YORK (AP) - With Molly the fugitive feline sending out distress calls from a few feet - or maybe just inches - away, animal rescue and city experts tried anew on Thursday to lure the 11-month-old black cat from the innards of a 19th century building where she has been trapped for nearly two weeks.
The low-key drama, with no end in sight, was playing out in the basement wall and ceiling of a Greenwich Village delicatessen, where Molly had been official house mouser until wandering into a narrow space between walls and becoming lost in what rescue supervisor Mike Pastore described as "a maze of beams and pipes, going every which way."
With city building officials on hand to supervise, more bricks were hammered out in the cellar of the 157-year-old, four-story building on Hudson Street. The edifice is part of a landmarked historic district where alterations are prohibited without official permission.
Pastore said he hoped Molly's situation would be seen as enough of an emergency "so that we can knock out a few more bricks." ...
We're rootin' for ya, Molly! Get yr fuzzy arse outta there!
N.Y. Rescuers Go High-Tech to Save Cat
Apr 12, 10:19 PM (ET)
By KAREN MATTHEWS
NEW YORK (AP) - Rescuers used drills, miniature cameras, cat food and even a 1-pound raw fish in a desperate effort Wednesday to entice an 11-month old cat named Molly from behind the basement wall of a Greenwich Village delicatessen where she has been trapped for 12 days.
The effort was renewed early in the day when workers heard the cat meowing again after several days of silence that had given rise to fears she had died. "That was a motivator to try again," said Mike Pastore, field director of Animal Care & Control of New York City, a private agency that handles animal rescues on a city contract.
Pastore led the rescue team trying to locate the peripatetic pussycat with a tiny video camera attached to a plumber's snake. But the sound of the drill may have spooked Molly to retreat further into the maze under the front wall of the 19th-century brick building, which extends back about 40 feet from the sidewalk.
Pastore said Molly, being a curious sort, apparently slipped into a narrow space between two buildings and fell or crawled through a hole into the space inside the cellar wall. ...
Apr 12, 10:19 PM (ET)
By KAREN MATTHEWS
NEW YORK (AP) - Rescuers used drills, miniature cameras, cat food and even a 1-pound raw fish in a desperate effort Wednesday to entice an 11-month old cat named Molly from behind the basement wall of a Greenwich Village delicatessen where she has been trapped for 12 days.
The effort was renewed early in the day when workers heard the cat meowing again after several days of silence that had given rise to fears she had died. "That was a motivator to try again," said Mike Pastore, field director of Animal Care & Control of New York City, a private agency that handles animal rescues on a city contract.
Pastore led the rescue team trying to locate the peripatetic pussycat with a tiny video camera attached to a plumber's snake. But the sound of the drill may have spooked Molly to retreat further into the maze under the front wall of the 19th-century brick building, which extends back about 40 feet from the sidewalk.
Pastore said Molly, being a curious sort, apparently slipped into a narrow space between two buildings and fell or crawled through a hole into the space inside the cellar wall. ...
FTP: Crazy Cat Terrorizes Connecticut Town
Mar 29, 7:24 AM (ET)
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) - Residents of the neighborhood of Sunset Circle say they have been terrorized by a crazy cat named Lewis. Lewis for his part has been uniquely cited, personally issued a restraining order by the town's animal control officer.
"He looks like Felix the Cat and has six toes on each foot, each with a long claw," Janet Kettman, a neighbor said Monday. "They are formidable weapons."
The neighbors said those weapons, along with catlike stealth, have allowed Lewis to attack at least a half dozen people and ambush the Avon lady as she was getting out of her car.
Some of those who were bitten and scratched ended up seeking treatment at area hospitals.
Animal Control Officer Rachel Solveira placed a restraining order on him. It was the first time such an action was taken against a cat in Fairfield.
In effect, Lewis is under house arrest, forbidden to leave his home.
Solveira also arrested the cat's owner, Ruth Cisero, charging her with failing to comply with the restraining order and reckless endangerment.
Rambo Felix!
Bet he ain't fixed.
Mar 29, 7:24 AM (ET)
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) - Residents of the neighborhood of Sunset Circle say they have been terrorized by a crazy cat named Lewis. Lewis for his part has been uniquely cited, personally issued a restraining order by the town's animal control officer.
"He looks like Felix the Cat and has six toes on each foot, each with a long claw," Janet Kettman, a neighbor said Monday. "They are formidable weapons."
The neighbors said those weapons, along with catlike stealth, have allowed Lewis to attack at least a half dozen people and ambush the Avon lady as she was getting out of her car.
Some of those who were bitten and scratched ended up seeking treatment at area hospitals.
Animal Control Officer Rachel Solveira placed a restraining order on him. It was the first time such an action was taken against a cat in Fairfield.
In effect, Lewis is under house arrest, forbidden to leave his home.
Solveira also arrested the cat's owner, Ruth Cisero, charging her with failing to comply with the restraining order and reckless endangerment.
Rambo Felix!
Bet he ain't fixed.
Humphrey the cat dies, but what a life..
Mar 20, 10:37 AM (ET)
LONDON (Reuters) - Humphrey, a stray cat who wandered in to the official residence of Britain's prime minister in 1989 and caused a scandal when he "retired" in 1997, has died, a spokesman for Tony Blair said Monday.
The black and white one-time "mouser in chief" was perhaps the most famous pet in a country of animal worshippers.
"World of politics mourns a legend," headlined the Sun, Britain's largest circulation daily newspaper.
"It is true. We learned last week that Humphrey has died," a spokesman confirmed. Humphrey was thought to be 18.
He had wandered into No. 10 Downing Street under Margaret Thatcher and remained throughout the tenure of John Major. But he was sent away to live with a civil servant in "retirement" months after Tony Blair was elected in 1997.
At the time, Conservative opponents accused Blair of having Humphrey put down because the new prime minister's wife Cherie didn't like the cat. Questions were raised. Fur flew.
"Humphrey is now a missing person. Unless I hear from him or he makes a public appearance, I suspect he has been shot," opposition Conservative politician Alan Clark declared at the time.
The government finally arranged for press photos to prove Humphrey was still alive, saying he had gone to live with a civil servant to be treated for illness.
He was photographed, hostage-like, with copies of the day's newspapers to show the pictures were fresh. Blair's office issued a statement saying Cherie was sad to see him go.
It was not the only time Humphrey had been embroiled in scandal. In 1994 the government had to issue an official denial after the cat was accused of killing a family of robins.
Mar 20, 10:37 AM (ET)
LONDON (Reuters) - Humphrey, a stray cat who wandered in to the official residence of Britain's prime minister in 1989 and caused a scandal when he "retired" in 1997, has died, a spokesman for Tony Blair said Monday.
The black and white one-time "mouser in chief" was perhaps the most famous pet in a country of animal worshippers.
"World of politics mourns a legend," headlined the Sun, Britain's largest circulation daily newspaper.
"It is true. We learned last week that Humphrey has died," a spokesman confirmed. Humphrey was thought to be 18.
He had wandered into No. 10 Downing Street under Margaret Thatcher and remained throughout the tenure of John Major. But he was sent away to live with a civil servant in "retirement" months after Tony Blair was elected in 1997.
At the time, Conservative opponents accused Blair of having Humphrey put down because the new prime minister's wife Cherie didn't like the cat. Questions were raised. Fur flew.
"Humphrey is now a missing person. Unless I hear from him or he makes a public appearance, I suspect he has been shot," opposition Conservative politician Alan Clark declared at the time.
The government finally arranged for press photos to prove Humphrey was still alive, saying he had gone to live with a civil servant to be treated for illness.
He was photographed, hostage-like, with copies of the day's newspapers to show the pictures were fresh. Blair's office issued a statement saying Cherie was sad to see him go.
It was not the only time Humphrey had been embroiled in scandal. In 1994 the government had to issue an official denial after the cat was accused of killing a family of robins.
FTP: ... In 1995 the cat had his greatest adventure, when he disappeared and it was assumed that he had died ('possibly from eating too many Civil Service biscuits', as one commentator wryly put it). But in fact he had wandered just over a mile away to the Royal Army Medical College, where he was presumed to be a stray and was taken in and given food and shelter. Some three months later The Times reported that he was probably dead and published an obituary picture - whereupon the medics realised that their 'stray', known as 'PC', was actually Humphrey! He was duly returned, with international press coverage, and resumed his post as First Mouser.
But then in May 1997 a Labour government was elected, and within six months - on 13 November - he had left his prestigious residence. All kinds of political humour was bandied about ('. . . voting with his paws. After eight happy years under the Conservatives, he could take only six months of Labour . . .'; 'Perhaps, like all other groups who have suffered from Labour's broken promises, he didn't get the loving attention he was promised in May from the new occupants of Number 10'; and so on). Cherie Blair was said to dislike cats and to consider them unhygienic [suggests to me she doesn't know too much about them! - Ed.]: even to be allergic to them. Still, there is a photo of her holding Humphrey here even if she doesn't look thrilled to bits about it. ...
But then in May 1997 a Labour government was elected, and within six months - on 13 November - he had left his prestigious residence. All kinds of political humour was bandied about ('. . . voting with his paws. After eight happy years under the Conservatives, he could take only six months of Labour . . .'; 'Perhaps, like all other groups who have suffered from Labour's broken promises, he didn't get the loving attention he was promised in May from the new occupants of Number 10'; and so on). Cherie Blair was said to dislike cats and to consider them unhygienic [suggests to me she doesn't know too much about them! - Ed.]: even to be allergic to them. Still, there is a photo of her holding Humphrey here even if she doesn't look thrilled to bits about it. ...
FTP: The 10 Downing Street cat Humphrey has died, a spokesman for the prime minister has confirmed.
The black and white feline passed away at the home of a Cabinet Office worker who took him when he "retired".
Humphrey was adopted by Number 10 after wandering into the building as a stray while Margaret Thatcher was PM in 1989.
He moved out six months after Labour's 1997 general election win, with Tony Blair's wife Cherie denying reports her dislike for the animal was to blame.
Poor Humphrey, bless him. That bitch cherie shoulda moved out instead: no one likes her.
The black and white feline passed away at the home of a Cabinet Office worker who took him when he "retired".
Humphrey was adopted by Number 10 after wandering into the building as a stray while Margaret Thatcher was PM in 1989.
He moved out six months after Labour's 1997 general election win, with Tony Blair's wife Cherie denying reports her dislike for the animal was to blame.
Poor Humphrey, bless him. That bitch cherie shoulda moved out instead: no one likes her.
Cat Comforts Grieving Orangutan at Zoo
Mar 9, 10:22 PM (ET)
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Tondalayo, a 45-year-old Sumatran orangutan, and T.J., a stray tabby cat, became an inseparable duo after a zoo employee introduced them late last year.
Stephanie Willard, Education Director at Zoo World in Panama City Beach, said Tondalayo was depressed since losing her mate two years ago.
Her age prevented her from moving to another zoo or taking another mate. The ducks and turtles swimming in a moat around her island were not enough, Willard told the Panama City News Herald for Thursday's editions.
When the sweet-natured orange cat wandered into Willard's life, the solution became clear.
"It's an unbelievable match," Willard said. "This has worked out a lot better than I expected it to. She's got brighter eyes now. He's brought a lot of light to her."
Zookeepers named the cat T.K. - short for Tondalayo's Kitty.
They play together, cuddle and sleep together each night. They have been together constantly for more than a month.
"He's perked up Tonda more than anything," Willard said.
Mar 9, 10:22 PM (ET)
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Tondalayo, a 45-year-old Sumatran orangutan, and T.J., a stray tabby cat, became an inseparable duo after a zoo employee introduced them late last year.
Stephanie Willard, Education Director at Zoo World in Panama City Beach, said Tondalayo was depressed since losing her mate two years ago.
Her age prevented her from moving to another zoo or taking another mate. The ducks and turtles swimming in a moat around her island were not enough, Willard told the Panama City News Herald for Thursday's editions.
When the sweet-natured orange cat wandered into Willard's life, the solution became clear.
"It's an unbelievable match," Willard said. "This has worked out a lot better than I expected it to. She's got brighter eyes now. He's brought a lot of light to her."
Zookeepers named the cat T.K. - short for Tondalayo's Kitty.
They play together, cuddle and sleep together each night. They have been together constantly for more than a month.
"He's perked up Tonda more than anything," Willard said.
Tee hee hee
Here's a handsome redheaded gent.
Here's another.
Siamese can be redheads.
Sometimes they have big bat ears, too.
Here's another.
Siamese can be redheads.
Sometimes they have big bat ears, too.
Cat Interrupts Catnap, Possibly Saving Two
Jan 18, 4:41 PM (ET)
MANCHESTER, Pa. (AP) - A cat interrupted a catnap, possibly saving two lives. Jean Poole and her 9-month-old granddaughter were dozing Tuesday in Poole's home in the Newberry Estates mobile home park. Poole's 7-year-old cat, Princess, woke them up, meowing loudly.
Poole got up, smelled smoke and heard crackling flames. She went to check the wood burning stove in the living room, and saw flames at the picture window. With fire blocking the front door, Poole grabbed the baby and went out the rear door. Then she returned to get Princess.
"She woke me up. I don't know if I'd have smelled the smoke otherwise," Poole said.
Jan 18, 4:41 PM (ET)
MANCHESTER, Pa. (AP) - A cat interrupted a catnap, possibly saving two lives. Jean Poole and her 9-month-old granddaughter were dozing Tuesday in Poole's home in the Newberry Estates mobile home park. Poole's 7-year-old cat, Princess, woke them up, meowing loudly.
Poole got up, smelled smoke and heard crackling flames. She went to check the wood burning stove in the living room, and saw flames at the picture window. With fire blocking the front door, Poole grabbed the baby and went out the rear door. Then she returned to get Princess.
"She woke me up. I don't know if I'd have smelled the smoke otherwise," Poole said.
Purrrrfectly lovely, this!
Many thanks to Tigana!!
Many thanks to Tigana!!
Excellent! Many thanks to dear Tigana!
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww kittens!
Found in StumbleBuzz, thanks to andre2004
Found in StumbleBuzz, thanks to andre2004
Wonderful!
Thanks, RussellB!
Pas de Souris
Stolen from vacapinta http://vacapinta.stumbleupon.com/
Thanks to Molles for hippin' me to this:
Few things are worse than an irritated pussy.
Few things are worse than an irritated pussy.
My God/dess, how could anyone look at this creature and see only ca$h for its coat?!
The Tibetans call them Snow Lions.
Woman Says Cat Saved Her From Fire
Oct 25, 4:30 PM (ET)
NORA SPRINGS, Iowa (AP) - Linda Froning's cat may have shared one of its nine lives. Froning said she was asleep on a couch last Thursday morning when her cat jumped on her, waking her up to a house full of smoke.
Froning said she called her son, Jamie, a Nora Springs volunteer firefighter who works for Mason City.
Jamie Froning said he told his mom to get out of the house and then called the fire department.
The house was full of smoke when he showed up, he said.
"I was standing on the deck, taking care of my mom, when the couch burst into flames," he said.
He said he went into the house and pulled the couch outside.
Assistant Fire Chief Dean Kock said there was a little damage to the family room.
"There is mostly smoke damage," he said.
Linda Froning was treated at a Mason City hospital for smoke inhalation and released, her son said.
Oct 25, 4:30 PM (ET)
NORA SPRINGS, Iowa (AP) - Linda Froning's cat may have shared one of its nine lives. Froning said she was asleep on a couch last Thursday morning when her cat jumped on her, waking her up to a house full of smoke.
Froning said she called her son, Jamie, a Nora Springs volunteer firefighter who works for Mason City.
Jamie Froning said he told his mom to get out of the house and then called the fire department.
The house was full of smoke when he showed up, he said.
"I was standing on the deck, taking care of my mom, when the couch burst into flames," he said.
He said he went into the house and pulled the couch outside.
Assistant Fire Chief Dean Kock said there was a little damage to the family room.
"There is mostly smoke damage," he said.
Linda Froning was treated at a Mason City hospital for smoke inhalation and released, her son said.
I'm sure this cat will be a superb horn player.
Good shit, Maynard!
Another pair of redheads! How could I resist?
Thanks, funkycaucasian!
I love this site!
Thanks for reminding me, dear Tigana!
Love it, Love It!
Polys are sooooo cool!